Wally Swist

Poet

South Hadley, MA
Massachusetts US

Author's Bio

A recording of a poem from his solo reading in the Sunken Garden Poetry Festival is archived at npr.org. A short documentary biographical film regarding his work as a poet and a writer was released by WildArts in 2008, In Praise of the Earth: The Poetry of Wally Swist, and has been screened at a number of venues, including at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. Contact and queries regarding a screening of the film, especially with respect to organizations affiliated with the natural world and/or the literary arts are most welcome. He has published a scholarly monograph, The Friendship of Two New England Poets: Robert Frost and Robert Francis, with The Edwin Mellen Press in 2009. He is the editor and writer of Moscow Ballet's Great Russian Nutcracker, illustrated by Olga Larionova, and published in hardcover by Talmi Entertainment in November 2012. The Operating System, of Brooklyn, NY, published his book, Singing for Nothing: Selected Nonfiction as Literary Memoir, in 2018.

Publications & Prizes

Anthologies:
Weaving Shade: Contemporary Dream Poetry, An International Anthology (Lamar University Literary Press, 2025)
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Thin Places & Sacred Spaces (Amethyst, 2024)
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Contemporary Surrealist and Magical Realist Poetry (Lamar University Literary Press, 2022)
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Storms of the Inland Sea: Poems on Alzheimer’s and Dementia (Shanti Arts Publishing, 2022)
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How to Love the World: Poems of Love and Hope (Storey Publishing, 2021)
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Except for Love: New England Poets Inspired by Donald Hall (Encircle Publications, 2019)
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Enchantment of the Ordinary (Mutabilis Press, 2018)
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Unlocking the Word: A Found Poem Anthology (Lamar University Literary Press, 2018)
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Ice Cream Poems: Reflections on Life with Ice Cream (Concrete Wolf, 2017)
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Pushing the Envelope: Epistolary Poems (Lamar University Literary Press, 2015)
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Weatherings (FutureCycle Press, 2015)
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American Society: What Poets See (FutureCycle Press, 2013)
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Haiku in English: The First Hundred Years (W. W. Norton & Company, 2013)
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Where the River Goes: The Nature Tradition in English-Language Haiku (Snapshot Press, 2013)
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Sunken Garden Poetry, 1992-2011 (Wesleyan University Press, 2012)
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Fair Warning: Leo Connellan and His Poetry (Printed Matter Press, 2011)
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What's Nature Got to Do With Me?: Staying Wildly Sane in a Mad World (Native West Press, 2011)
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Solace in So Many Words (Hourglass Books, 2010)
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The Light in Ordinary Things (Fearless Books, 2009)
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From the Other World: Poems in Memory of James Wright (Lost Hills Books, 2008)
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Proposing on the Brooklyn Bridge: Poems About Marriage (Poetworks/Grayson Books, 2003)
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Haiku: Poetry Ancient & Modern (Tuttle, 2002)
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The Duchess of Malfi's Apricots and Other Literary Fruits (University of South Carolina Press, 2002)
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Intimate Kisses: The Poetry of Sexual Pleasure (New World Library, 2001)
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Stories from Where We Live: The North Atlantic Coast (Milkweed Editions, 2000)
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The Haiku Anthology (W. W. Norton & Company, 1999)
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Anthology of Magazine Verse and Yearbook of American Poetry (Monitor Book Company, 1997)
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Haiku World: An International Poetry Almanac (Kodansha International, 1996)
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Place of the Long River: A Connecticut River Anthology of Poetry and Prose with Views from the Source to the Sound (Blue Moon Press, 1995)
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A Haiku Path: The Haiku Society of America, 1968-1988 (Haiku Society of America, 1994)
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Haiku Moment (Tuttle, 1993)
Books:
Aperture (Kelsay Books, 2025)
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If You’re the Dreamer, I’m the Dream: Selected Translations from The Book of Hours (Finishing Line Press, 2025)
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L’Allegria: Giuseppe Ungaretti (Shanti Arts Publishing, 2023)
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A Writer's Statements on Beauty: New & Selected Essays & Reviews (Shanti Arts Publishing, 2022)
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Taking Residence (Shanti Arts Publishing, 2021)
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Awakening & Visitation (Shanti Arts Publishing, 2020)
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Evanescence: Selected Poems (Shanti Arts Publishing, 2020)
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A Bird Who Seems to Know Me: Poems Regarding Birds & Nature (Ex Ophidia Press, 2019)
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The Bees of the Invisible (Shanti Arts Publishing, 2019)
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On Beauty: Essays, Reviews, Fiction, and Plays (Adelaide Books, 2018)
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Singing for Nothing: Selected Nonfiction as Literary Memoir (Operating System, 2018)
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The Map of Eternity (Shanti Arts Publishing, 2018)
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Candling the Eggs (Shanti Arts Publishing, 2017)
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The View of the River (Kelsay Books, 2017)
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The Windbreak Pine (Snapshot Press, 2016)
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The Daodejing: An Interpretation, with David Breeden and Steven Schroeder (Lamar University Literary Press, 2015)
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Invocation (Lamar University Literary Press, 2015)
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Velocity (Virtual Artists Collective, 2013)
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Blessing and Homage (Timberline Press, 2012)
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Huang Po and the Dimensions of Love (Southern Illinois University Press, 2012)
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Winding Paths Worn through Grass (Virtual Artists Collective, 2012)
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Luminous Dream (FutureCycle Press, 2010)
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Mount Toby Poems (Timberline Press, 2009)
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The Silence Between Us (Brooks Books, 2005)
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The White Rose (Timberline Press, 2000)
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The New Life (Plinth Books, 1998)
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The Mown Meadow (Los Hombres Press, 1996)
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For the Dance (Adastra Press, 1991)
Chapbooks:
Of Angels: Poems & Translations (Finishing Line Press, 2025)
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Things I Know I Love: Odes to Food (Finishing Line Press, 2015)
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Train Whistle (Proof Press, 1996)
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Blowing Reeds (Timberline Press, 1995)
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The Gristmill's Trough (Hummingbird Press, 1991)
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Sugaring Buckets (High/Coo Press, 1989)
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Chimney Smoke (Juniper Press, 1988)
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Unmarked Stones (Burnt Lake Press, 1988)
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Waking Up the Ducks (Adastra Press, 1987)
Journals: , ,
Adelaide Literary Magazine
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Aji Magazine
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Akitsu Quarterly
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Alimentum
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All Roads Will Lead You Home
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America Magazine
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Amethyst Review
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Angel Face
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Arabesques Review
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Arlington Literary Journal
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Banyan Review
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Baseball Bard
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Blood & Honey Review
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Blue Lyra Review
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Bluebird Word
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Caesura
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Clockhouse
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Commonweal
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Concelebratory Shoehorn Review
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Connecticut Review
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Connecticut River Review
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Connotation Press: An Online Artifact
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Contemporary Verse 2
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Crab Orchard Review
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Crosswinds
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Deep Wild Journal
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Earth First
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EarthSpeak Magazine
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Empirical Magazine
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Eureka Street Magazine
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Ezra: An Online Journal of Translation
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First Literary Review-East
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Garrison Keillor's Writer's Almanac
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Haight-Ashbury Literary Journal
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Hummingbird
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Kentucky Review
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Lady Jane's Miscellany
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LitBreak Magazine
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Mainichi Daily News
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Many Hands: A Magazine for Holistic Health
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Mayfly
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Miramar Poetry Journal
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Mudfish
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Negative Capability
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New England Watershed Magazine
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Noiseless Spider
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NOON
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Numinous: Spiritual Poetry
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Operating System
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Osiris
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Outerbridge
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Paintbrush: A Journal of Poetry & Translation
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Pensive: A Global Journal of Spirituality and the Arts
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Perfume River Poetry Review
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Poetry Daily
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Poetry London
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Poetry Salzburg Review
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Prosopisia
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Puckerbrush Review
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PULP Literature
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Red Fox Review
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Rolling Stone
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Ruminate
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Sanctuary
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Sangam Literary Magazine
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Seventh Quarry/Swansea Wales
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Short Édition
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Snowy Egret
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Sparrow
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Spiritus: A Journal of Christian Spirituality
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Stone Country
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String Poet
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Sufi
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Telephone
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The Comstock Review
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The Deronda Review
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The Foliate Oak Online Literary Magazine
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The Galway Review
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The Heron's Nest
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The Kerf
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The Linnet's Wings
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The Literary Bohemian
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The RavensPerch
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The Whirlwind Review
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Theodate
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Third Wednesday
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Today's American Catholic
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Transference
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Transom
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Tule Review
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Upstreet
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Verse Daily
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Vox Populi
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Wales Haiku Journal
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Warrior Poets
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Wild River Review
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Written River
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Yankee Magazine
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Zymbol
Prizes won: 

Former Poet-in-Residence, Fort Juniper, the Robert Francis Homestead (1998, 2003-2005); recipient of Artist Fellowship Awards in Poetry from the Connecticut Commission on the Arts (1978, 2003); one of seven finalists chosen from New England and New York to read their poetry in the 40th Anniversary of the Northeast Modern Language Association Convention (Creative Session) (2009); co-winner of the 2011 Crab Orchard Series Open Poetry Competition for Huang Po and the Dimensions of Love; 2nd Prize in the 2012 W. B. Yeats Society of New York Poetry Competition; recipient of the Philip Whalen Memorial Grant from Poets in Need and grants of financial assistance from the Author's League Fund, The Carnegie Foundation for Authors, The Haven Foundation, and PEN America; winner of the Snapshot Press (U.K.) Book Award for The Windbreak Pine: New and Uncollected Haiku, 1985-2015, which was awarded a Touchstone Award from The Haiku Foundation in 2016; winner of the 2018 Adelaide Books Essay Contest for the essay, On Beauty; winner of the 2018 Ex Ophidia Press Poetry Prize for A Bird Who Seems to Know Me: Poems Regarding Birds & Nature.

Personal Favorites

Favorite authors: 
Hannah Arendt, Jane Brox, Pema Chodron, Robert Francis, Jack Gilbert, Margaret Gibson, Juan Ramon Jimenez, Federico Garcia Lorca, W. S. Merwin, Lorine Niedecker, Eva Pierrakos, Kenneth Rexroth, Rainer Maria Rilke, Giuseppe Ungaretti, Walt Whitman, Russel Williams
What I'm reading now: 
Not I, Not other than I by Russel Williams, By Monomoy Light: Nature and Healing in an Island Sanctuary by North T. Cairn, Coast Road by Robert Gray, The Mays of Ventadorn by W. S. Merwin, Rilke: A Life by Wolfgang Leppmann, The Lost Upland: Stories of Southwest France by W. S. Merwin

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Fluent in: 
English
Born in: 
New Haven, CT
Connecticut
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Nov 14, 2024