Bill Holm (poet)
Encyclopedia
Bill Holm was an American poet
, essay
ist, memoir
ist, and musician
.
Holm was born on a farm north of Minneota, Minnesota
in 1943 and attended Gustavus Adolphus College
in St. Peter, Minnesota
where he graduated in 1965. Later, he attended the University of Kansas
. He was Professor Emeritus of English at Southwest Minnesota State University
, where he taught classes on poetry and literature until his retirement in 2007.
Holm was named the McKnight Distinguished Artist of the Year in 2008. This award celebrates artists who have left a significant imprint on the culture of Minnesota. He was the grandson of Icelandic immigrants and spent part of every year at his second home in Hofsós
, Iceland
.
Holm died February 25, 2009, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
at 65 years of age.
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
, essay
Essay
An essay is a piece of writing which is often written from an author's personal point of view. Essays can consist of a number of elements, including: literary criticism, political manifestos, learned arguments, observations of daily life, recollections, and reflections of the author. The definition...
ist, memoir
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
ist, and musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
.
Holm was born on a farm north of Minneota, Minnesota
Minneota, Minnesota
Minneota is a city in Lyon County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 1,392 at the 2010 census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of , all of it land...
in 1943 and attended Gustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College
Gustavus Adolphus College is a private liberal arts college affiliated with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America located in St. Peter, Minnesota, United States. A coeducational, four-year, residential institution, it was founded in 1862 by Swedish Americans. To this day the school is firmly...
in St. Peter, Minnesota
St. Peter, Minnesota
St. Peter is a city in Nicollet County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 11,196 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Nicollet County.St...
where he graduated in 1965. Later, he attended the University of Kansas
University of Kansas
The University of Kansas is a public research university and the largest university in the state of Kansas. KU campuses are located in Lawrence, Wichita, Overland Park, and Kansas City, Kansas with the main campus being located in Lawrence on Mount Oread, the highest point in Lawrence. The...
. He was Professor Emeritus of English at Southwest Minnesota State University
Southwest Minnesota State University
Southwest Minnesota State University is a public, four-year university that is part of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System. It is located in Marshall, Minnesota, United States, a city of 13,000 people. The school has a full-time enrollment of approximately 3,500 students and...
, where he taught classes on poetry and literature until his retirement in 2007.
Holm was named the McKnight Distinguished Artist of the Year in 2008. This award celebrates artists who have left a significant imprint on the culture of Minnesota. He was the grandson of Icelandic immigrants and spent part of every year at his second home in Hofsós
Hofsós
Hofsós is one of the oldest trading ports in northern Iceland dating back to the 16th century.Hofsós, with a population of about 200 individuals, is located 37 km east from Sauðárkrókur....
, Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
.
Holm died February 25, 2009, in Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls, South Dakota
Sioux Falls is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Dakota. Sioux Falls is the county seat of Minnehaha County, and also extends into Lincoln County to the south...
at 65 years of age.
Books
Holm is the author of twelve books of poems and essays:- Boxelder Bug Variations: A Meditation on an Idea in Language and Music, 1985 ISBN 0-915943-43-3
- The Music of Failure, 1986
- Coming Home Crazy: An Alphabet of China Essays, 1990 ISBN 978-0-9159-4342-5
- The Dead Get By with Everything, 1991 ISBN 0-915943-55-7
- Chocolate Chip Cookies For Your Enemies, 1993
- Landscape of Ghosts, 1993
- The Heart Can Be Filled Anywhere on Earth, 1996 ISBN 978-1-5713-1209-9
- Playing Haydn for the Angel of Death, 1997
- Faces of Christmas Past, 1998
- Eccentric Islands, 2000 ISBN 1-57131-245-5
- Playing the Black Piano, 2004 ISBN 1-57131-417-2
- Windows of Brimnes: An American in Iceland, 2007 ISBN 1-57131-302-8
Audio Books
Holm has published 4 audio books of poems and essays on CD:- Holmward Bound - An Evening With Bill Holm, (EssayAudio.com, 2001, ISBN 0-9665212-5-0)
- Faces of Christmas Past, (EssayAudio.com, 2002, ISBN 0-9665212-6-9)
- Notes From the Black Piano, (EssayAudio.com, 2004, ISBN 0-9665212-0-X)
- There Is No Other Way to Speak – Voices, (EssayAudio.com, 2005, ISBN 0-9665212-7-7)