Mark Halliday
Encyclopedia
Mark Halliday is a noted American poet, professor and critic. He is author of five collections of poetry, most recently Keep This Forever (Tupelo Press
, 2008). His honors include serving as the 1994 poet in residence at The Frost Place
, inclusion in several annual editions of The Best American Poetry series and of the Pushcart Prize
anthology, receiving a 2006 Guggenheim Fellowship
, and winning the 2001 Rome Prize
from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Halliday earned his B.A. (1971) and M.A. (1976) from Brown University
, and his Ph.D. in English literature from Brandeis University
in 1983, where he studied with poets Allen Grossman
and Frank Bidart
. He has taught English literature and writing at Wellesley College, the University of Pennsylvania
, Western Michigan University
, Indiana University
. Since 1996, he has taught at Ohio University
. He is married to J. Allyn Rosser
.
has described Halliday as one of the "ablest practitioners" of the "ultra-talk poem," a term said to have been coined by Halliday himself to describe the work of a group of contemporary American poets, including David Kirby
, Denise Duhamel
, David Clewell, Albert Goldbarth
, and Barbara Hamby
, who frequently write in a wry, exuberant, garrulous, accessible style. Halliday has acknowledged the influences of New York School
poets Frank O’Hara and Kenneth Koch
on some of his poems.
Criticism
Tupelo Press
Tupelo Press is an American not-for-profit literary press founded in 1999. It produced its first titles in 2001, publishing poetry, fiction and non-fiction...
, 2008). His honors include serving as the 1994 poet in residence at The Frost Place
The Frost Place
The Frost Place is a museum and nonprofit educational center for poetry located at Robert Frost's former home in Franconia, New Hampshire, USA....
, inclusion in several annual editions of The Best American Poetry series and of the Pushcart Prize
Pushcart Prize
The Pushcart Prize is an American literary prize by Pushcart Press that honors the best "poetry, short fiction, essays or literary whatnot" published in the small presses over the previous year. Magazine and small book press editors are invited to nominate up to 6 works they have featured....
anthology, receiving a 2006 Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
, and winning the 2001 Rome Prize
Rome Prize
The Rome Prize is an American award made annually by the American Academy in Rome, through a national competition, to 15 emerging artists and to 15 scholars The Rome Prize is an American award made annually by the American Academy in Rome, through a national competition, to 15 emerging artists...
from the American Academy of Arts and Letters.
Halliday earned his B.A. (1971) and M.A. (1976) from Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
, and his Ph.D. in English literature from Brandeis University
Brandeis University
Brandeis University is an American private research university with a liberal arts focus. It is located in the southwestern corner of Waltham, Massachusetts, nine miles west of Boston. The University has an enrollment of approximately 3,200 undergraduate and 2,100 graduate students. In 2011, it...
in 1983, where he studied with poets Allen Grossman
Allen Grossman
Allen Grossman is a noted American poet, critic and professor.-Biography:Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1932, Grossman was educated at Harvard University, graduating with an MA in 1956 after several interruptions. He went on to receive a PhD from Brandeis University in 1960, where he remained a...
and Frank Bidart
Frank Bidart
Frank Bidart is an American academic and poet.-Biography:In 1957, he began to study at the University of California at Riverside and went on to Harvard, where he was a student and friend of Robert Lowell and Elizabeth Bishop...
. He has taught English literature and writing at Wellesley College, the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University
Western Michigan University is a public university located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States. The university was established in 1903 by Dwight B. Waldo, and as of the Fall 2010 semester, its enrollment is 25,045....
, Indiana University
Indiana University
Indiana University is a multi-campus public university system in the state of Indiana, United States. Indiana University has a combined student body of more than 100,000 students, including approximately 42,000 students enrolled at the Indiana University Bloomington campus and approximately 37,000...
. Since 1996, he has taught at Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
. He is married to J. Allyn Rosser
J. Allyn Rosser
Jill Allyn Rosser , who published under J. Allyn Rosser, is a contemporary American poet.-Life:She grew up in Sparta, New Jersey....
.
Literary Influences and Praise
Halliday's poetry is characterized by close observation of daily events, out-of-the-ordinary metaphors, unsentimental reminiscence, colloquial diction, references to popular culture, and uncommon humor. The poet David GrahamDavid Graham (American poet)
David Graham is an American writer married to the artist Lee Shippey. He has published six collections of poetry, as well as poetry and short stories in numerous literary magazines. Born and raised in Johnstown, New York, he has taught English at Ripon College in Ripon, Wisconsin since 1987, where...
has described Halliday as one of the "ablest practitioners" of the "ultra-talk poem," a term said to have been coined by Halliday himself to describe the work of a group of contemporary American poets, including David Kirby
David Kirby (poet)
David Kirby is an American poet and the Robert O. Lawton Distinguished Professor of English at Florida State University . His most recent book is The Temple Gate Called Beautiful, published in 2008 by Alice James Books...
, Denise Duhamel
Denise Duhamel
-Background:Duhamel received her B.F.A. from Emerson College and her M.F.A. from Sarah Lawrence College. She is a New York Foundation for the Arts recipient and has been resident poet at Bucknell University...
, David Clewell, Albert Goldbarth
Albert Goldbarth
Albert Goldbarth is an American poet born January 31, 1948 in Chicago. He is known for his prolific production, his gregarious tone, his eclectic interests and his distinctive 'talky' style. He has been a Guggenheim fellow and won the National Book Critics Circle award in 1991 and 2001, the only...
, and Barbara Hamby
Barbara Hamby
-Life:She was born in New Orleans and raised in Hawaii. Her poems have been printed in numerous publications and her first book of poetry, Delirium , received literary recognition...
, who frequently write in a wry, exuberant, garrulous, accessible style. Halliday has acknowledged the influences of New York School
New York School
The New York School was an informal group of American poets, painters, dancers, and musicians active in the 1950s, 1960s in New York City...
poets Frank O’Hara and Kenneth Koch
Kenneth Koch
Kenneth Koch was an American poet, playwright, and professor, active from the 1950s until his death at age 77...
on some of his poems.
Published works
Poetry- Keep This Forever (Tupelo PressTupelo PressTupelo Press is an American not-for-profit literary press founded in 1999. It produced its first titles in 2001, publishing poetry, fiction and non-fiction...
, 2008) - Jab (University of Chicago PressUniversity of Chicago PressThe University of Chicago Press is the largest university press in the United States. It is operated by the University of Chicago and publishes a wide variety of academic titles, including The Chicago Manual of Style, dozens of academic journals, including Critical Inquiry, and a wide array of...
, 2002) - Selfwolf (University of Chicago Press, 1999)
- Tasker Street (University of Massachusetts PressUniversity of Massachusetts PressThe University of Massachusetts Press is a university press that is part of the University of Massachusetts. The press was founded in 1963, publishing scholarly books and non-fiction. The press imprint is overseen by an interdisciplinary faculty committee....
, 1992, Juniper Prize winner) - Little Star (W. Morrow, 1987, National Poetry SeriesNational Poetry SeriesThe National Poetry Series is an American literary awards program.Every year since 1979 it has sponsored the publication of five books of poetry...
selection)
Criticism
- Stevens and the Interpersonal (Princeton University PressPrinceton University Press-Further reading:* "". Artforum International, 2005.-External links:* * * * *...
, 1991) - The Sighted Singer: Two Works on Poetry for Readers and Writers (Johns Hopkins University PressJohns Hopkins University PressThe Johns Hopkins University Press is the publishing division of the Johns Hopkins University. It was founded in 1878 and holds the distinction of being the oldest continuously running university press in the United States. The Press publishes books, journals, and electronic databases...
, 1991, co-authored with Allen GrossmanAllen GrossmanAllen Grossman is a noted American poet, critic and professor.-Biography:Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1932, Grossman was educated at Harvard University, graduating with an MA in 1956 after several interruptions. He went on to receive a PhD from Brandeis University in 1960, where he remained a...
) - Against Our Vanishing: Winter Conversations with Allen Grossman (Rowan Tree Press, 1981, co-authored with Allen GrossmanAllen GrossmanAllen Grossman is a noted American poet, critic and professor.-Biography:Born in Minneapolis, Minnesota in 1932, Grossman was educated at Harvard University, graduating with an MA in 1956 after several interruptions. He went on to receive a PhD from Brandeis University in 1960, where he remained a...
)