Saskatchewan-born poet John Newlove, who is often said to have helped put the Prairie province on the literary map, died suddenly in Ottawa on Dec. 23. He was 65. Born in Regina on June 13, 1938 and raised in Kamsack, Sask., Newlove first gained prominence for his poetry in the late 1960s. Fellow poet Paul Wilson says that Newlove was one of the first to write about Saskatchewan, and despite leaving his home province early in his career, its influence never left his writing, which often included images of and references to the Canadian Prairies. In addition to his poetry, Newlove's resumé reflected his travels across Canada. He was a high school teacher in Birtle, Man., a social worker in Yorkton, Sask., worked in radio in Weyburn, Sask. and Regina, was a labourer in B.C., an editor at McClelland and Stewart in Toronto and, in Ottawa, worked for the federal government. One of the first writers-in-residence at the Regina Public Library, Newlove also occupied the post at other institutions, including the University of Toronto and Loyola College in Montreal. Newlove's collection Lies won the 1972 Governor General's Award for poetry. His other honours include awards from the Literary Press Group and the Saskatchewan Writers Guild. -- CBC news services