Mathias Svalina (born June 24, 1975), is an

American poet The poets listed below were either born in the United States or else published much of their poetry while living in that country. A B C D E F G H I–J K L M N O P Q *George Quasha (born 1942 in poetry, 1942) R ...

. He has won fellowships and awards from The Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, ''

The Iowa Review ''The Iowa Review'' is an American literary magazine that publishes fiction, poetry, essays, and reviews. History and profile Founded in 1970, ''Iowa Review'' is issued three times a year, during the months of April, August, and December. Origin ...

'', and ''New Michigan Press''. His poems have been published in journals such as '' American Letters & Commentary'', ''

The Boston Review ''Boston Review'' is an American quarterly political and literary magazine. It publishes political, social, and historical analysis, literary and cultural criticism, book reviews, fiction, and poetry, both online and in print. Its signature form ...

'', ''Gulf Coast'', and ''

jubilat ''jubilat'' is a widely distributed, highly acclaimed American poetry and prose journal headquartered at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. First published in 2000, it was founded by Rob Casper, Christian Hawkey, Michael Teig and Kelly LeF ...

''. He operates a Dream Delivery Service and also co-edits ''Octopus Magazine'' and ''Octopus Books'' with Zachary Schomburg. He is a native of

Chicago, Illinois (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

Educational background

Svalina received his B.A. from the

University of Mary Washington The University of Mary Washington (UMW) is a public liberal arts university in Fredericksburg, Virginia. Founded in 1908 as the Fredericksburg Teachers College, the institution was named Mary Washington College in 1938 after Mary Ball Washingt ...

, an M.F.A. from the

Virginia Commonwealth University Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) is a public research university in Richmond, Virginia. VCU was founded in 1838 as the medical department of Hampden–Sydney College, becoming the Medical College of Virginia in 1854. In 1968, the Virgini ...

, and a Ph.D. from the

University of Nebraska-Lincoln A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

. , he lives and teaches literature in

Denver, Colorado Denver () is a consolidated city and county, the capital, and most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Its population was 715,522 at the 2020 census, a 19.22% increase since 2010. It is the 19th-most populous city in the Unit ...

Teaching career

Svalina has taught writing at

Metropolitan State University of Denver Metropolitan State University of Denver (MSU Denver or Metro State) is a public university in Denver, Colorado. MSU Denver is located on the Auraria Campus, along with the University of Colorado Denver and the Community College of Denver, in d ...

Nebraska Wesleyan University Nebraska Wesleyan University (NWU) is a private Methodist-affiliated university in Lincoln, Nebraska. It was founded in 1887 by Nebraska Methodists. As of 2017, it has approximately 2,100 students including 1,500 full-time students and 300 ...

, and the

University of Nebraska, Lincoln A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States, t ...

Dream Delivery Service

Svalina has operated a Dream Delivery Service in Denver, Colorado since 2014. Since the fall of 2016 and on through the summer of 2017, he will be delivering dreams in other cities, including Richmond, Tucson, Marfa, Austin & Chicago. He hand delivers poems to subscribers within a 4 mile radius of his home base in each city and delivers poems by mail to every other subscriber. While in Richmond, he estimates that he biked over 800 miles within 31 days and delivered over 1400 poems. In November 2016 while in Tucson, he estimates to have biked over 1100 miles and delivered 1530 "dreams". His poems are surrealist narratives of dream sequences or, optionally and for a higher price, nightmare sequences. By his own account, the majority of subscriptions are for his dreams. He donates 15% of all subscription fees to Planned Parenthood in whichever state he is based at for each subscription duration.

Published works

* ''The Wine-Dark Sea'', Sidebrow Books, 2016. * ''Wastoid'', Big Lucks Books, 2014. * ''I Am A Very Productive Entrepreneur'', Mud Luscious Press, 2011. * ''Whatever You Love of Weapons You Love for Weapons'', Brave Men Press, 2010. * ''Destruction Myth'',

Cleveland State University Poetry Center The Cleveland State University Poetry Center is a literary small press and poetry outreach organization in Cleveland, Ohio, operated under the auspices of the English Department at Cleveland State University. It publishes original works of poetry b ...

, 2009. * ''The Viral Lease'', Small Anchor Press, 2009. * ''Play'', The Cupboard Pamphlet, 2009. * ''Why I Am White'', Kitchen Press, 2007. * ''Creation Myths'', New Michigan Press, 2007. ;Collaborations * ''The Depression'' with

Jon Pack Jon Pack is an American photographer based in New York City. Pack is known as a photojournalist and street photographer, and for his work as an on-location still photographer for film and television productions. Career While watching the 2008 Summ ...

, Civil Coping Mechanisms, 2020 * ''Sugar Means Yes'' with Julia Cohen (Grieving Ghost Press) * ''When We Broke the Microscope'' with Julia Cohen (Small Fires Press, 2008) * ''Or Else What, Asked the Flame'' with Paula Cisewski (Scantily Clad Press, 2008)

References

External links

* https://web.archive.org/web/20111020154844/http://www.fringemagazine.org/blog/qa-with-mathias-svalina/ {{DEFAULTSORT:Svalina, Mathias 21st-century American poets 1975 births Living people University of Mary Washington alumni