Scott Cairns
Encyclopedia
Scott Cairns is an American
poet
, memoirist and essayist.
with a BA, Hollins College with an MA, Bowling Green State University
with an MFA, and the University of Utah
with a PhD.
He taught at Kansas State University
, Westminster College, University of North Texas
, Old Dominion University
.
He is Professor of English and Director of Creative Writing at the University of Missouri
.
Cairns is the author of six collections of poetry, one collection of translations of Christian mystics, one spiritual memoir, a book-length essay on suffering, and co-edited The Sacred Place with Scott Olsen, an anthology of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. It won the inaugural National Outdoor Book Award
(Outdoor Literature category) in 1997. He wrote the libretto for "The Martyrdom of Saint Polycarp," an oratorio composed by JAC Redford. His poems have appeared in journals including The Atlantic Monthly, The Paris Review, The New Republic, Image, and Poetry, and have been anthologized in Upholding Mystery (Oxford University Press, 1996), Best Spiritual Writing (Harper Collins, 1998 and 2000), and Best American Spiritual Writing (Houghton Mifflin, 2004, 2005, and 2006).
He is married to Marcia Lane Vanderlip and has two children, Benjamin V. Cairns and Elizabeth V. Cairns-Callen.
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...
, memoirist and essayist.
Life
He was educated at Western Washington UniversityWestern Washington University
Western Washington University is one of six state-funded, four-year universities of higher education in the U.S. state of Washington. It is located in Bellingham and offers bachelor's and master's degrees.-History:...
with a BA, Hollins College with an MA, Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Green State University, often referred to as Bowling Green or BGSU, is a public, coeducational research university located in Bowling Green, Ohio, United States. The institution was granted a charter in 1910 by the State of Ohio as part of the Lowry Bill, which also established Kent State...
with an MFA, and the University of Utah
University of Utah
The University of Utah, also known as the U or the U of U, is a public, coeducational research university in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. The university was established in 1850 as the University of Deseret by the General Assembly of the provisional State of Deseret, making it Utah's oldest...
with a PhD.
He taught at Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
, Westminster College, University of North Texas
University of North Texas
The University of North Texas is a public institution of higher education and research in Denton. Founded in 1890, UNT is part of the University of North Texas System. As of the fall of 2010, the University of North Texas, Denton campus, had a certified enrollment of 36,067...
, Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University
Old Dominion University is a state university located in Norfolk, Virginia, United States, and is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
.
He is Professor of English and Director of Creative Writing at the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
.
Cairns is the author of six collections of poetry, one collection of translations of Christian mystics, one spiritual memoir, a book-length essay on suffering, and co-edited The Sacred Place with Scott Olsen, an anthology of poetry, fiction and nonfiction. It won the inaugural National Outdoor Book Award
National Outdoor Book Award
The National Outdoor Book Award was formed in 1997 as a US-based non-profit program which each year honors the best in outdoor writing and publishing. It is housed at Idaho State University and chaired by Ron Watters. Awards are presented in ten categories. The award is announced in early November...
(Outdoor Literature category) in 1997. He wrote the libretto for "The Martyrdom of Saint Polycarp," an oratorio composed by JAC Redford. His poems have appeared in journals including The Atlantic Monthly, The Paris Review, The New Republic, Image, and Poetry, and have been anthologized in Upholding Mystery (Oxford University Press, 1996), Best Spiritual Writing (Harper Collins, 1998 and 2000), and Best American Spiritual Writing (Houghton Mifflin, 2004, 2005, and 2006).
He is married to Marcia Lane Vanderlip and has two children, Benjamin V. Cairns and Elizabeth V. Cairns-Callen.
Works
- "Another Road Home", Poetry (July/August 2009)
- "Eremite", Poetry (January 2009)
- "Idiot Psalms", Poetry (January 2009)
External links
- Interview with Scott Cairns, Part One
- Interview with Scott Cairns, Part Two
- Scott Cairns Interview, Mars Hill Review, Fall 1996 · Issue 6: pgs 140-143.