Mark Jarman
Encyclopedia
Mark F. Jarman is an American poet and critic often identified with the New Narrative branch of the New Formalism
; he was co-editor with Robert McDowell of The Reaper
throughout the 1980s. Centennial Professor of English at Vanderbilt University
, he is the author of ten books of poetry, two books of essays, and a book of essays co-authored with Robert McDowell. He co-edited the anthology Rebel Angels: 25 Poets of the New Formalism
with David Mason.
Jarman's awards for poetry include a Joseph Henry Jackson Award, three grants from the NEA, and a fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. His book The Black Riviera won the 1991 Poets' Prize
. Questions for Ecclesiastes was a finalist for the 1997 National Book Critics Circle Award in poetry and won the 1998 Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize from the Academy of American Poets and The Nation magazine.
. The three years he spent there were formative ones for the poet. The family returned to California in 1961, where his father served South Bay Christian Church in Redondo Beach and his sister Luanne was born. In 1970, Jarman entered the University of California at Santa Cruz and earned a B.A with highest honors in English literature in 1974. There he met his wife, soprano Amy Jarman, and his friend and long-time collaborator, Robert McDowell. While at U.C.S.C., he studied with the poet and editor George Hitchcock and the short story writer and poet Raymond Carver
. In 1974, Jarman entered the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and earned an M.F.A. in poetry in 1976. At Iowa he studied with Donald Justice
, Charles Wright
, Stanley Plumly
, and Sandra McPherson
. His classmates included poets Chase Twichell
, Brenda Hillman
, James Galvin
, and Rita Dove
. In 1976, he was hired to teach creative writing at Indiana State University
in Evansville. In 1978, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
allowed him to quit his job and live in Italy where Amy studied singing at the University of Perugia
. Returning to California in 1979, he was hired as a visiting writer at the University of California at Irvine. Mark and Amy’s daughter Claire was born in Mission Viejo in 1980. That same year, Jarman took a position teaching creative writing at Murray State University
in Kentucky. Two years later the couple’s second child, Zoë, was born in Murray. In 1983, he left Murray State to teach at Vanderbilt University
, where he has been since. Amy joined the voice faculty at the Blair School of Music
in 1986. Since 2007, Jarman has been Centennial Professor of English at Vanderbilt and Director of Creative Writing.
Jarman's early poetry reflects the influence of living by the Pacific and the North Sea at important times in his life, along with growing up in a strongly religious family. As he has matured, his poetry has remained invested in family experience, a sense of place, and the presence of God in everyday life. Though he is associated with the New Formalism
, his poetry has always ranged widely in form and style, from narrative to lyric, free to metrical verse, verse to prose poetry.
New Formalism
New Formalism is a late-20th and early 21st century movement in American poetry that has promoted a return to metrical and rhymed verse.-Origins and intentions:...
; he was co-editor with Robert McDowell of The Reaper
The Reaper (magazine)
The Reaper was a United States literary periodical which played an important role in establishing the poetry movements of New Narrative and New Formalism. It was founded in 1980 and ran until 1989; a double issue of numbers 19 and 20 was the last. The Reaper was edited by Robert McDowell and Mark...
throughout the 1980s. Centennial Professor of English at Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
, he is the author of ten books of poetry, two books of essays, and a book of essays co-authored with Robert McDowell. He co-edited the anthology Rebel Angels: 25 Poets of the New Formalism
Rebel Angels: 25 Poets of the New Formalism
Rebel Angels: 25 Poets of the New Formalism is an anthology of poets edited by Mark Jarman and David Mason, published by Story Line Press in 1996...
with David Mason.
Jarman's awards for poetry include a Joseph Henry Jackson Award, three grants from the NEA, and a fellowship from the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. His book The Black Riviera won the 1991 Poets' Prize
Poets' Prize
The Poets' Prize is awarded annually for the best book of verse published by a living American poet two years prior to the award year. The $3000 annual prize is donated by a committee of about 20 American poets, who each nominate two books and who also serve as judges...
. Questions for Ecclesiastes was a finalist for the 1997 National Book Critics Circle Award in poetry and won the 1998 Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize from the Academy of American Poets and The Nation magazine.
Biography
Mark Jarman was born while his father, Dr. Donald R. Jarman, was in seminary in Lexington, Kentucky. His parents, both Californians, moved back to California in 1954 and settled in Santa Maria, where his father served First Christian Church. In 1958, responding to a call from his denomination, Mark’s father moved his wife Bo Dee, his son, and daughter Katie, to Scotland to serve a small church in Kirkcaldy, Fife, a linoleum factory town on the Firth of Forth across from EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. The three years he spent there were formative ones for the poet. The family returned to California in 1961, where his father served South Bay Christian Church in Redondo Beach and his sister Luanne was born. In 1970, Jarman entered the University of California at Santa Cruz and earned a B.A with highest honors in English literature in 1974. There he met his wife, soprano Amy Jarman, and his friend and long-time collaborator, Robert McDowell. While at U.C.S.C., he studied with the poet and editor George Hitchcock and the short story writer and poet Raymond Carver
Raymond Carver
Raymond Clevie Carver, Jr. was an American short story writer and poet. Carver is considered a major American writer of the late 20th century and also a major force in the revitalization of the short story in the 1980s....
. In 1974, Jarman entered the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and earned an M.F.A. in poetry in 1976. At Iowa he studied with Donald Justice
Donald Justice
Donald Justice was an American poet and teacher of writing. In summing up Justice's career, David Orr has written, "In most ways, Justice was no different from any number of solid, quiet older writers devoted to traditional short poems. But he was different in one important sense: sometimes his...
, Charles Wright
Charles Wright (poet)
Charles Wright is an American poet whose awards include the National Book Award Charles Wright (born August 25, 1935) is an American poet whose awards include the National Book Award Charles Wright (born August 25, 1935) is an American poet whose awards include the National Book Award (19830 for...
, Stanley Plumly
Stanley Plumly
Stanley Plumly is an American poet, who is professor of English and director of University of Maryland, College Park's creative writing program....
, and Sandra McPherson
Sandra McPherson
Sandra McPherson is an American poet.Born in San Jose, California, McPherson received her B.A. at San Jose State University, and studied at the University of Washington, with Elizabeth Bishop and David Wagoner....
. His classmates included poets Chase Twichell
Chase Twichell
Chase Twichell is an American poet, professor, and publisher, the founder in 1999, of Ausable Press. Her most recent poetry collection is Horses Where the Answers Should Have Been, which earned her Claremont Graduate University's prestigious $100,000 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award....
, Brenda Hillman
Brenda Hillman
Brenda Hillman , is an American poet. She was educated at Pomona College, and received her M.F.A. at the Iowa Writers' Workshop. She is the Olivia Filippi Professor of Poetry at Saint Mary's College in Moraga, California...
, James Galvin
James Galvin (poet)
James Galvin is an American poet. He has published six collections of poetry, most recently As Is , "X: Poems," and Resurrection Update, Collected Poems, 1975-1997 which was a finalist for the Los Angeles Times Book Award, the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize, and the Poet’s Prize...
, and Rita Dove
Rita Dove
Rita Frances Dove is an American poet and author. From 1993-1995 she served as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, a position now popularly known as "U.S. Poet Laureate"...
. In 1976, he was hired to teach creative writing at Indiana State University
University of Southern Indiana
The University of Southern Indiana is a public university in Vanderburgh County, Indiana. This publicly funded institution has been among the fastest growingcomprehensive state universities in Indiana. Record fall enrollment in 2010 reached 10,702...
in Evansville. In 1978, a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
allowed him to quit his job and live in Italy where Amy studied singing at the University of Perugia
University of Perugia
University of Perugia is a public-owned university based in Perugia, Italy. It was founded in 1308, as attested by the Bull issued by Pope Clement V certifying the birth of the Studium Generale....
. Returning to California in 1979, he was hired as a visiting writer at the University of California at Irvine. Mark and Amy’s daughter Claire was born in Mission Viejo in 1980. That same year, Jarman took a position teaching creative writing at Murray State University
Murray State University
Murray State University, located in the city of Murray, Kentucky, is a four-year public university with approximately 10,400 students. The school is Kentucky’s only public university to be listed in the U.S.News & World Report regional university top tier for the past 20 consecutive years...
in Kentucky. Two years later the couple’s second child, Zoë, was born in Murray. In 1983, he left Murray State to teach at Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University
Vanderbilt University is a private research university located in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, the university is named for shipping and rail magnate "Commodore" Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provided Vanderbilt its initial $1 million endowment despite having never been to the...
, where he has been since. Amy joined the voice faculty at the Blair School of Music
Blair School of Music
The Blair School of Music provides undergraduate conservatory-style education in music performance, theory, and history at Vanderbilt University, a major research university located in Nashville, Tennessee...
in 1986. Since 2007, Jarman has been Centennial Professor of English at Vanderbilt and Director of Creative Writing.
Jarman's early poetry reflects the influence of living by the Pacific and the North Sea at important times in his life, along with growing up in a strongly religious family. As he has matured, his poetry has remained invested in family experience, a sense of place, and the presence of God in everyday life. Though he is associated with the New Formalism
New Formalism
New Formalism is a late-20th and early 21st century movement in American poetry that has promoted a return to metrical and rhymed verse.-Origins and intentions:...
, his poetry has always ranged widely in form and style, from narrative to lyric, free to metrical verse, verse to prose poetry.
Honors
- Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize of the Academy of American Poets, 1998
- Finalist, National Book Critics Circle Award, 1997, for poetry
- National Endowment for the ArtsNational Endowment for the ArtsThe National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
Grant, 1992, for poetry - The Poets’ Prize, 1991
- Guggenheim Fellow (Poetry), 1991–92
- Robert Frost Fellowship in poetry, The Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, 1985
- Crazyhorse prize for poetry published in the journal during the past year, 1985
- National Endowment for the Arts Grant, 1984, for poetry
- Duncan Lawrie Prize, Sotheby’s International Poetry Competition, 1982
- National Endowment for the ArtsNational Endowment for the ArtsThe National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
Grant, 1977, for poetry - Academy of American Poets Prize, 1975, The University of Iowa
- The Joseph Henry Jackson Award, 1974, from the San Francisco Foundation, for a manuscript of poetry
Works
- North Sea, Cleveland State University Poetry Center, 1978, ISBN 9780914946137
- The Rote Walker, Carnegie-Mellon University Press, 1981, ISBN 9780915604586
- Far and Away, Carnegie-Mellon University Press, 1985, ISBN 9780887480089
- Iris, Story Line Press, 1992, ISBN 9780934257886
- Questions for Ecclesiastes, Story Line Press, 1997, ISBN 9781885266415
- Unholy Sonnets, Story Line Press, 2000, ISBN 9781885266873
- To the Green Man, Sarabande Books, 2004, ISBN 9781932511031
- Epistles, Sarabande Books, 2007, ISBN 9781932511536
- Bone Fires: New and Selected Poems, Sarabande Books, 2011, ISBN 9781932511895
Non-fiction
- The Reaper Essays, written with Robert McDowell (Story Line Press, 1996)
- Rebel Angels: 25 Poets of the New FormalismRebel Angels: 25 Poets of the New FormalismRebel Angels: 25 Poets of the New Formalism is an anthology of poets edited by Mark Jarman and David Mason, published by Story Line Press in 1996...
, (editor, with David MasonDavid Mason (writer)David Mason is an American writer and the Poet Laureate of Colorado.-Life:David Mason was born and raised in Bellingham, Washington. He studied briefly at the Colorado College, but left after one year to work as a fisherman in Alaska. He returned to the college to earn his B.A. in 1978...
) (Story Line Press 1996) - The Secret of Poetry, Story Line Press, 2001, ISBN 9781586540050
- Body and Soul: Essays on Poetry, University of Michigan Press, 2002, ISBN 9780472098026
External links
- Poet of the Month (website curated by Mark Jarman, 1997–2007)
- Academy of American Poets entry
- Author note at Ploughshares
- Author note at Poetry Foundation