Stephen Roger Powers
Encyclopedia
Stephen Roger Powers is an American poet, writer, and comedian. He is currently Assistant Professor of English at Gordon College (Georgia)
.
and her theme park, Dollywood
. The Follower's Tale was published by Salmon Poetry in 2009. Powers has also published numerous poems and short stories in a variety of journals and anthologies, including Shenandoah (magazine)
, Smartish Pace
, and Red, White, and Blues: Poets on the Promise of America (University of Iowa Press
). He has received two Pushcart Prize
nominations for his fiction and poetry, and he has presented his work and his scholarship at the Modern Language Association
(MLA), the Association of Writers & Writing Programs
(AWP), and on Wisconsin Public Radio's Hotel Milwaukee program. On August 23, 2003, a sample of Powers' Hotel Milwaukee appearance was played just before "The National Anthem" during a Radiohead
concert at Alpine Valley
in East Troy, WI. Powers' voice can be heard on numerous bootleg recordings of the concert.
, editor of Shenandoah, calls the book a "whirlwind of a collection," and Dolly Parton offers an endorsement on the back cover. An early version of The Follower's Tale, much different from the published version, was named a semi-finalist for the Verse Prize in 2004 and was included in Powers' doctoral dissertation, a creative study of the relationship between performance and text entitled Kill Trevor Austen!. On October 1, 2009, to mark the publication of The Follower's Tale, Powers appeared at an All-Ireland Poetry Day reading with Irish poets Gerry Hanberry
, Celeste Auge, and Jean Kavanagh at the Ennistymon Courthouse Gallery in Ennistymon, Ireland.
and appeared on the cover of M Magazine in June 2004 with Tyler Kroll and Mel Miskimen, two other Milwaukee-area comedians.
Gordon College (Georgia)
Gordon College, a four-year state college in the University System of Georgia, is located in Barnesville, Georgia. Gordon's college year is made up of three 15-week academic semesters: fall, spring, and summer. Enrollment at Gordon College for the 2010 fall semester is around 4,500 students, with...
.
Biography
Stephen Roger Powers, born in Madison, WI, is the author of The Follower's Tale, a collection of bluegrass-inspired lyric and narrative poems about country music icon Dolly PartonDolly Parton
Dolly Rebecca Parton is an American singer-songwriter, author, multi-instrumentalist, actress and philanthropist, best known for her work in country music. Dolly Parton has appeared in movies like 9 to 5, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Steel Magnolias and Straight Talk...
and her theme park, Dollywood
Dollywood
Dollywood is a theme park owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and the Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation. It is located in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Dollywood has 3,000 people on its payroll, making it the largest employer in that community....
. The Follower's Tale was published by Salmon Poetry in 2009. Powers has also published numerous poems and short stories in a variety of journals and anthologies, including Shenandoah (magazine)
Shenandoah (magazine)
Shenandoah: The Washington and Lee Review is a major literary magazine published by Washington and Lee University.- History :Originally a student-run quarterly, Shenandoah has evolved into a triannual literary journal edited by author R. T...
, Smartish Pace
Smartish Pace
Smartish Pace is a non-profit, independent literary journal based in Baltimore, Maryland, USA. Smartish Pace was founded in 1999 by Stephen Reichert who was a University of Maryland School of Law student at the time. The name, Smartish Pace, originates from a tort case in which a horse carriage,...
, and Red, White, and Blues: Poets on the Promise of America (University of Iowa Press
University of Iowa Press
The University of Iowa Press is a university press that is part of the University of Iowa.Established in 1969, the University of Iowa Press publishes books that fill the needs of scholars and students throughout the world, poetry and short fiction, and works of creative nonfiction...
). He has received two 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....
nominations for his fiction and poetry, and he has presented his work and his scholarship at the Modern Language Association
Modern Language Association
The Modern Language Association of America is the principal professional association in the United States for scholars of language and literature...
(MLA), the Association of Writers & Writing Programs
Association of Writers & Writing Programs
The Association of Writers & Writing Programs is a literary organization whose mission is "to foster literary talent and achievement, to advance the art of writing as essential to a good education, and to serve the makers, teachers, students, and readers of contemporary writing."-Members:AWP...
(AWP), and on Wisconsin Public Radio's Hotel Milwaukee program. On August 23, 2003, a sample of Powers' Hotel Milwaukee appearance was played just before "The National Anthem" during a Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
concert at Alpine Valley
Alpine valley
Alpine valley may be:*any valley of the Alps*the Alpine Valleys wine region of Australia* Alpine Valley Music Theatre...
in East Troy, WI. Powers' voice can be heard on numerous bootleg recordings of the concert.
The Follower's Tale
Powers began work on The Follower's Tale in the fall of 2000 while a PhD student in the graduate creative writing program at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. The working title of the project was Chasing Dolly until it was changed to The Follower's Tale upon completion of the final draft in 2007. Salmon Poetry published the book in October 2009 with cover art by Dublin artist Maura Harmon. R. T. SmithR. T. Smith
R. T. Smith is an award-winning poet, fiction writer, and editor. The author of twelve poetry collections and a collection of short fiction, Smith is the editor of Shenandoah, a prestigious literary journal published by Washington and Lee University...
, editor of Shenandoah, calls the book a "whirlwind of a collection," and Dolly Parton offers an endorsement on the back cover. An early version of The Follower's Tale, much different from the published version, was named a semi-finalist for the Verse Prize in 2004 and was included in Powers' doctoral dissertation, a creative study of the relationship between performance and text entitled Kill Trevor Austen!. On October 1, 2009, to mark the publication of The Follower's Tale, Powers appeared at an All-Ireland Poetry Day reading with Irish poets Gerry Hanberry
Gerry Hanberry
Gerard Hanberry, Award-winning Irish poet Irish poet, born 1955, lives in Galway, Ireland.Gerard Hanberry has published three collections of poetry to date and also a biography of the Wilde family 'More Lives Than One - The Remarkable Wilde Family Through the Generations'published by the Collins...
, Celeste Auge, and Jean Kavanagh at the Ennistymon Courthouse Gallery in Ennistymon, Ireland.
Comedy
From 2000-2008, Powers performed as a Milwaukee-based stand-up comedian using the stage name Trevor Austen. He appeared at clubs and casinos throughout the Midwest. Powers' last stand-up performance was in Wisconsin in the summer of 2008, when he retired the Trevor Austen persona to focus on his poetry and fiction writing. The Trevor Austen act centered around Powers' real-life hearing impairment. Even though he performed at several charity benefits he also drew some criticism from advocates of the deaf for playing up his disability for comedic effect instead of education and awareness. Powers, under the Austen name, was featured in Milwaukee MagazineMilwaukee Magazine
Milwaukee Magazine is a monthly city magazine serving the Milwaukee metropolitan area in Wisconsin, United States. It bills itself as "Southeastern Wisconsin's most authoritative source for Events and Dining," and claims to be read by 200,000 readers....
and appeared on the cover of M Magazine in June 2004 with Tyler Kroll and Mel Miskimen, two other Milwaukee-area comedians.