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Draft:Ann Spiers

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Ann Spiers
Born(1946-01-04)January 4, 1946
Seattle, U.S.
Occupation(s)Poet and Naturalist

Ann Spiers (born January 4, 1946, in Seattle, Washington) is a poet and naturalist residing on Vashon Island, Washington, where she served as the island's inaugural poet laureate. Her poetry reflects her connection to the Pacific Northwest's landscapes and environmental themes.[1]

Early life and education

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Spiers grew up in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle.[2] She earned a B.A. in English Literature and M.A. in Creative Writing and Literature, and an environmental manager certificate, all from the University of Washington.[1][3]

Career

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Spiers was founding co-editor (1980) and cover editor (1978-85) of The Seattle Review.[3] She also co-founded the Pioneer Playwright's Lab (1984).[3] She hosted and co-produced the radio production "Iamb Said the Lamb" on the KSER (formerly KRAB in 1976-1982).[3] She has served as a member of the King County Arts Commission and has done extensive work as a performance playwright.[3] Spiers served on the Vashon Land Trust,[1] as local Audubon president,[1] on the board of Willard Espy Literary Foundation in Oysterville,[4] and as a Cascades field assistant.[1]

Influences

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Spiers's educational background in English literature and creative writing, combined with her environmental management studies, has shaped her poetic voice. Her active involvement in environmental stewardship and community initiatives further informs her work, intertwining themes of nature and human experience.[3][5]

In her poem "Poets Traveling Water," Spiers pays tribute to fellow poet Robert Sund, illustrating his impact on her work. The poem recounts a journey with other poets to Sund's riverside cabin, highlighting his influence on the Cascadian literary community.[6]

Publications

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Spiers books are included in the British Library,[7] have been exhibited in the Bainbridge Island Museum of Art,[8] and are part of the collections of Stanford, University of Washington, and Multnomah County Library.[9]

  • The Herodotus Poems, Brooding Heron Press, 1989[10]
  • Tide Turn, May Day Press, 1996[11]
  • Volcano Blue, May Day Press, 1998[12]
  • Long Climb into Grace, Foothills Publishing, 2007[13]
  • What Rain Does, Egress Studio, 2011[14]
  • A Wild Taste, May Day Press, 2011[15]
  • Bunker Trail, Finishing Line Press, 2013[16]
  • Walks, Trails, and Parks on Vashon Island, Vashon-Maury Island Park District, 2017[17]
  • Back Cut, Black Heron Press, 2021[18]
  • Rain Violent, Empty Bowl, 2021[19]
  • Harpoon, Triplet Series, Ravenna Press, 2022[20]

Awards and honors

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  • 1979 King County Arts Commission Works-in-Progress[9]
  • 1983 Bumbershoot Fiction Fellowship[21]
  • 1986, 1987, 1988, 1991 Washington State Arts Commission[21]
  • 2002 Writers Residency at the Willard R. Espy Foundation in Oysterville[21]
  • Residencies at Hedgebrook and the Whiteley Center

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e "Ann Spiers". Empty Bowl. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
  2. ^ James, Sibyl (April 11, 2012). "Housing, Human Services, Health and Culture Committee Meeting" (PDF). clerk.seatle.gov. Retrieved March 4, 2025.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Poets And Poetry - PoetsWest Directory R-Z". www.poetswest.com. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
  4. ^ "Ann Spiers". www.goodreads.com. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
  5. ^ "Review: Poet summons up a sensory tour of climate change". Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber. 2021-08-19. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
  6. ^ Nelson, Paul E (June 13, 2023). "Cascadian Zen: bioregional writings on cascadia here and now" (PDF). paulenelson.com. Retrieved March 3, 2025.
  7. ^ "https://bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?query=creator,equals,Spiers,%20Ann.,AND&tab=LibraryCatalog&search_scope=Not_BL_Suppress&vid=44BL_INST:BLL01&lang=en&mode=advanced&offset=0". bll01.primo.exlibrisgroup.com. Retrieved 2025-03-04. {{cite web}}: External link in |title= (help)
  8. ^ "Catherine Alice Michaelis: Root Bound - Bainbridge Island Museum of Art". www.biartmuseum.org. 2021-08-04. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
  9. ^ a b "A Review of Sharon Hashimoto's "More American" | North American Review". northamericanreview.org. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
  10. ^ Spiers, Ann (1989). The Herodotus Poems. Waldron Island: Brooding Heron Press. ISBN 9780918116604.
  11. ^ Spiers, Ann (1996). Tide Turn. Olympia, Washington: May Day Press.
  12. ^ Spiers, Ann (1998). Volcano Blue. Olympia, Washington: May Day Press.
  13. ^ Spiers, Ann (2007). "Long Climb into Grace". Poets on Peace. 13. Foothills Publishing.
  14. ^ Spiers, Ann (2011). What Rain Does. Bellingham, Washington: Egress Studio. ISBN 9780972513744. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
  15. ^ Spiers, Ann (2011). A Wild Taste. May Day Press.
  16. ^ Spiers, Ann (2013). Bunker Trail. Georgetown, Kentucky: Finishing Line. ISBN 9781622293520.
  17. ^ Spiers, Ann; Gerstle, John H.; Sullivan, Susan G. (2017). Walks, Trails, and Parks on Vashon Island (5th ed.). Vashon-Maury Island Park District. ISBN 9780692965702.
  18. ^ Spiers, Ann (2021-09-06). Back Cut. Black Heron Press. ISBN 9781936364381.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  19. ^ Spiers, Ann (June 1, 2021). Rain Violent. Empty Bowl. ISBN 9781734187397.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
  20. ^ Spiers, Ann; Cole, Gregory K.; Bogartte, J Karl (2022). Triple No. 16. Ravenna Press. ISBN 9781736916995.
  21. ^ a b c "Ann Spiers – A River Runs Through Us". About Place Journal. Retrieved 2025-03-04.
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