National Poetry Series
1 appearances
-
Edition 7 (1985) Winner
Jack Elliott Myers
ジャック・エリオット・マイヤーズ
Jakku Eriotto Maiyāzu
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1941-11-29 （Lynn, Massachusetts, United States）
- Died
- 2009-11-23 age 67
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Judaism
- Residence History
- Lynn, Massachusetts → Iowa City, Iowa → Dallas, Texas
Career
- Occupations
- Poet, Professor, Editor, Writer
- Active Years
- 1969-2009
- Affiliations
- Southern Methodist University (SMU), The Writer's Garret, Vermont College (Field Faculty)
- Influenced By
- Richard Hugo, Seamus Heaney (as selector/mentor)
- Influenced
- Students at SMU and the Dallas writers' community
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Massachusetts Amherst | — | English Literature | Bachelor of Arts | 1966–1970 | United States |
| University of Iowa (Iowa Writers' Workshop) | MFA program | Poetry Writing | Master of Fine Arts | 1970–1974 | United States |
University of Massachusetts Amherst
English Literature
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Period:
1966–1970
Year of Graduation:
1970
Country:
United States
University of Iowa (Iowa Writers' Workshop)
MFA program
/ Poetry Writing
Degree:
Master of Fine Arts
Period:
1970–1974
Year of Graduation:
1974
Country:
United States
Moved to Dallas to join SMU faculty after completion
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 | Poet Laureate of Texas | — | — | State of Texas | Appointed |
| 1985 | National Poetry Series | As Long as You're Happy | — | National Poetry Series | Winner (selected by Seamus Heaney) |
| 2003 | Proclamation of "Jack Myers Day" (Mesquite) | — | — | City of Mesquite | Proclamation / Honor |
Poet Laureate of Texas
2003
Organization:
State of Texas
Result:
Appointed
National Poetry Series
1985
Work:
As Long as You're Happy
Organization:
National Poetry Series
Result:
Winner (selected by Seamus Heaney)
Proclamation of "Jack Myers Day" (Mesquite)
2003
Organization:
City of Mesquite
Result:
Proclamation / Honor
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
As Long as You're Happy
1986 Poetry collectionA collection of poems focusing on daily life and memory, noted for its concise and approachable voice.
memoryfamilyeveryday lifeself-reflection
Blindsided
1993 Poetry collectionA mid-career collection blending personal and social themes.
politicspersonal experience
The Glowing River: New & Selected Poems
2001 Poetry (New & Selected)A representative volume combining selected earlier poems with new work.
recollectionregionalismcraft of poetry
Bibliography
- Black Sun Abraxas (1970)
- Will It Burn (1974)
- The Family War (1977)
- A Trout in the Milk: A Composite Portrait of Richard Hugo (1980)
- I'm Amazed That You're Still Singing (1981)
- Coming to the Surface (1984)
- As Long as You're Happy (1986)
- The Longman Dictionary of Poetic Terms (1985; revised 1995)
- New American Poets of the 80s (ed., 1984)
- The Family War (1977)
- Blindsided (1993)
- OneOnOne (1999)
- The Glowing River: New & Selected Poems (2001)
- Dictionary of Poetic Terms (2003)
- The Poet's Portable Workshop (2004)
- Routine Heaven (2005)
- The Memory of Water (2011, posthumous)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Plainspoken, conversational dictionBlend of New American Poets sensibilities with modernist elements
- Recurring Motifs
- memory and familyTexas and regional identityobservations of everyday lifespirituality and loss
Legacy
Jack Myers was a poet and educator who mentored many writers, helped cultivate the Dallas literary community, served as Poet Laureate of Texas (2003), and co-founded the nonprofit literary center The Writer's Garret.
Academic Societies
- Texas Institute of Letters (associated)
Archives
- The Writer's Garret (related archives)
In Popular Culture
- Appearances on KERA radio and TV series such as The Art of Living
Trivia
- Selected by Seamus Heaney for the 1985 National Poetry Series
- Taught at Southern Methodist University for over 30 years and influenced generations of writers
- Co-founded The Writer's Garret in Dallas with his wife Thea Temple