Born and raised in Wisconsin, Stephen Roger Powers has coped with profound hearing loss most of his life. He was a delivery driver and a stand-up comedian while working on his PhD in English, and he has lost count of how many times he has seen Dolly Parton at Dollywood and in concert. Powers has published four poetry collections with Salmon Poetry: The Follower's Tale (2009); Hello, Stephen (2014); All Seats Fifty Cents (2019); and Hail My Attention Kindly (2024). His collection of short stories, Highway Speed, was published by Closet Skeleton Press. His writing has appeared in over 100 journals and anthologies, including 32 Poems, The Comstock Review, Copper Nickel, Natural Bridge, Shenandoah, and Let Me Say This: A Dolly Parton Poetry Anthology.