Beautiful losers: poet Charles Swiney

   

Remember Charles Swiney, the poet? Well it seems he was a master of thrift as demonstrated in this great profile on the guy.
   In 1973 he was about 60, and living in a two-room apartment in the east end, paying $20 a month.
   He'd wake, drink herbal tea, paint a primitive-looking mural called Butterflies, then ride his bike downtown to talk to poets.
  On Sunday he would meet artists on Mount Royal and then hit the Saidye Bronfman Centre to read his poetry to dancers accompaniment.
   Then back home to work on a screenplay. Then read poetry and other literature.
  Then to sleep on a mattress on the floor.
  Prior to living this glorious life, Swiney had gone through a military training - his dad was General W.F. Swiney of Toronto.
   By 1963 Swiney was into his third divorce. He lost $16,000 on a loan to make a movie.
   And then learned that he had inherited $58,000. But he spent that quickly too, lending $22,000 to strangers on an impulse. Too much trust.
  He spent years in Europe and returned to Ste. Adele to open a glass-making place. It worked.
  He got bored though.
   So he decided to teach in New Guinea. He was fired and returned to Montreal in 1972.
  "I'm basically lazy. I'm no go-getter. Even when I'm poor, I can't get the money incentive. What I love is loving and living and doing the kind of work that makes me happy."