Louis Jenkins
Encyclopedia
Louis Jenkins is a prose poet
from Enid, Oklahoma
. He has lived in Duluth, Minnesota
, for over 30 years with his wife Ann. His poems have been published in a number of literary magazines and anthologies. Jenkins has been a guest on A Prairie Home Companion
numerous times and has also been featured on The Writer's Almanac
. The author's book, Nice Fish, was winner of the Minnesota Book Award in 1995. His book Just Above Water won the Northeastern Minnesota Book Award in 1997. In 1996, Jenkins was a featured poet at the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival
. Actor Mark Rylance
read from works by Jenkins in lieu of formal acceptance speeches after winning a Tony Award
and a Drama Desk Award for the play Boeing-Boeing (in 2008) and after winning his Tony Award for the play Jerusalem
(in 2011).
Prose poetry
Prose poetry is poetry written in prose instead of using verse but preserving poetic qualities such as heightened imagery and emotional effects.-Characteristics:Prose poetry can be considered either primarily poetry or prose, or a separate genre altogether...
from Enid, Oklahoma
Enid, Oklahoma
Enid is a city in Garfield County, Oklahoma, United States. In 2010, the population was 49,379, making it the ninth largest city in Oklahoma. It is the county seat of Garfield County. Enid was founded during the opening of the Cherokee Outlet in the Land Run of 1893, and is named after Enid, a...
. He has lived in Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth, Minnesota
Duluth is a port city in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is the county seat of Saint Louis County. The fourth largest city in Minnesota, Duluth had a total population of 86,265 in the 2010 census. Duluth is also the second largest city that is located on Lake Superior after Thunder Bay, Ontario,...
, for over 30 years with his wife Ann. His poems have been published in a number of literary magazines and anthologies. Jenkins has been a guest on A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion
A Prairie Home Companion is a live radio variety show created and hosted by Garrison Keillor. The show runs on Saturdays from 5 to 7 p.m. Central Time, and usually originates from the Fitzgerald Theater in Saint Paul, Minnesota, although it is frequently taken on the road...
numerous times and has also been featured on The Writer's Almanac
The Writer's Almanac
The Writer's Almanac is a daily radio and on-line program and podcast of poetry and historical interest pieces, usually of literary significance. It is hosted by Garrison Keillor and is produced and distributed by American Public Media...
. The author's book, Nice Fish, was winner of the Minnesota Book Award in 1995. His book Just Above Water won the Northeastern Minnesota Book Award in 1997. In 1996, Jenkins was a featured poet at the Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival
Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival
The biennial Geraldine R. Dodge Poetry Festival is the largest poetry event in North America.-Background:The four-day celebrations of poetry have been called “poetry heaven” by the 1995–1997 US Poet Laureate Robert Hass, “a new Woodstock” by the Christian Science Monitor, and “Wordstock” by The...
. Actor Mark Rylance
Mark Rylance
Mark Rylance is an English actor, theatre director and playwright.As an actor, Rylance found success on stage and screen. For his work in theatre he has won Olivier and Tony Awards among others, and a BAFTA TV Award...
read from works by Jenkins in lieu of formal acceptance speeches after winning a Tony Award
Tony Award
The Antoinette Perry Award for Excellence in Theatre, more commonly known as a Tony Award, recognizes achievement in live Broadway theatre. The awards are presented by the American Theatre Wing and The Broadway League at an annual ceremony in New York City. The awards are given for Broadway...
and a Drama Desk Award for the play Boeing-Boeing (in 2008) and after winning his Tony Award for the play Jerusalem
Jerusalem (play)
Jerusalem is a play by Jez Butterworth that opened at the downstairs theatre of the Royal Court Theatre in London in 2009. The production starred Mark Rylance as Johnny 'Rooster' Byron and Mackenzie Crook as Ginger. After receiving rave reviews its run was extended. In January 2010 it transferred...
(in 2011).
Books
- Before You Know It: Prose Poems 1970-2005 (Will o' the Wisp Books, 2009)
- European Shoes (Will o' the Wisp Books, 2008)
- North of the Cities (Will o' the Wisp Books, 2007)
- Four Places on Lake Superior’s North Shore (Red Dragonfly Press, 2005)
- Distance From the Sun (Minnesota Center for the Book Arts, 2004)
- Sea Smoke (Holy Cow! Press, 2004)
- The Winter Road (Holy Cow! Press, 2000)
- Just Above Water (Holy Cow! Press, 1997)
- Nice Fish: New and Selected Prose Poems (Holy Cow! Press, 1995)
- All Tangled Up With the Living (Nineties Press, 1991)
- An Almost Human Gesture (Eighties Press and Ally Press, 1987)
- The Water's Easy Reach:Prose Poems (White Pine Press, 1985)
- The Well Digger's Wife (Minnesota Writer's Publishing House Booklet No. 2, 1973)
- Will Small: The Journey (White Pine Press, 1987)
Anthologies
- Good Poems for Hard Times Garrison Keillor, ed. (Viking, 2005)
- Great American Prose Poems David Lehman, ed. (Scribner, 2003)
- Poetry 180 Billy Collins, ed. (Random House, 2003)
- No Boundaries: Prose Poems by 24 American Prose Poets (Tupelo Press, 2003)
- Are You Experienced? (University of Iowa Press, 2003)
- Stories From Where We Live (Milkweed Editions, 2003)
- Good Poems Garrison Keillor, ed. (Viking, 2002)
- The Thousands, Number One (Thousands Press, 2001)
- The Best of the Prose Poem (Providence College, Providence, RI, 2000)
- The Best American Poetry 1999The Best American Poetry 1999The Best American Poetry 1999, a volume in The Best American Poetry series, was edited by David Lehman and by guest editor Robert Bly.-Poets and poems included:-External links:* , with links to each publication where the poems originally appeared...
David Lehman, ed. (Scribner, 1999) - Literature and Its Writers (Bedford Books, Boston, 1997)
- The Plain Truth of Things (Harper Collins, 1997)
- The Party Train: A Collection North American Prose Poetry (New Rivers Press, 1996)
- Literature: The Evolving Canon Sven Birkerts, ed. (Allyn and Bacon, 1993)
- Men of Our Time (University of Georgia Press, 1992)
- The Rag and Bone Shop of the Heart Bly, Hillman and Meade, eds.(Harper Collins, 1992)
- Reading Rooms (Doubleday,1991)
- The Best of Crazyhorse (University of Arkansas Press, 1990)
- Minnesota Writes: Poetry (Milkweed Books, 1987)
- News of the Universe: Poems of Twofold Consciousness Robert Bly, ed. (Sierra Club BooksSierra Club BooksSierra Club Books is the publishing division of the Sierra Club, founded in 1960 by then Sierra Club President David Brower. Volumes intended for club members had been published prior to 1960. In addition, books under their name had been published before 1960, but done through already established...
, 1980) - Heartland II: Poets of the Midwest (Northern Illinois University Press, 1975)