John Skoyles
Encyclopedia
John Skoyles is an American
poet
and writer
.
Skoyles has taught at Southern Methodist University
, Sarah Lawrence College
, Warren Wilson College
and Emerson College
. He directed the MFA Program at Warren Wilson from 1984 to 1992, and served as Chair of the Emerson College Writing, Literature and Publishing Department from 1994 to 2001. He was executive director of the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Massachusetts
from 1992–94 and again from January to July 2007. He currently teaches at Emerson College and is the poetry editor of Ploughshares
.
He was educated at Fairfield University
and the University of Iowa
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
poet
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 writer
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
.
Skoyles has taught at Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University
Southern Methodist University is a private university in Dallas, Texas, United States. Founded in 1911 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, SMU operates campuses in Dallas, Plano, and Taos, New Mexico. SMU is owned by the South Central Jurisdiction of the United Methodist Church...
, Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College
Sarah Lawrence College is a private liberal arts college in the United States, and a leader in progressive education since its founding in 1926. Located just 30 minutes north of Midtown Manhattan in southern Westchester County, New York, in the city of Yonkers, this coeducational college offers...
, Warren Wilson College
Warren Wilson College
Warren Wilson College is a private four-year work college in the Swannanoa Valley, North Carolina, United States near Asheville. It is known for its curriculum of work, academics, and service, called "the Triad," which requires every student to work an on-campus job, perform at least one hundred...
and Emerson College
Emerson College
Emerson College is a private coeducational university located in Boston, Massachusetts. Founded in 1880 by Charles Wesley Emerson as a "school of oratory," Emerson is "the only comprehensive college or university in America dedicated exclusively to communication and the arts in a liberal arts...
. He directed the MFA Program at Warren Wilson from 1984 to 1992, and served as Chair of the Emerson College Writing, Literature and Publishing Department from 1994 to 2001. He was executive director of the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
from 1992–94 and again from January to July 2007. He currently teaches at Emerson College and is the poetry editor of 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...
.
He was educated at Fairfield University
Fairfield University
Fairfield University is a private, co-educational undergraduate and master's level teaching-oriented university located in Fairfield, Connecticut, in the New England region of the United States. It was founded by the Society of Jesus in 1942, and today is one of 28 member institutions of the...
and the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
.
Books
- A Little Faith, poetry (Pittsburgh: Carnegie Mellon University Press, 1981)
- Permanent Change, poetry (Pittsburgh: Carnegie Mellon University Press, 1991)
- The Smoky Mountain Cage Bird Society and Other Magical Tales from Everyday Life, nonfiction (New York: "Kodansha International, 1997)
- Definition of the Soul, poetry (Pittsburgh: Carnegie Mellon University Press, 1998)
- Generous Strangers and Other Moments from My Life, memoir (New York: Kodansha International, 1999) This is a re-titled paperback reprint of "The Smoky Mountain Cage Bird Society."
- Secret Frequencies: A New York Education, memoir (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2003)
- The Situation, poetry (Pittsburgh: Carnegie Mellon University Press, 2007)