Betsy Sholl
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth "Betsy" Sholl is an American poet and a former poet laureate
of Maine
. She was appointed by Governor John Baldacci
to the position in 2006 and held it until 2011. She is the author of seven collections of poetry, most recently, Rough Cradle (Alice James Books
, 2009). Her poetry has been published in numerous journals and magazines including Orion Magazine, Field, Triquarterly, The Kenyon Review, The Massachusetts Review, Ploughshares, and Beloit Poetry Journal. She has been awarded fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Maine Arts Commission.
She was one of the seven founding members of Alice James Books, and teaches at the University of Southern Maine
and in the low-residency MFA program at the Vermont College of Fine Arts
. She has been a visiting poet at the University of Pittsburgh and at Bucknell University.
She grew up in Brick Town, New Jersey, and has an MFA
in poetry writing from Vermont College as well as an M.A. from the University of Rochester and a BA
in English Literature from Bucknell University
. She lives in Portland, Maine, with her husband. She and her husband, Doug Sholl, moved to Maine in 1983 after stints in Boston and Big Stone Gap, Virginia.
Chapbooks
Poet Laureate
A poet laureate is a poet officially appointed by a government and is often expected to compose poems for state occasions and other government events...
of Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. She was appointed by Governor John Baldacci
John Baldacci
John Elias Baldacci is an American politician who served as the 73rd Governor of the U.S. state of Maine from 2003 until 2011. A Democrat, he also served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from 1995 to 2003....
to the position in 2006 and held it until 2011. She is the author of seven collections of poetry, most recently, Rough Cradle (Alice James Books
Alice James Books
Alice James Books is an American non-profit poetry press located in Farmington, Maine and affiliated with the University of Maine at Farmington.- History and mission :...
, 2009). Her poetry has been published in numerous journals and magazines including Orion Magazine, Field, Triquarterly, The Kenyon Review, The Massachusetts Review, Ploughshares, and Beloit Poetry Journal. She has been awarded fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Maine Arts Commission.
She was one of the seven founding members of Alice James Books, and teaches at the University of Southern Maine
University of Southern Maine
The University of Southern Maine is a multi-campus public urban comprehensive university and part of the University of Maine System. USM's three primary campuses are located in Portland, Gorham, and Lewiston...
and in the low-residency MFA program at the Vermont College of Fine Arts
Vermont College of Fine Arts
Vermont College of Fine Arts offers four distinct graduate programs, awarding Master of Fine Arts degrees in Visual Art, Writing, Writing for Children & Young Adults and Graphic Design. The student to faculty ratio at VCFA is 4-to-1.. The faculty and alumni of VCFA have won many literary awards,...
. She has been a visiting poet at the University of Pittsburgh and at Bucknell University.
She grew up in Brick Town, New Jersey, and has an MFA
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
in poetry writing from Vermont College as well as an M.A. from the University of Rochester and a BA
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in English Literature from Bucknell University
Bucknell University
Bucknell University is a private liberal arts university located alongside the West Branch Susquehanna River in the rolling countryside of Central Pennsylvania in the town of Lewisburg, 30 miles southeast of Williamsport and 60 miles north of Harrisburg. The university consists of the College of...
. She lives in Portland, Maine, with her husband. She and her husband, Doug Sholl, moved to Maine in 1983 after stints in Boston and Big Stone Gap, Virginia.
Published works
Full-length Poetry Collections- Rough Cradle (Alice James BooksAlice James BooksAlice James Books is an American non-profit poetry press located in Farmington, Maine and affiliated with the University of Maine at Farmington.- History and mission :...
, 2009) - Late Psalm (University of Wisconsin PressUniversity of Wisconsin PressThe University of Wisconsin Press is a non-profit university press publishing peer-reviewed books and journals. It primarily publishes work by scholars from the global academic community but also serves the citizens of Wisconsin by publishing important books about Wisconsin, the Upper Midwest, and...
, 2004) - Don't Explain (University of Wisconsin Press, 1997)
- The Red Line (University of Pittsburgh PressUniversity of Pittsburgh PressThe University of Pittsburgh Press is a scholarly publishing house and a major American university press, part of the University of Pittsburgh. The university and the press are located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States....
, 1992) - Rooms Overhead (Alice James Books, 1986)
- Appalachian Winter (Alice James Books, 1978)
- Changing Faces (Alice James Books, 1974)
Chapbooks
- Greatest Hits 1974 - 2004 (Pudding House Publications, 2004)
- Coastal Bop (Oyster River PressOyster River PressOyster River Press is a small press based in Durham, New Hampshire. The press specializes in new and international poetry, as well as books on Chinese myths, the environment, and the art of living. Bilingual editions of translations are also a focus...
, 2001) - Pick a Card (Coyote/Bark Publication, 1991)
Anthologies
- Letters to America: Contemporary American Poetry on Race (Wayne State University Press, 1995)
- The Maine Poets: An Anthology of Verse (Down East Books, 2003)
External links
- Alice James Books Website
- Author Website
- Audio: Betsy Sholl Reading for Fishousepoems.org
- Audio: The Writer's Almanac with Garrison Keillor
- Interview: Portland Press Herald-Maine Sunday Telegram > Allusions of grandeur by Deirdre Fleming, April 19, 2009
- Poem: Academy of American Poets > Poetry, Poems, Bios & More > Lullaby in Blue by Betsy Sholl
- Review: Portland Phoenix > Smooth Lyicism: Betsy Sholl's Rough Cradle Rocks > by Megan Grumbling > May 6, 2009