Anna Cann sees her two new books of inspirational poetry as gifts from God.

After years of selling other people’s artwork and antiques at the now defunct Heritage House, Mrs Cann decided to take up painting in her retirement. But last Labour Day the 75 year old was a little bored with painting.

She decided to try her hand at poetry instead.

“I asked God to show me how to write poetry,” she said.

Mrs Cann soon felt the Spirit move her and began to write.

“At first I had 12 lines and it didn’t sound complete,” she said. “Then I did eight more and then I went on and on.

“Then I waited a couple of days and didn’t give it another thought.

“Then I said, Lord, forgive me, I asked you to teach me how to write poems and I stopped writing almost as soon as I started.”

She began to write, sometimes frenetically. She wrote five poems in one day.

On one occasion she woke up at 5am and the words just poured out of her. It took her nine days to write the 21 poems in the first book.

She now has more than 40 inspirational poems collected into two locally printed books. They are on sale and carry her artwork on the cover.

One cover has a picture of an orange building in the town of St George. This painting was featured in a 2009 calendar celebrating Bermuda’s 400th anniversary.

Although she has studied art with many different local artists such as Chris Grimes, Manuel Palacio and Sharon Wilson, she said the poetry came naturally.

“Writing poetry seemed like it came so easily,” she said.

The books are available for sale either through her or through Caesar’s Pharmacy in Somerset.

“I had them blessed in my church so several members brought them,” she said. “I just want people to enjoy them. I’m not making any money off the books.

“I called my school friends and read some of the poems to them and they were so amazed.

“I had some students who worked with me in the summer holidays. They have been travelling, but they called me and ordered several copies to take for gifts.”

As a youngster she attended the Girls Institute of Arts and Crafts in Bermuda where she trained to be a seamstress.

“My first year in school I was selected to go to Calypso to sew which at that time was above what is now The Beach on Front Street,” she said. “I used to make garments there. Then when I graduated I went to English Sports Shop and made pedal pushers, shorts and slacks.”

When she retired, art started out as a hobby, but she developed a keen interest in it.

She has had three solo shows of her work at the Bermuda Society of Arts (BSOA) and her paintings have sold well.

She hasn’t had any more shows recently because she has been concentrating on her poetry.

“I am not planning any more books of poetry at the moment,” she said. “That is enough, for now. Forty one poems in 16 days was a lot. My oldest son was very encouraging.

“He said just let it out. Just keep writing and let your friends enjoy it. I titled them ‘inspirational poems’ because a couple of people said they were very inspiring.

“To tell you the truth the process of getting them printed and distributed took longer than the writing of them.”

For more information about Mrs Cann’s poetry, call her at 234-0669.