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POWELL, Wyo. - David Baker, poet, literary critic and poetry editor of The Kenyon Review, will talk about his work Thursday, Nov. 11, as a guest of the Northwest College Writers Series.
The program begins at 7:30 p.m. in the Orendorff Building Lounge on campus.
"To my mind, Baker is the clearest voice in contemporary American poetry,” said Rob Stothart, one of the Writers Series directors. “His poems ring true, and his criticism helps us discover what is poetic in our own voices and vital in our lyric tradition. I am thrilled that he is traveling to Powell to be part of the Northwest College Writers Series."
Baker, 55, was born in Maine, raised in Missouri and spent more than 40 years in the Midwest.
His first collection of poems, “Laws of the Land,” was published in 1981, followed by “Haunts” in 1985. Since then, he’s published several collections of poetry, including his most recent, “Never-Ending Birds” in 2009.
Baker is also the author of three books of criticism: “Radiant Lyre: Essays on Lyric Poetry,” “Heresy and the Ideal: On Contemporary Poetry” and “Meter in English: A Critical Engagement.”
Among his awards are fellowships and prizes from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Ohio Arts Council, Poetry Society of America, Society of Midland Authors, and the Pushcart Foundation.
Baker is currently a professor of English and the Thomas B. Fordham chair of creative writing at Denison University and is a faculty member in the masters of fine arts program for writers at Warren Wilson College.
He received degrees in English from Central Missouri State University before earning a doctorate in English from the University of Utah in 1983.
Baker currently resides in Granville, Ohio, where he serves as poetry editor of The Kenyon Review.
Admission is free to his Northwest College Writers Series presentation.