The Poetry Kit - Who's Who

Jacob Sam-La Rose
www.jsamlarose.com

Jacob Sam-La Rose is a poet, writer, playwright, performer and educator. He's been described as "the backbone of the London poetry scene".

A former Poet-in-Residence at BBC London, he is a touring writer with the British Council, and has performed at a broad range of literature and arts festivals, including an appearance as a ‘distinguished attendee’ at the 2005 Gwendolyn Brooks Writers' Conference in Chicago, and performances at The URB festival (Helsinki), The Word: London Festival of Literature (the Underglobe, London), the Bay Lit festival (Cardiff), the Portobello Festival and the Bath Literature Festival.

Jacob has taught creative writing internationally. He has facilitated and taught on workshops and extended projects through institutions such as the National Theatre, the Arvon Foundation, Spread the Word, the Roundhouse, the Barbican, the Learning Trust, Glyndebourne, Morley College, the University of Chicago and Apples & Snakes, as well as a range of schools across England.

Alongside Roger Robinson and Malika Booker, Jacob helped to establish Malika’s Poetry Kitchen, an adult writing workshop and community. Jacob is the Artistic Director of an annual teenage poetry SLAM project that works across London schools and is the founder and Managing Editor of The Foundry (http://foundry.metaroar.com), an online community building initiative and resource for young writers and poets.

Jacob's work has been featured in anthologies and journals such as Velocity: The Best of Apples & Snakes, Sable Litmag and X Magazine. His pamphlet - Communion - won the PBS Pamphlet Choice for Summer 2006.

Myra Schneider
130 Morton Way, Southgate, London N14 7AL
phone: 020 8886 1329
Website: Myra Schneider

I was born in London and spent my childhood first in Scotland and later in Surrey and then in Chichester. I am married and we have a son. I read in English at London University and have worked in publishing and teaching. I spent more than twenty-five years teaching adults who were physically handicapped and had learning difficulties. Achievements: I co-wrote the widely acclaimed 'Writing for Self-Discovery'.

My published poetry includes 'Multiplying The Moon' (2004) 'Insisting on Yellow (2000 reprinted 2003)), 'The Panic Bird' (1998), 'Exits' (1994) - all Enitharmon Press, 'Crossing Point', 'Cathedral of Birds' and 'Cat Therapy' (all Littlewood Press). My poems have appeared in The Observer, The Independent and the New Statesman. My poems have been broadcast on BBC2 and BBC4 and also the World Service of the BBC. In 2003 Jessica Kingsley published my book: 'Writing My Way Through Cancer' (reprinted 2004). This is my fleshed-out journal for the year 2000 with poems and therapeutic writing ideas. The I have co-edited 'Parents', an anthology of poems by 114 women writers. I have also co-edited 'Making Worlds' a major anthology of poetry by contemporary women poets. Interests: Women's Issues. Disability. I am a tutor at The Poetry School and consultant to the Second Light Network of Women Poets which celebrated its 10th anniversary in November 2004. I do many readings and one-off workshops at festivals, to writers' groups etc. all over the country.

Cameron Self
Norwich
Norfolk

Websites - http://www.poetsgraves.co.uk/poemsbycameronself/
www.poetsgraves.co.uk

Born Cambridge 1962.
B.A. Geography, Hull University 1983.
M.A. Creative Writing, Lancaster University 1985.
Currently work as Senior Student Finance Adviser at City College Norwich.
I've had poems published in Faber and Faber Book of Blue Verse (1), Poetry Review (3), Rialto (2), Outposts Poetry Quarterly (2), Iron (1).
I have taught creative writing at HMP Norwich and for Norfolk Adult Education.
Launched Poets' Graves in August 2003, a site listing the burial sites of major UK, US and European poets. It also includes a thriving poetry forum, a glosssary of poetic terms and a library of classic poems. It now attracts over 2000 unique visitors a day (and rising). Other interests include sitcom writing (reached the final 10% of the BBC Sitcom Talent competition 2004) and mountain biking (Norfolk?!).

Write about Lambeth and Jazzclaw's Alternative Poet of the Year prize-winning poems of 2001.
Interests: travelling, all creative arts, buddhism, voluntary work

Imam Shabazz
Mouth Of God Creations, PO Box 23230 Richmond, Virginia 23223
phone: 804-301-6121

Host: Richmond's Soul Kitchen, Co-Host: Tuesday Verses, Host: Slam Time (2000-01), The Walker Gallery, Richmond, Virginia
Grand Prize Winner: Avalon International Poetry Contest(2002), Washington, DC. Grand Slam Champion 2001: Nicole Rosario's Poetry Slam, Richmond, Virginia. Open Mic Poetry Champion 1998, 2000: After Six Poetry Night, Richmond, Virginia.
Interests: Martial Arts, Medicine, Reading, Swimming, Acting, Modeling, Dance, Afrikan History, Community Organizing
COO/VP of Development and Design for Unique Enterprises; a Richmond based computer networking company.

L.S.Shevshenko
4008 Kemper Avenue, Macon Georgia 31206
phone: 1-912-784-8260
website: L.S.Shevshenko-Poet

L.S. (Scooter) Shevshenko is a scuba instructor and ex-Marine. He was born in Thomaston, Georgia, raised in south Macon by an American born Russian/Ukraine mother and a Native American, Irish truck-driving father.At age twelve he witnessed the murder of an uncle;at age 23 he watched his brother die by the bullet of another at a local club. Through his writings he has found peace, serenity and the will to sink his teeth into the mass of the everyday life we often encounter. He is currently totally disabled from life's continious beatings he has taken. He uses a Dragon System's Point and Speak program to write.
Lladoow S. Shevshenko's works have appeared in:"GENERATION -X- POETRY" a new book- subtitled "In Our Own Words" edited by: Marlow Peerse Weaver, a Season In Hell, In The Wind Magazine(Easyriders Magazine), NEBO, Deathrealm Magazine- appearing alongside Poppy Z. Brite and Clive Barker(A magazine that won the "Horror Critics Guild Award"), Dream International Quarterly, Poet's Review, Sounds of Poetry, Nightroses, MEMO, Mojo Risin' Magazine and the infamous-Poetry Super Highway- online,etc...Shevshenko has worked the slam circuit:reading in Atlanta's Little Five Points "Star Bar", "Forty Watt Club" in Athens, "Brewers Cafe" in Milledgeville, "The Stone Circle" in East Port, Michigan and etc. He read and hosted Mercer University's first "Poetry Slam" and has won a first and third place award from the Georgia College Press Association for endeavors at Macon State College.He has numerous works on the net and has poetry forthcoming. Has written two chap-books "RoB Amsterdam","ICE HOUSE". His third will be called "Purges from the Lower Anatomy." He's essayed and invented a poetry form call "Taras". The essay for this form appeared in Dream International Quarterly.

Larissa Shmailo

http://www.myspace.com/thenonetworld

Larissa Shmailo has been published in About: Poetry, Rattapallax, BigBridge.org, and Lungfull!,and many other publications. Her recent poetry CD, The No-Net World has garnered excellent reviews. She has read for Share Our Strength/The Writers’ Harvest against Hunger, with the Black Panthers, at the Knitting Factory, Barnes and Noble, Borders Books, the Bowery Poetry Club, Teachers and Writers Collaborative Radio, WBAI, Barnard College, and the City University of New York, among many other venues. Larissa has received “Critic’s Picks” notices for her readings and radio appearances from The New York Times, the Village Voice, MaudNewton.com, and Time Out magazine and is active in the New York City poetry community as curator of the Sliding Scale Poetry series.

Larissa translated the Russian Futurist opera Victory over the Sun which was performed at the first Next Wave Festival at the Brooklyn Academy of Music and internationally; a DVD of the original English-language production is part of the collection of the New York Museum of Modern Art. She recently contributed translations to the anthology New Russian Poets forthcoming from the Dalkey Archive Press (under the auspices of the National Endowment of the Arts).

Achievements:
Books of Poetry: Crow, Ithaca House, Ithaca, NY, 1971; Mohawk, Doones Press, Bowling Green, OH, 1973; Nox, Burning Deck, Providence, RI, 1974; Ketjak, This Press, San Francisco, CA, 1978; Sitting Up, Standing, Taking Steps, Tuumba, Berkeley, CA 1978; Legend (collaboration with Bruce Andrews, Charles Bernstein, Ray Di Palma and Steve McCaffery), L=A=N=G=U=A=G=E/Segue, New York, NY, 1980; Tjanting, The Figures, Berkeley, CA, 1981; Bart, Potes & Poets Press, Hartford, CT, 1982; ABC, Tuumba, Berkeley, CA, 1983; Paradise, Burning Deck, Providence, RI, 1985 (1985 Poetry Center Book Award); The Age of Huts, Roof Books, New York, 1986; Lit, Potes & Poets Press, Hartford, CT, 1987; What, The Figures, Great Barrington, MA, 1988; Manifest, Zasterle Press, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, 1990; Leningrad (collaboration with Michael Davidson, Lyn Hejinian, and Barrett Watten), Mercury House, San Francisco, CA, 1991; Demo to Ink, Chax Press, Tucson, AZ, 1992; Toner, Potes & Poets Press, E. Hartford, CT, 1992; Jones, Generator Press, Mentor, OH, 1993; N/O, Roof Press, New York, NY, 1994; Xing, Meow Press, Buffalo, NY, 1996; (R), Drogue Press, New York, NY, forthcoming; The Alphabet, University of Alabama Press, forthcoming (circa 2003-5).
Critical Writings:
, Roof, New York, NY, 1987.
Anthology:
, National Poetry Foundation, University of Maine, Orono, ME, 1986.

Steven Sills
Siam University, Siam University Post Office, p.o. box 24, Siam University, Bangkok, Thailand 10163
website: Steven Sills

Cheryl Snell
Washington, DC
e-mail: cherylsnell@hotmail.com

Cheryl Snell is a two- time Pushcart Prize nominee and the author of two
chapbooks of poetry, Flower Half Blown (Finishing Line Press, 2002) and
Epithalamion (Little Poem Press, 2004). Her novel Shiva's Arms will be out
in 2006 from Writer's Lair Books. Nearly two hundred of her poems and
stories have been published in print and online magazines including Comstock
Review, Snow Monkey,Cranky,Stirring,Red River Review and others.

Julius Smit
Address: 84 Cherry Close, Kidlington, Oxon. OX5 1HJ.
Phone: 01865 374379
Email: julius_smit@msn.com
URL & Website name:

Brief autobiography: Born in Tring, Hertfordshire, UK, 1951, of Dutch parents. Working within the field of digital imaging applied to archival materials in the Oxford University Digital Library.

Achievements and interests: Reunited with reading and writing poetry in 1985 as the result of launching and editing a small press poetry magazine called SPOKES. Edited and published the magazine until 1987 when it was handed over to new editors. Student with Open College of the Arts on their Poetry Course in 1991. Introduced to and now much influenced by the poetry by Robert Duncan, Maggie O'Sullivan, Michael Ondaatje, Peter Redgrove, Raymond Carver and Wassiliy Kandinsky! Involved with the Open University Poetry Society 1999-2003 and currently a member of the trAce poetry forum, Nottingham University. Now looking to develop my poetry and photography within areas of web publishing and new media.

Ken Smith

Read the interview
Read the poems

Ken Smith was born in 1938 in Rudston, East Yorkshire, the son of an itinerant farm labourer. He has worked in Britain and in America as a teacher, freelance writer, barman, magazine editor, potato picker and BBC reader, and has held writing fellowships at Leeds University, Kingston Polytechnic, and Clark University and Holy Cross, Worcester, Massachusetts. From 1985 to 1987 he was writer-in-residence at Wormwood Scrubs prison, London. He lives in the east-end of London.

Monica E. Smith
8990 S.R. 287 West Liberty,
Ohio 43357 U.S.A.

Email: monica@expressocafe.org
Website: Monica's Expresso Cafe

I have written poetry since 1991 and my work has appeared in many literary magazines and general interest as well: "The Roswell Literary Review; Medicinal Purposes (in conjunction with and published by Poet to Poet television in New York; "AIM" ("America's Intercultural Magazine; Chicago); "Aura Literary/Arts Review (University of Alabama) et al. My poems can also be seen on various poetry websites on the Internet.
I have recently been accepted into the Directory of American Poets and Fiction Writers ("Poets & Writers" in New York). Presently, I am seeking a publisher for my first book of poetry which has been endorsed in writing by Poet/Author Nikki Giovanni.
My other interests include listening to jazz, reading, photography, taking walks and dreaming!

Terry Sorby
Hastings Writers Group
Flat 6, 18, Nelson Road, Hastings, East Sussex TN34 3RZ
phone: 01424 442148

Published in 12 Anthologies. Self published 11 poetry books. Self published 3 books short stories. Published 1 short story in Anthology. Published in several magazines.
Interests: Humourous poetry, short story writing-Twist in the tale (Tail).

Read the interview (1998)

Read the poems

Barry Spacks is a librettist, singer-songwriter, actor, and life-long freelance editor. He taught writing and literature at M.I.T., 1960-1981, and is a persistently Visiting Professor at U.C. Santa Barbara, (named Distinguished Professor in Humanities & Fine Arts, 1991).
Over the years he has published two novels, many short stories, various essays, reviews, and journalism, plus seven poetry collections.

David M Spiteri
2350 Taliesin Drive Aurora,IL 60506, USA
phone: (630) 896-6128

Published over 70 poems in a wide variety of periodicals, quarterlies, and reviews. I have four wonderful children: Domenica, Angela, Gina, and Rocco. My wife of over 25 years is Julie. Currently I work as a Technical Writer when I am not writing poetry and prose.
While the U.S. walked on the moon in 1969 I was sharing tea with Dr. Francis Warner at St. Peter's College in Oxford England on a poetry grant. As a student representative, I participated in the planning of the Samuel Beckett theater along with Peter Ustinov, Richard Burton, and Tom Stoppard.
Interests: Writing tools, techniques, forms, and teaching devices/approaches. I have also coached girls fast-pitch softball since 1980.

Jamie W Spracklen
58 Seymour Road, Hadleigh, Benfleet, Essex SS7 2HL
website:

Over 20 poems published in the UK, USA and on the Net and recently won a runner's up prize in Ottakar's National Poetry Competion.
Interests: Archaeology, Magic, History, Coin collecting, dinking and oh, poetry!
I'm hoping to set up a regular poetry evening in Southend, Essex and am looking for poets who might be willing to give readings/talks. etc.

Jacqueline Starer

7 rue des écoles

91410 Corbreuse, France

phone: 00 33 6 08 78 39 36.

e. mail: starkera@club-internet.fr

website: www.keith-barnes.com

www.ecartsmbh.wordpress.com

I was born in Paris in 1940 and studied at the Sorbonne. During the Sixties and the Seventies, I taught French and Classics in France and in the United States, and American Literature (mostly writers of the Beat Generation) in Germany. In the Eighties and in the Nineties, I took part in International Cooperation in Cultural Affairs. I am presently Representative for Le Journal des Poètes (Brussels) in France. After meeting the English Poet Keith Barnes (1934-1969) in Paris in 1963, I spent a large part of my life promoting his poetic work which I translated into French.

1977 : Les Ecrivains beats et le voyage, Chronologie des écrivains beats jusqu'en 1969, Marcel Didier, Paris.

1987 : K.B. (including a selection of Keith Barnes’s poems) Maurice Nadeau, Paris.

2002 : Les Bougons, La Bartavelle (collection "romans et proses")
2003 : Keith Barnes, Œuvre poétique / Collected Poems, ouverture de Maurice Nadeau, traduction de Jacqueline Starer, éditions d’écarts, Paris.

2007 : First bilingual edition of K.B. Keith Barnes, with the English Translation of Helen McPhail, éditions d’écarts, Dol-de-Bretagne, France.

2010 : Co-translation, with Michèle Duclos, from the English : Shizue Ogawa, Une Âme qui joue, Editions de la MIPAH (Brussels). Prix international de poésie Antonio Viccaro 2011

2011 : Les Ecrivains de la Beat Generation, éditions d’écarts, Dol-de-Bretagne, France.

2011 : Keith Barnes, The Waters Will Sway / Die Wasser Werden Schaukeln, a choice of poems translated into German by Ulrich Zieger, introduction tranlated from the German by Alice-catherine Carls, éditions d’écarts, Dol-de-Bretagne, France.

organisation: The Louisville Poets Guild 705 east Market street Jeffersonville IN 47130

LOUISVILLE POETS GUILD "1997 V.P." "1998 pres," "1999 V.P." also board of directors. Famous poets s, 2 Homers and 2 editors awards.
Interests: Teaching kids a better way in life by teaching poetry for the mind and self defence for the body.
I like to get my poetry in other lands and get theirs in return.

Alvin Stepp is all so host of The Louisville Poets Guild Show on channel 98 on Insight cable tv Thuresday night at 7;pm in Louisville KY.

Sean Street

Email: street@mcmail.com

Five Collections, most recent: A Walk in Winter (Enitharmon Press 1989) This True Making (KQBX Press 1992) Prose: The Wreck of the Deutschland A study of the historical background to Hopkins' poem (Souvenir) The Dymock Poets (Seren) A Remembered Land - British Rural Life 1890-1914 (Michael Joseph). Plays: A Shepherd's Life (Salisbury Playhouse 1985/86/88/ Lifeblood Theatre 1987) Wessex Days (Salisbury Playhouse 1990/ Lifeblood Theatre 1992) Honest John (Northampton Royal theatre 1993 - Winner Central TV Drama Award) The Abominable Volume - Darwin's Origins (Touring, 1998)

Other: Senior Lecturer, School of Media Arts, Bournemouth University. Currently reading for Ph.D on early British Radio.

Past career: Trained as an actor, worked in theatre and radio in London and Paris before joining the BBC in 1970. Became a freelance in 1985, and remained so until 1995, when took up post at Bournemouth.

Tony Stringfellow

email at ts@tonystringfellow.com

Web: www.tonystringfellow.com

Tony Stringfellow was born in Wolverhampton in 1957 and educated at St Chad’s College Boys Grammar School. Although a poet and writer from the early age of 13, he only came out of the wardrobe at the turn of the century, but has met with some remarkable acclaim since then. He regularly performs his work at various festivals and events, hosts a monthly Open Mic night (The Poetry Train) in his home town and presents a weekly poetry radio show (Page One).

Published works:

From Beneath the Wizard’s Gown. Marc Bolan Unglittered. Aureus Publishing.

The Wizard’s Gown Rewoven. Beneath the Glitter of Marc Bolan. Breeze Hayward Publishing.

Silent Solitudes. A collection of Poetical Thoughts. Breeze Hayward Publishing.

Naked Therapy. Thought Provoking Poetry. Audio book/cd. Breeze Hayward Publishing.

The Poetry Train

Monthly Poetry Open Mic night, hosted by Tony Stringfellow. At the Light House, Fryer Street, Wolverhampton. Last Wednesday of the Month. Start 8.00pm. Admission £2.

Page One

Poetry/Literature led radio show presented by Tony Stringfellow. Lively upbeat show with a strong agenda to make poetry more accessible and ‘user friendly’.

On Fridays at 7.00pm, repeated Mondays at 8.00am on WCRFM 101.8fm and online at www.wcrfm.com

Organisation: Annual San Luis Obispo Poetry Festival
393 D. Buchon St. San Luis Obispo CA 93401 USA
phone: (805)547-1318

Achievements: San Luis Obispo County Art Council Arts Recognition Award 2001;
"I Offer My Voice" text Kevin Patrick Sullivan, music Barbara Hoff 2001; 1997 received California Arts Council funding for Annual SLO Poetry Festival/Corners of the Mouth;
1995 "Something Big As The Sky" text Kevin Patrick Sullivan, music John Biggs;
1994 "First Sight", a trade book was published by Mille Grazie Press of Santa Barbara;
1994 received city funding for the SLO Poetry Festival;
1992 founded the Excellent Series, a monthly reading that lasted 5 years in Grover Beach;
1984 co-founded the Annual San Luis Obispo Poetry Festival/Corners of the Mouth, a monthly reading series of featured and open readings;
1984 self-published "Shadows";
1984 self published "Alive in the Light" and anthology of four poets;
1982 self-published first book "Bits and Pieces of Black on White"

Dee Sunshine
c/o 35 Falkland Street (0/1), Glasgow, G12 9QZ, Scotland.

Editor of AA Independent Press Guide
e-mail: dee@thunderburst.co.uk

Web-site: http://www.rimbaud.org.uk/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Dee-Sunshine-Writer-Artist-Musician/201729451659

MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/captainmelted

Dee Sunshine is an artist, writer and musician, living between Scotland, Spain & India. He is author of four full-length collection of poetry, "The Bad Seed" (Stride, 1998), "Dropping Ecstasy With The Angels" (Bluechrome, 2004), "Visions Of The Drowning Man" (Obooko e-book, 2009), "Red Dreams And Razorblades, Collected Poems 1980-2005" (Obooko e-book, 2009). He has published one novel, "Stealing Heaven From The Lips Of God" (Bluechrome 2004 and Obooko Ebook 2009). He edited the charity poetry anthology, "The Book Of Hopes And Dreams" (Bluechrome, 2006)

His poetry, prose, short stories and artworks have appeared in numerous magazines and anthologies worldwide, including Acumen, Ambit, The Antigonish Review, Brutarian, Cutting Teeth, Descant, Dream Catcher, The Erotic Review, Fine Madness, Headpress, The Interpreter's House, Kindred Spirits, Liar Republic, Lungfull!, Main Street Rag, New Writing Scotland, North American Review, Other Poetry, Orbis, Oxford Quarterly Review, Paris/ Atlantic, Pearl, Rattapallax, Reater, Scotland On Sunday, Tears In The Fence, Toronto Review, Urthona and Whiskey Island.

organisation: Aslan Enterprises
address: 272 Osborne Hill Road, Fishkill, NY 12524
phone: 914.765.1156
fax: 914.765.1157
website :

Recent pieces of Mr. Sutherland have appeared in The American Literary Journal, The Hollins Critic, The Cortland Review, Abbey and The Reader (Oxford University Press).
David is also the author of a recent collection called "Between Absolutes" published by Menace Publishing of Alexandria, VA. This collection has seen very positive review from The Washington Square Review, Poet's Edge and others.

Todd Swift was born in Montreal on Good Friday, 1966. He is the author or an editor of eight books of poetry. During his college years he was a champion debater, and upon graduation wrote over one hundred hours of TV. In 1997 he was given the Young Quebecer of the Year Award in the Arts and Education category, for his poetry projects. From 1998-2001 he was Visiting Lecturer at Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, specializing in courses on poetry and film. In late 2001 he moved to Paris where he lived and wrote for two years. He has been poetry editor of online magazine nthposition since 2002. In 2003 he was editorial coordinator for the global peace campaign, Poets Against The War. He has reviewed for Books in Canada, Poetry London, and The Dubliner, among others. His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Agenda, Jacket, New American Writing, Orbis, Poetry London, Poetry Wales and Stand, among others. In summer 2004 he was Oxfam’s Poet-In-Residence. His latest collections are Rue du Regard (DC Books, 2004) and a limited edition pamphlet from Lapwing, Belfast, The Oil and Gas University (2004). He lives in London's West End, when not studying at UEA to complete his MA in Poetry. His site is www.toddswift.com

Who's Who in Poetry

Read the interview (1998)

Read the poems