Morton Marcus (poet)
Encyclopedia
Morton Marcus was a poet
and author
having published more than 500 poems in literary journals across the country, including Poetry (Chicago)
, TriQuarterly
, Ploughshares
, Chelsea
, The Chicago Review
, The Iowa Review
, Zyzzyva
, Poetry Northwest
, and The Denver Quarterly
. Four times his work was selected to appear in prize poem annuals (The Borestone Mountain Awards
of 1967 and 1975, and the 1985 and 1987 Anthology of Magazine Verse). His work has appeared in over 90 anthologies in the United States, Europe, and Australia. He also has served as the poet in residence for several universities, and led workshops at colleges across America. Marcus was also a long time co-host of KUSP
radio's The Poetry Show, the longest running poetry radio show in the United States.
Morton Marcus wrote eleven volumes of published poetry:
In addition to poetry, Morton Marcus also authored The Brezhnev Memo (1980) a novel, and Striking Through The Masks: A Literary Memoir (2008). Marcus also translated the works of Serbian poet Vasko Popa
in The Star Wizard's Legacy(2010).
Marcus’s extensive poetry archive, working papers, and correspondence with a broad range of 20th century authors have been acquired by University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) Special Collections, where they are available to both academic community and the public.
The Morton Marcus Memorial Poetry Reading has become an established annual poetry reading series bringing some of the most accomplished poets in the country to Santa Cruz County. This annual event is held in November each year, is free to the public, and sponsored by UC Santa Cruz, Cabrillo College, Poetry Santa Cruz, Ow Family Properties, Bookshop Santa Cruz, and the family of Morton Marcus. Featured poets include: 2010 Robert Hass
, and 2011 Kay Ryan
.
Outside of the literary world, Marcus created a sixteen part television review of film Movie Milestones which has been shown on cable networks throughout the United States, along with being the main visual source of film history at AFTRS, the Australian national film school. His film reviews became part of a television show Cinema Scene, shown in the San Francisco Bay Area, which he co-hosted with Richard von Busack
. In addition to writing and reviewing movies, Marcus also taught film and English at Cabrillo College
in Santa Cruz.
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...
and author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
having published more than 500 poems in literary journals across the country, including Poetry (Chicago)
Poetry (magazine)
Poetry , published in Chicago, Illinois since 1912, is one of the leading monthly poetry journals in the English-speaking world. Published by the Poetry Foundation and currently edited by Christian Wiman, the magazine has a circulation of 30,000 and prints 300 poems per year out of approximately...
, TriQuarterly
TriQuarterly
TriQuarterly Online is a not-for-profit American literary magazine published twice a year at Northwestern University that features fiction, nonfiction, poetry, drama, literary essays, reviews, a blog, and graphic art....
, Ploughshares
Ploughshares
Ploughshares is an American literary magazine founded in 1971 by DeWitt Henry and Peter O'Malley in The Plough and Stars, an Irish pub in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Since 1989, Ploughshares has been based at Emerson College in the heart of Boston...
, Chelsea
Chelsea (magazine)
Chelsea was a small American, twice-a-year literary magazine based in New York City. The influential journal, edited for many years by Sonia Raiziss, published poetry, prose, book reviews and translations with an emphasis on translations, art, and cross-cultural exchange.-History:In 1958, The...
, The Chicago Review
Chicago Review
The Chicago Review is a literary magazine published four times per year in the Humanities Division at the University of Chicago. It was founded in 1946. Three stories published in the Chicago Review have won the O. Henry Prize...
, The Iowa Review
The Iowa Review
The Iowa Review is an American literary magazine that publishes fiction, poetry, essays, and reviews.Founded in 1970, this magazine is issued three times a year, during the months of April, August, and December. Originally, it was released on a quarterly basis. This frequency of publication lasted...
, Zyzzyva
Zyzzyva (magazine)
Zyzzyva is a triannual magazine of writers and artists. It places an emphasis on showcasing emerging voices and never before published writers in addition to the already established. Based in San Francisco, it began publishing in 1985. ZYZZYVAs slogan is "The Last Word," referring to "zyzzyva", the...
, Poetry Northwest
Poetry Northwest
Poetry Northwest was founded as a quarterly, poetry-only journal in 1959 by Errol Pritchard, with Carolyn Kizer, Richard Hugo, and Nelson Bentley as co-editors...
, and The Denver Quarterly
Denver Quarterly
The Denver Quarterly is a literary journal based at the University of Denver. Founded in 1966 by novelist John Williams.-Best American Short Stories:...
. Four times his work was selected to appear in prize poem annuals (The Borestone Mountain Awards
Borestone Mountain Poetry Awards
The Borestone Mountain Poetry Awards was an annual series of poetry anthologies first published in 1949. The poems were selected from those published in a given year in English-language magazines and books; in each volume, individual poems were designated as first, second, or third place in a...
of 1967 and 1975, and the 1985 and 1987 Anthology of Magazine Verse). His work has appeared in over 90 anthologies in the United States, Europe, and Australia. He also has served as the poet in residence for several universities, and led workshops at colleges across America. Marcus was also a long time co-host of KUSP
KUSP
KUSP is a community supported, National Public Radio affiliated public radio station. Located in Santa Cruz, California, USA, the signal covers most of California's Central Coast area. Station content consists of about 2/3 news and information and 1/3 music content.-Online audio:KUSP offers a...
radio's The Poetry Show, the longest running poetry radio show in the United States.
Morton Marcus wrote eleven volumes of published poetry:
- Origins (6 editions 1969-1974)
- The Santa Cruz Mountain Poems (3 editions 1972-1992)
- Where the Oceans Cover Us (1972)
- Armies Encamped in the Fields Beyond the Unfinished Avenues (1977)
- Big Winds, Glass Mornings, Shadows Cast by Stars (2 editions 1981-1988)
- Pages from a Scrapbook of Immigrants (1988)
- When People Could Fly (1997)
- Shouting Down the Silence: Verse Poems, 1988-2001 (pub. 2002)
- Moments Without Names: New & Selected Prose Poems (2002)
- Pursuing The Dream Bone (2007)
- The Dark Figure in the Doorway: Last Poems (2010)
In addition to poetry, Morton Marcus also authored The Brezhnev Memo (1980) a novel, and Striking Through The Masks: A Literary Memoir (2008). Marcus also translated the works of Serbian poet Vasko Popa
Vasko Popa
- Biography :Popa was born in the village of Grebenac , Vojvodina, Serbia. After finishing high school, he enrolled as a student of the University of Belgrade Faculty of Philosophy. He continued his studies at the University of Bucharest and in Vienna...
in The Star Wizard's Legacy(2010).
Marcus’s extensive poetry archive, working papers, and correspondence with a broad range of 20th century authors have been acquired by University of California Santa Cruz (UCSC) Special Collections, where they are available to both academic community and the public.
The Morton Marcus Memorial Poetry Reading has become an established annual poetry reading series bringing some of the most accomplished poets in the country to Santa Cruz County. This annual event is held in November each year, is free to the public, and sponsored by UC Santa Cruz, Cabrillo College, Poetry Santa Cruz, Ow Family Properties, Bookshop Santa Cruz, and the family of Morton Marcus. Featured poets include: 2010 Robert Hass
Robert Hass
Robert L. Hass is an American poet. He served as Poet Laureate of the United States from 1995 to 1997. He was awarded the 2007 National Book Award and the 2008 Pulitzer Prize for Time and Materials.-Life:...
, and 2011 Kay Ryan
Kay Ryan
Kay Ryan is an American poet and educator. She has published seven volumes of poetry and an anthology of selected and new poems. Ryan was the sixteenth United States Poet Laureate, from 2008 to 2010...
.
Outside of the literary world, Marcus created a sixteen part television review of film Movie Milestones which has been shown on cable networks throughout the United States, along with being the main visual source of film history at AFTRS, the Australian national film school. His film reviews became part of a television show Cinema Scene, shown in the San Francisco Bay Area, which he co-hosted with Richard von Busack
Richard von Busack
Richard von Busack is a film reviewer based in San Jose, California. He has been writing for the San Jose Metro since 1985. He was also the co-host of CinemaScene, with poet Morton Marcus....
. In addition to writing and reviewing movies, Marcus also taught film and English at Cabrillo College
Cabrillo College
Cabrillo College is a public community college offering associate degrees and certificates in more than 70 fields of study such as: engineering, computer science, allied health , public safety, marine biology and the visual and performing arts. The college itself is named after the explorer Juan...
in Santa Cruz.
External links
- MortonMarcus.comhttp://www.mortonmarcus.com
- "Morton Marcus Lives On"http://www.goodtimessantacruz.com/santa-cruz-news/good-times-cover-stories/1849-morton-marcus-lives-on.html
- "Morton Marcus: Santa Cruz Poet"http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/localnews/ci_13666739
- forpoetry.comhttp://www.forpoetry.com/Archive/morton_marcus.htm