David M. Parsons: Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 17:41, 11 May 2020
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David M. Parsons | |
|---|---|
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| Born | |
| Nationality | American |
| Education | Texas State University, University of Houston |
| Occupation(s) | Author and Educator |
| Known for | Poet Laureate of Texas, 2011 |
| Notable work | Feathering Deep, Reaching for Longer Water |
| Website | http://www.daveparsonspoetry.com/
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David Mercier Parsons was born in Villa Rica, Georgia, and is an American author, poet, and educator. Raised in Austin, Texas, he was named by the Texas State Legislature in 2011 to a one-year term as Poet Laureate of Texas[1], commemorated by the publication of David M. Parsons New & Selected Poems by the Texas Christian University Press. His most recent book is the poetry collection Reaching for Longer Water (Texas Review Press). Parsons holds a BBA from Texas State University and an MA from the University of Houston’s Creative Writing Program where he studied poetry and literature with Edward Hirsch, Stanley Plumly, Richard Howard, Robert Pinsky and Howard Moss.
Parsons is a professor at Lone Star College-Montgomery where he teaches English and Creative Writing. He is a founder and program director of Writers in Performance[2], a monthly reading series in partnership with the non-profit Montgomery County Literary Arts Council which he founded and co-directs.[3] The Commissioners Court of Montgomery County, Texas, named him County Poet Laureate in 2005 for a five-year term.[4] In 2013, the City of Conroe, Texas, recognized Parsons with a bronze bust in the town’s Founders Plaza.[5] In 2019, his poem, “The Texian,” was installed in bronze at Lone Star Monument & Historical Flag Park in Conroe, Texas.[6]
Every year since 1994 Parsons has hosted birthday celebrations in Conroe, Texas, for the poets Emily Dickinson[7] and Walt Whitman featuring presentations from scholars and readings by regional and nationally recognized poets.[8] Scholar Michael Robertson notes the yearly Whitman gathering in his work Worshiping Walt: The Whitman Disciples (Princeton University Press).[9]
Parsons served in the United States Marine Corps both active duty and Reserve for eight years, becoming a Squad Leader and Recon Boat Team Leader.[10] He developed a creative writing course specifically for veterans and their families at Lone Star College-Montgomery in 2015.[11]
Charles Ealy, writing in the Austin American Statesman, says of the collection Reaching for Longer Water "David M. Parsons . . . takes us back to the Austin of his youth in his latest collection of verse. But he writes about his youth with a striking clarity that veers far from sentimentality."[12]
Poet Ange Mlinko writes of Parsons and his work, “It is deeply informed by English and American literature. There is no artificial barrier between art and life, love and intellect. The Renaissance man was once a courtly ideal; Parsons shows that it is a democratic ideal too—warm-blooded, muscular, as companionable on the page as in the flesh.”[13]
Parsons was elected to membership in the Texas Institute of Letters in 2009.[14]
Works
- Editing Sky, (Texas Review Press, 1999. ISBN 978-1881515234)
- Color of Mourning, (Texas Review Press, 2005. ISBN 978-1933896021)
- Feathering Deep, (Texas Review Press, 2012 ISBN 978-1933896809)
- David M. Parsons New & Selected Poems, (Texas Christian University Press, 2012. ISBN 978-0875653952)
- Reaching for Longer Water, (Texas Review Press, 2015. ISBN 978-1680030327)
- Far Out: Poems of the 60’s, (co-edited with Wendy Barker), (Wings Press, 2016. ISBN 978-1609405014)
Honors and Awards
- "The Texian" poem installed in bronze at Lone Star Monument & Historical Flag Park, 2019
- Final Judge, X. J. Kennedy Poetry Prize, Texas Review Press, 2017
- San Miguel Literary Salo, Featured Poet, San Miguel, Mexico, 2017
- Lamar University MFA Program, Featured Poet, Beaumont, Texas, 2015
- Lone Star College System Writing Award, 2015
- Judging Panel, Museum of Fine Art Houston Art-lines Competition, 2015
- Judging Panel, The Texas Institute of Letters 2013 Poetry Book Awards
- Bust Dedication by Greater Conroe Arts Alliance, Founders Plaza, 2013
- Lone Star College System Writing Award, 2012
- 2011 Texas State Poet Laureate, Texas Commission on the Arts, Texas Legislature
- Final Judge, 2010 Robert Phillips Chapbook Competition, Texas Review Press
- Dave Parsons Day, Conroe City Council, 2011
- Judge, The Texas Institute of Letters 2010 Poetry Book Awards
- Acclaimed Poet Laureate for Montgomery County 2005-2010 (Montgomery County, Texas, Commissioner’s Court)
- Lone Star College System Writing Award, 2010
- Elected to The Texas Institute of Letters, 2009
- Lone Star College System Writing Award, 2009
- Houston Arts Alliance Panel, Individual Artist Jury, Creative Writing, 2008
- Lone Star College System Writing Award, 2008
- Houston Arts Alliance Panel, Creative Writing, 2007
- North Harris Montgomery County College District Writing Award, 2006
- Baskerville Publishers Poetry Prize, descant (Texas Christian University), 2006
- North Harris Montgomery County College District Writing Award, 2005
- North Harris Montgomery County College District Writing Award, 2001
- 2000 Violet Crown Book Award Special Citation, 2000
- 1999 Texas Review Poetry Prize
- Chairman Conroe Commission on the Arts & Culture, 1996-98, 2000-10 (City Council Appointment)
- Finalist 1998 X.J. Kennedy Poetry Competition
- Founder /Chairman Montgomery County Literary Arts Council, 1993-98, Chairman 2000-2003
- Finalist 1997 South & Southwestern Poetry Breakthrough Series
- North Harris Montgomery County College District Mini-Grant recipient, 1993-94 & 1994-95
- Elected by faculty to Willis High School Site-based Management Team, 1993-99
- French-American Legation Poetry Prize, 1987
- Selected for Rice/University of Houston Reading Series
- Teaching Fellowship, University of Houston, 1985-86
- Juried Poet, Houston Poetry Festival, 1986
- President Montgomery County Heart Association, 1984, Chairman of Publicity, 1983
- Conroe Chamber of Commerce Tourism & Convention Council, 1982-84 (City Council appointment)
- Vice President Conroe YMCA Board of Directors, 1983-84, Board member 1980-84
- Judge of Addy Awards Competition Advertising Federation of Agencies of Baton Rouge/Lafayette, La., 1984
- Judge National DECA Career Development Conference in area of Advertising, 1980
- Houston Independent School District Publicity Committee, 1977-79
- Recon-Scout Swimmer School, USMC, LFTU, Naval Amphibious Base, Coronado, California, 1965
- Joined United States Marine Corps April, 1961; active duty until January, 1962; Reserve duty until Honorable Discharge, 1969
- Honorary Admiral In The Texas Navy, Governor Price Daniel, 1957
- Honorary Texan, Governor Alan Shivers, 1955
References
- ^ "The Three Beginnings of a Texas Poet Laureate |". Arts and Culture Texas. 2012-06-28. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Writers in Performance". www.lonestar.edu. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
- ^ "Montgomery County Literary Arts Council". Montgomery County Literary Arts Council. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Montgomery, Robin (2020-04-03). "Poet laureate Parsons Conroe's Renaissance man". The Courier. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Conroe Founders Plaza - Conroe, TX - Municipal Parks and Plazas on Waymarking.com". www.waymarking.com. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
- ^ Dominguez, Catherine (2018-02-24). "Poem 'The Texian' to be displayed at historical flag park in Conroe". The Courier. Retrieved 2020-05-08.
- ^ "12.2.18 News Briefs - "Poets Gather in Conroe Dec. 6 to Celebrate Emily Dickinson's Birthday"". Lone Star Literary Life. 2018-12-31. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ "Lone Star College-Montgomery Celebrates Walt Whitman: the First Hippie". montgomerycountynews.net. Retrieved 2020-05-11.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Robertson, Michael (2008). Worshiping Walt: The Whitman Disciples. Princeton University Press. pp. 287–88. ISBN 978-0691128085.
- ^ Calliope (Spring 2012). "Interview with Texas State Poet Laureate, Dave Parsons" (PDF). Inkling Magazine - Lone Star College-Tomball. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Report, Community (2015-07-14). "Veterans find inner artist through creative writing at Lone Star College-Montgomery". The Courier. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
- ^ Ealy, Charles. "A tribute to Lewis Carroll's photography — and new poetry by Parsons". Austin American-Statesman. Retrieved 2020-05-09.
- ^ Parsons, David (2012). Feathering Deep. Texas Christian University Press. pp. Back cover. ISBN 978-1933896809.
- ^ "Texas Institute of Letters: Active Members". www.texasinstituteofletters.org. Retrieved 2020-05-08.