Wilson Macdonald His Life and Legacy

Claresholm Review

Wilson MacDonald May, 20th, 1913

The Young People's Society of St. Andrew’s Church are offering the people of this town a rare treat in an evening with our poetic guest, Mr. Wilson Macdonald, of Ontario, who is remarkable for his versatility. He will entertain his friends with mystery fun and music.

This rising young Canadian, the author of such works as, “The Songs of the Prairie Land,” “Whip-Poor Will,” “To the Uncrowned Kings,” is not only a poet of Canadian life, but is also a maker of songs, composing and singing the music to his own verses.

He is a magician of an alluring art and displays many marvellous tricks, amazing and mystifying his audiences. He baffles the closest attention, producing rings, coins and innumerable articles from the most unexpected places.

The press critics declare him a wonder and a new master of this art.

Here are a few comments by the press on Mr. Macdonald's entertainment:-

The Westminster ------- says "Our heartiest congratulations in having secured Mr. Wilson Macdona]d for Monday night As a poet Mr, Macdonald is an inspiration, as a magician worthy of beihg classed among the Orpheum stars, while as a musician and cartoonist, he has distinct and entertaining gifts. Regina has not quite realized the man. He has been held up too much in a professional and small town light. He is national and we hope the people will crowd Westminister Church on Monday night and hear him and watch him.”

After the entertainment above referred to, the Regina Province, said: “Wilson Macdonald delighted a crowded audience at Westminster Club last night, when he provided an excellent entertainment, comprising the reading of his poems, and the singing of songs composed by himself, together with exhibitions of feats of legerdemain, and skill as a cartoonist.

To few men is it given to excel in so many branches of art as Wilson Macdonald is privileged to do, and as he is yet a young man there is naturally prospects of a great future liefore him.”

Wilson MacDonald
By A. Ermatinger Fraser. An article from the Bookman magazine of January 1927 (pdf)

Song of the prairie land: and other poems (1918) (pdf)

Canadian Girl
Sheet music (1906) (pdf)
True love can never die
Sheet music (1910) (pdf)

Angels of the Earth
This is the last published work by Canadian poet, Wilson MacDonald (May 5, 1880 – April 8, 1967). Angels of the Earth (1963) was Wilson's swan song. It is a hand-written volume of short prose pieces, each one a parable of wisdom, summing up what he had learned and believed to be true during his time on earth. The book begins with the phrase “This is the Gospel according to Wilson MacDonald,” and that is precisely what it is. In each chapter, a point of truth is embodied in the form of an angel:
The Angel of Tolerance
The Angel of Wisdom
The Angel of Little Things
The Angel of the Lonely Ways, etc.
I have scanned this book and offer it here for download (It is around 100mb as I wanted to keep the quality of the scans good so the hand-written script would be readable and printable).

The Miracle Songs of Jesus (pdf)

Immanence (1920) (pdf)