Carolyn Hembree

Poet

New Orleans, LA
Louisiana US
Email: 
chembree@uno.edu
Website: 
www.carolynhembree.com
Twitter/X: 
@CarolynHembree

Author's Bio

Carolyn Hembree is the author of three poetry collections: For Today (LSU Press, 2024); Rigging a Chevy into a Time Machine and Other Ways to Escape a Plague (Trio House Press, 2016), winner of the Trio Award and the Rochelle Ratner Memorial Award; and Skinny (Kore Press, 2012).

Her poems appear in Beloit Poetry Journal, Colorado Review, Copper Nickel, Ninth Letter, Poetry Daily, The Southern Review, and other publications. She received a 2016-2017 ATLAS grant from the Louisiana Board of Regents and has also received grants and fellowships from PEN, the Louisiana Division of the Arts, and the Southern Arts Federation.

Carolyn holds an M.F.A in Creative Writing from the University of Arizona and a B.A. in English and Theatre from Birmingham-Southern College. Born in Bristol, Tennessee, she has lived in New Orleans since 2001. An associate professor in the University of New Orleans M.F.A. program, she was awarded the university’s 2017 Excellence in Teaching Award. Carolyn serves as poetry editor of Bayou Magazine.

Education: 
University of Arizona MFA

Publications & Prizes

Anthologies:
The Southern Poetry Anthology Volume X: Alabama (Texas Review Press, 2024)
,
Hick Poetics (Lost Roads Press, 2018)
,
Language Lessons (Third Man Books, 2014)
,
The Gulf Stream: Poems of the Gulf Coast (Snake Nation Press, 2013)
,
The Southern Poetry Anthology (Texas A&M University Press, 2011)
,
Lush: A Poetry Anthology and Cocktail Guide (Spout Press, 2006)
Books:
For Today (Louisiana State University Press, 2024)
,
Rigging a Chevy into a Time Machine and Other Ways to Escape a Plague (Trio House Press, 2016)
,
Skinny (Kore Press, 2012)
Journals:
American Letters & Commentary
,
Archipelago
,
Arkansas Review
,
Bateau
,
Beloit Poetry Journal
,
Birmingham Poetry Review
,
Burntdistrict
,
Colorado Review
,
Copper Nickel
,
Diagram
,
Dogwood: A Journal of Poetry & Prose
,
Drunken Boat
,
Eoagh
,
Forklift, Ohio
,
Fourteen Hills
,
Gulf Coast
,
Horse Less Review
,
Indiana Review
,
Jacket2
,
The Journal
,
jubilat
,
Mississippi Review
,
New American Writing
,
New Delta Review
,
New Orleans Review
,
Ninth Letter
,
Ostrich Review
,
Puerto del Sol
,
RHINO
,
Southern Review
,
Unlikely Stories
,
Verse Daily
,
West Branch
,
Witness
Prizes won: 

2016-2017 ATLAS grant from the Louisiana Board of Regents, 2015 Trio Award for _Rigging a Chevy into a Time Machine and Other Ways to Escape a Plague_, 2015 Rochelle Ratner Memorial Award for _Rigging a Chevy into a Time Machine and Other Ways to Escape a Plague_

Watch

Listen

Personal Favorites

Favorite authors: 
Emily Dickinson, Sylvia Plath, Etheridge Knight, CD Wright, Paul Celan, Shakespeare
What I'm reading now: 
GRACE ENGINE by Joshua Burton, OBLIVION BANJO by Charles Wright

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
American, Southern
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Fluent in: 
English
Born in: 
Bristol, TN
Tennessee
Raised in: 
Birmingham, AL
Alabama
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Jul 18, 2023