Jack Collom facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jack Collom
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Jack Collom, was an American poet, essayist, and educator.
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| Born | John Aldridge Collom November 8, 1931 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | July 2, 2017 (aged 85) Boulder, Colorado, U.S. |
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| Nationality | American |
| Education | University of Colorado, BA and MA |
| Notable awards | NEA Poetry Fellowship (1980, 1990) |
| Spouse | Edeltraud Maria Teresia Hopps (div. 1974) Mara Meshak (div.) Jennifer Heath |
| Children | Nathaniel, Christopher, Franz, Sierra |
John Aldridge "Jack" Collom (born November 8, 1931 – died July 2, 2017) was an American poet and writer. He was also a special teacher who taught creative writing. Jack Collom wrote over 25 books. Some of his famous books include Red Car Goes By and Poetry Everywhere. His book Second Nature won an award in 2013. He was very interested in nature writing and teaching kids how to write poetry.
Contents
Jack Collom's Life and Work
Early Life and Education
Jack Collom was born in Chicago, Illinois, on November 8, 1931. He grew up in Western Springs, Illinois, with his sister Jane Wodening. Jack loved birdwatching from a young age. He became a very keen bird-watcher throughout his life.
In 1947, Jack moved to Fraser, Colorado. He went to Colorado A&M College and studied forestry. He earned his degree in 1952.
Military Service and Early Writing
After college, Jack joined the U.S. Air Force for four years. He began writing poetry in 1955 while he was stationed in Libya. Later, he was stationed in Neubiberg, Germany. He met his first wife there in 1956.
Jack returned to the U.S. after his military service. He worked in factories for 20 years while continuing to write poetry.
Becoming a Teacher
Jack went back to school at the University of Colorado. He earned a degree in English in 1972 and a master's degree in English literature in 1974. He used the G.I. Bill to help pay for his studies.
In 1974, Jack started teaching poetry in schools. He worked in programs in Colorado, Wyoming, and Nebraska. By 1980, he was teaching poetry in New York City public schools. He taught creative writing to children for 35 years. He created special ways to teach kids how to write.
Books and Awards
Jack wrote several books about his teaching experiences. These books included poems written by his young students. Two of his notable books are Poetry Everywhere and Moving Windows. These books helped other teachers learn from his methods.
He also published a small magazine called "The" from 1966 to 1977. He helped many writers share their work. Jack received two Poetry Fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts. He also won an award from the Foundation for Contemporary Arts in 2012.
Teaching at Naropa University
From 1986 until he passed away in 2017, Jack taught at Naropa University. He was a professor at the Jack Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics. He helped create a program called Writing Outreach. This program helped people in the community learn creative writing.
In 1989, he started one of the first ecology literature courses in the U.S. It was called Eco-Lit. Jack was a poet who cared deeply about the environment. His work is mentioned in American Environmental Leaders. He wrote many essays and poems about nature. These were published in magazines like ecopoetics and ISLE.
Travel and Collaborations
Jack traveled a lot to read his poems and teach. He visited places like Mexico, Costa Rica, Austria, Belgium, and Germany. In 2008, he was a main speaker at a poetry conference in Belgium. In 2009, he led a program about creativity for older adults in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
He also worked with many artists. He collaborated with dancers, visual artists, and musicians. He recorded three music CDs. These included Calluses of Poetry, Colors Born of Shadow, and Blue Yodel Blue Heron.
In 2001, his adopted hometown of Boulder, Colorado, celebrated "Jack Collom Day" in his honor.
Personal Life
Jack Collom had three sons from his first marriage. He also had a daughter from a second marriage.
Jack Collom passed away in Boulder, Colorado, on July 2, 2017.
Selected Publications
Poetry Books
- Arguing with Something Plato Said. (Rocky Ledge Editions, 1990) ISBN: 9780961437831
- The Task. (Baksun Books, 1996) ISBN: 9781887997065
- Red Car Goes By: Selected Poems 1955–2000. (Tuumba Press, 2001) ISBN: 9781931157018
- Exchanges of Earth and Sky. (Fish Drum Press, 2006) ISBN: 9781929495085
- Situations, Sings (with Lyn Hejinian). (Adventures in Poetry, 2007) ISBN: 9780976161240
- Second Nature. (Boulder, Co: Instance Press, 2012) ISBN: 9781887997270
Nonfiction Books
- Poetry Everywhere: Teaching Poetry Writing in School and in the Community (with Sheryl Noethe). (Teachers & Writers Collaborative, 1994; 2nd edition, 2007) ISBN: 9780915924691
- (contributor) Old Faithful: 18 Writers Present Their Favorite Writing Assignments, (ed. Ron Padgett). (Teachers & Writers Collaborative, 1995; 2nd edition, 2007) ISBN: 9780915924455
- (editor) A Slow Flash of Light: An Anthology of Poems about Poetry. (Teachers & Writers Collaborative, 2008) ISBN: 9780915924561
- Moving Windows: Evaluating the Poetry Children Write. (Teachers & Writers Collaborative, 2000) ISBN: 9780915924554
- (contributor) The &NOW Awards 2: The Best Innovative Writing (Illinois), 2013
