John V. Hicks

Who was John V. Hicks?

John Victor Hicks, SOM was a Canadian poet. He was born in London, England, but his parents immigrated to New Brunswick while he was still an infant. The Hicks family later settled in Montreal where Hicks wrote that he discovered as a boy "the very first whisper of the magic of writing." Although he did not like to travel, Hicks moved to Alberta then to Saskatchewan, and finally settled in Prince Albert where he pursued his profession as an accountant and, over the course of his lifetime, accomplished many artistic achievements.

Hicks began writing poetry in the 1930s; however, he was 71 before he decided to publish his first volume of poetry in 1978. Despite his late start, John Hicks quickly gained distinction in Canadian literary circles and enjoyed part of his "fifteen minutes of fame" as a frequent guest on Peter Gzowski's Morningside on CBC. He was also an active member of the Saskatchewan Writers Guild and the League of Canadian Poets.

Hicks criticized the vulgarity of modern life and, true to his values, lived modestly. He never owned as television set or a vehicle, preferring to walk, even in the most frigid weather.