Matthew Rohrer (born 1970) is an American poet. Born in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Rohrer was raised in Oklahoma. He earned a BA from the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

(where he won a

Hopwood Award The Hopwood Awards are a major scholarship program at the University of Michigan, founded by Avery Hopwood. Under the terms of the will of Avery Hopwood, a prominent American dramatist and member of the class of 1905 of the University of Michigan, ...

for poetry) and a Master of Fine Arts degree in poetry from the

University of Iowa The University of Iowa (UI, U of I, UIowa, or simply Iowa) is a public research university in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. Founded in 1847, it is the oldest and largest university in the state. The University of Iowa is organized into 12 col ...

. His first book of poetry, ''A Hummock in the Malookas'' (1995), was selected by

Mary Oliver Mary Jane Oliver (September 10, 1935 – January 17, 2019) was an American poet who won the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize. Her work is inspired by nature, rather than the human world, stemming from her lifelong passion for solitary ...

for the 1994 National Poetry Series. In 2005, his collection ''A Green Light'' was shortlisted for the International

Griffin Poetry Prize The Griffin Poetry Prize is Canada's most generous poetry award. It was founded in 2000 by businessman and philanthropist Scott Griffin. Before 2022, the awards went to one Canadian and one international poet who writes in the English language. ...

. James Tate said of ''A Green Light,'' "There are poems in A Green Light that can break your heart with their unexpected twists and turns. You think you know where you are and then you don't and it is inexplicably sad. You experience some kind of emotion that you can't even name, but it's deep and real. That's the power of Matthew Rohrer's new poems." He was a co-founder and poetry editor for ''Fence'' magazine. He lives in

Brooklyn Brooklyn () is a borough of New York City, coextensive with Kings County, in the U.S. state of New York. Kings County is the most populous county in the State of New York, and the second-most densely populated county in the United States, be ...

, New York and teaches at

New York University New York University (NYU) is a private research university in New York City. Chartered in 1831 by the New York State Legislature, NYU was founded by a group of New Yorkers led by then- Secretary of the Treasury Albert Gallatin. In 1832, th ...

Bibliography

*''The Sky Contains the Plans'' (

Wave Books Wave Books (established 2005) is an American independent press focusing on the publication of poetry, with a focus on innovative, contemporary poetry and poetry in translation. This independent publisher has published books by CAConrad, Don Mee ...

, 2020) *''The Others'' (

, 2017) *''Surrounded by Friends'' (

, 2015) *''Destroyer and Preserver'' (

, 2011) *''A Plate of Chicken'' (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2009) *''Rise Up'' (

, 2007) *''A Green Light'' (Verse Press, 2004) *''Nice Hat. Thanks.'' (Verse Press, 2002) – with Joshua Beckman *''Satellite'' (Verse Press, 2001) *''A Hummock in the Malookas'' (1995)

Discography

*''Adventures While Preaching the Gospel of Beauty'' (2003) – with Joshua Beckman

References

External links

Matthew Rohrer's Author Page at Wave books''Fence'' magazineGriffin Poetry Prize reading, including video clip

Griffin Poetry Prize keynote speechFrom Town to Town They Go, A Busload of Poets, Rhymes in Tow, ''The New York Sun''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rohrer, Matthew 1970 births Living people American male poets Iowa Writers' Workshop alumni University of Michigan alumni 21st-century American poets Hopwood Award winners Writers from Brooklyn Writers from Ann Arbor, Michigan 21st-century American male writers