Librarian Articulating Immigrant Experience A retired librarian, Rienzi Crusz, a native of Galle, Sri Lanka, published, 1999, his ninth book of poetry – a second major interest since he first arrived in Canada, 1965. Before immigrating, he had graduated, University of Ceylon, 1948, the Morley School of Librarianship and Archives, University of London, U.K., and was Chief Research Librarian, Central Bank of Ceylon, 1951-63. After coming to Canada, he worked in the Catalogue Department, University of Toronto, while taking a Bachelor of Library Science, University of Toronto, 1967. Joining the University of Waterloo as Senior Reference and Collections Development Librarian, 1966, he pursued his interest in poetry. His first book, Flesh and Thorn, was published, 1974. Both his poetry and prose have appeared in numerous anthologies and journals in the United States and Europe, one critic describing him as having “invented a precise, ironic, yet sensuous language to articulate the multiple dimensions of the immigrant experience.” Retiring, 1993, Rienzi Crusz won the City of Kitchener-Waterloo Cultural Award, 1994. [Photo, courtesy Rienzi Crusz]

Lyrical Palaeontologist Poet and palaeontologist best describe the interests of Asoka Weerasinghe, a native of Colombo, Sri Lanka, who after 12 years in England and Wales, moved to St. John’s Newfoundland, 1968, graduating Memorial University, M.Sc. in Palaeontology, 1970. He then became Head Thematic Researcher, National Museums of Canada, Ottawa, and remained in various government posts as an exhibits specialist, until 1989, at which time he joined the Office of the High Commissioner of Sri Lanka, Ottawa, as Director of Communications. Since 1994, he has been a consultant and visual arts curator and dealer. Poetry, however, has sustained his interest since his student days at the University of Wales, B.Sc., 1967, with 11 volumes of prize-winning works published in Canada and the U.K., and appearances in anthologies in several countries. He has won numerous awards from a number of universities and various Poetic Societies, including the Welsh University Eisteddfod Award, 1966, and the Newfoundland and Labrador Arts and Letters Gold Medal for Poetry, 1969. Professor D. Freeman, Newfoundland Arts and Letters Society, claims that Asoka Weerasinghe “has an excellent ear for language, a sensitivity to musical patterns of vowels and consonants, and a highly original lyrical sense.” Mr. Weerasinghe is also founder/organizer, Gloucester Spoken Art, Poetry and Storytelling Series, since 1995. [Photo, courtesy Asoka Weerasinghe]