H. Palmer Hall
Encyclopedia
H. Palmer Hall is a poet, fiction writer, essayist, editor and librarian who lives in San Antonio, Texas. A Vietnam veteran
who grew up near the Big Thicket
in southeast Texas, Hall's writing often examines themes of war and its impact on the veterans who fight them. His work also examines the environment and how it nourishes us. Called an icon in San Antonio by the Texas Observer magazine, Dr. Hall was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters (TIL) in 2005.
, Texas, Hall attended French High School in Beaumont and graduated in 1960.
) in 1964. For two years Hall taught high school in the Silsbee Independent School District, a rural district 22 miles from Beaumont on the edge of the area known as the Big Thicket. He resigned his teaching position in 1965 in order to pursue graduate studies. Before his student deferment took effect, however, Hall was drafted. After serving in the Vietnam War, he enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin
, where he completed master’s degrees in English and Librarianship in 1976 and his Ph.D. in English in 1984.
East Coast in Washington, DC. During 1967 and 1968 he worked as a Vietnamese interpreter/translator, mostly in Pleiku, Vietnam. Returning to the United States, Hall was sent to work for the National Security Agency
(NSA) in Ft. Meade, Maryland. As a result of signing the 1969 petition which appeared in the New York Times calling for an end to the Vietnam War
and for marching in anti-war rallies, he was expelled from the Agency. In 1969 he was honorably discharged from the army.
in San Antonio, Texas. In 1977 he became Director of the Louis J. Blume Library at St. Mary's University. Since 1990 Dr. Hall has served as co-director of the Pecan Grove Press
, a small press sponsored by the Academic Library of St. Mary's University and dedicated to the publication of poetry. Although officially designated co-director, complete editorial control was essentially passed to him by the founder of the press two years after its inception. In his later career as a teacher Dr. Hall has typically offered one course each semester at the St. Mary's English Department in advanced or graduate-level literature studies.
H. Palmer Hall has received public recognition for his contributions. In addition to election to the Texas Institute of Letters, he received the Art of Peace award from the President's Peace Commission
of St. Mary’s University in 2008. He was also nominated for a Pushcart Prize
for his poem, "Vietnam Roulette." Palmer Hall was named Artist of the Month in April, 2010 by the Office of Cultural Affairs in the city of San Antonio.
Hall's poems, short stories and essays have also appeared in a number of anthologies, including The Practice of Peace, American Diaspora, The XY Files, In a Fine Frenzy and Places to Grow. Journals which have published his works include The Texas Review, The Florida Review, The Texas Observer
, Mizna: a journal of Arab American Culture, Briar Cliff Review, Ascent, Small Press Review, WLA: War, Literature & the Arts, Valparaiso Poetry Review, Amarillo Bay, Borderlands, Concho River Review, Descant, Eclectica, Grasslands Review, New Texas, North American Review
, Palo Alto Review, Riversedge, Salt River Review, Southern Indiana Review, Sulphur River Literary Review, Timber Creek Review, Windhover, Word Riot and Tattoo Highway.
Vietnam veteran
Vietnam veteran is a phrase used to describe someone who served in the armed forces of participating countries during the Vietnam War.The term has been used to describe veterans who were in the armed forces of South Vietnam, the United States armed forces, and countries allied to them, whether or...
who grew up near the Big Thicket
Big Thicket
The Big Thicket is the name of a heavily forested area in Southeast Texas. While no exact boundaries exist, the area occupies much of Hardin County, Liberty, Tyler, San Jacinto, and Polk Counties and is roughly bounded by the San Jacinto River, Neches River, and Pine Island Bayou. To the north, it...
in southeast Texas, Hall's writing often examines themes of war and its impact on the veterans who fight them. His work also examines the environment and how it nourishes us. Called an icon in San Antonio by the Texas Observer magazine, Dr. Hall was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters (TIL) in 2005.
Early life
Born Henry Palmer Hall Jr. to Eunice Horn and Henry Palmer Hall, Sr. on October 1, 1942 in BeaumontBeaumont, Texas
Beaumont is a city in and county seat of Jefferson County, Texas, United States, within the Beaumont–Port Arthur Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city's population was 118,296 at the 2010 census. With Port Arthur and Orange, it forms the Golden Triangle, a major industrial area on the...
, Texas, Hall attended French High School in Beaumont and graduated in 1960.
College and early adulthood
H. Palmer Hall received his bachelor's degree in Speech and English from Lamar State College of Technology (now Lamar UniversityLamar University
Lamar University, often referred to as Lamar or LU, is a comprehensive coeducational public research university located in Beaumont, Texas, United States. Lamar confers bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees and is classified as a Doctoral Research University by the Carnegie Commission on Higher...
) in 1964. For two years Hall taught high school in the Silsbee Independent School District, a rural district 22 miles from Beaumont on the edge of the area known as the Big Thicket. He resigned his teaching position in 1965 in order to pursue graduate studies. Before his student deferment took effect, however, Hall was drafted. After serving in the Vietnam War, he enrolled at the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
, where he completed master’s degrees in English and Librarianship in 1976 and his Ph.D. in English in 1984.
Vietnam War
Having been summoned by the draft board, Hall opted for recruitment while he retained choice in his status and joined the army as a linguist. He was sent to learn Vietnamese in a 52-week course at the Defense Language InstituteDefense Language Institute
The Defense Language Institute is a United States Department of Defense educational and research institution, which provides linguistic and cultural instruction to the Department of Defense, other Federal Agencies and numerous and varied other customers...
East Coast in Washington, DC. During 1967 and 1968 he worked as a Vietnamese interpreter/translator, mostly in Pleiku, Vietnam. Returning to the United States, Hall was sent to work for the National Security Agency
National Security Agency
The National Security Agency/Central Security Service is a cryptologic intelligence agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the collection and analysis of foreign communications and foreign signals intelligence, as well as protecting U.S...
(NSA) in Ft. Meade, Maryland. As a result of signing the 1969 petition which appeared in the New York Times calling for an end to the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
and for marching in anti-war rallies, he was expelled from the Agency. In 1969 he was honorably discharged from the army.
Civilian life
In 1976 H. Palmer Hall was appointed part-time librarian and English teacher at St. Mary's UniversitySt. Mary's University, Texas
St. Mary's University is a Catholic and Marianist liberal arts institution located on northwest of downtown San Antonio, Texas, United States. St. Mary’s is a nationally recognized master’s level school ranked among the top colleges in the west for best value and academic reputation by U.S. News...
in San Antonio, Texas. In 1977 he became Director of the Louis J. Blume Library at St. Mary's University. Since 1990 Dr. Hall has served as co-director of the Pecan Grove Press
Pecan Grove Press
Pecan Grove Press publishes primarily poetry books and chapbooks. Though sponsored by the Department of English and The Academic Library of St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas, the press is self-supporting. Founded in 1988 by St. Mary's faculty member, Karen Navarte, Pecan Grove Press has...
, a small press sponsored by the Academic Library of St. Mary's University and dedicated to the publication of poetry. Although officially designated co-director, complete editorial control was essentially passed to him by the founder of the press two years after its inception. In his later career as a teacher Dr. Hall has typically offered one course each semester at the St. Mary's English Department in advanced or graduate-level literature studies.
H. Palmer Hall has received public recognition for his contributions. In addition to election to the Texas Institute of Letters, he received the Art of Peace award from the President's Peace Commission
President's Peace Commission
The President's Peace Commission is a body composed of invited faculty, staff and students of St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas. Each year the Commission chooses a significant theme bearing on the related subjects of peace and justice. Always relevant to the United States, this theme...
of St. Mary’s University in 2008. He was also nominated for a 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....
for his poem, "Vietnam Roulette." Palmer Hall was named Artist of the Month in April, 2010 by the Office of Cultural Affairs in the city of San Antonio.
Works
In his works H. Palmer Hall has drawn upon his experience as a soldier in Vietnam to comment on the war in Vietnam and also on subsequent United States wars. In reviewing his 2009 book, Foreign and Domestic, Roberto Bonazzi states that "Hall's poems about war rank with the best ever written by an American," and poet Will Hochman states, "Hall's Foreign and Domestic establishes him as a war poet whose best work is second to none…" The poet's forms of expression are not limited to the subject of war, however, and he touches upon subjects which range from Nature to racism. In addition to his appearance in publications, Hall gives readings of his work.List of publications
- Poetry
-
- From the Periphery: poems and essays. San Antonio: Chili Verde Press, 1994
- Deep Thicket & Still Waters. San Antonio: Chili Verde Press, 1999
- To Wake Again. Cleveland: Pudding House Publication, 2005
- Reflections from Pete’s Pond. San Antonio: Pecan Grove Press, 2007
- Foreign and Domestic. Cincinnati: Turning Point, 2009
- Fiction
- The Home Front and Other Stories. Jasper, TX: Ink Brush Press, 2010
- Essays
- Reflections on Publishing, Writing, and Other Things. San Antonio: Pecan Grove Press, 2003
- Coming to Terms. Austin: Plain View Press, 2007
- Editor
- The Librarian in the University. Metuchen, NJ: Scarecrow Press, 1990
- A Measured Response. San Antonio: Pecan Grove Press, 1993
- Homage to a Red Wheelbarrow. San Antonio: Pecan Grove Press, 1994
- Rites of Spring: a miscellany of flowers. San Antonio: Pecan Grove Press, 1996
- Radio! Radio!. San Antonio: Pecan Grove Press, 2000
- The Texas Writers’ Newsletter (1997-2000)
Hall's poems, short stories and essays have also appeared in a number of anthologies, including The Practice of Peace, American Diaspora, The XY Files, In a Fine Frenzy and Places to Grow. Journals which have published his works include The Texas Review, The Florida Review, The Texas Observer
The Texas Observer
The Texas Observer is an American political newsmagazine published bi-weekly and based in Downtown Austin, Texas. The non-profit magazine is nonpartisan, but the publication has historically been an advocate for liberal politics...
, Mizna: a journal of Arab American Culture, Briar Cliff Review, Ascent, Small Press Review, WLA: War, Literature & the Arts, Valparaiso Poetry Review, Amarillo Bay, Borderlands, Concho River Review, Descant, Eclectica, Grasslands Review, New Texas, North American Review
North American Review
The North American Review was the first literary magazine in the United States. Founded in Boston in 1815 by journalist Nathan Hale and others, it was published continuously until 1940, when publication was suspended due to J. H. Smyth, who had purchased the magazine, being unmasked as a Japanese...
, Palo Alto Review, Riversedge, Salt River Review, Southern Indiana Review, Sulphur River Literary Review, Timber Creek Review, Windhover, Word Riot and Tattoo Highway.