M. R. Defibaugh (b. 1985) is a Virginia-based poet and haiku enthusiast with muscular dystrophy. He has degrees in mathematical sciences (BA, University of Illinois at Springfield) and operations management (MS, University of Arkansas). His book Hurricane Warning: Poems (2019) was featured in Kirkus Reviews magazine (May 2020) and received a bronze medal in the Readers' Favorite contest.

Defibaugh's latest chapbook, Paperwhite Narcissus (2023), features over 40 haiku and senryu published from 2021-2023, appearing in numerous journals and other online publications. The poems' emotional force and precise imagery tell a story that reflects on and celebrates the entirety of the human experience.