About Jennifer
Jennifer Burd has had poetry published in numerous print and online journals and anthologies. She is author of three full-length books of poetry, Fringe (due for release in May, 2023; Finishing Line Press) Days’ Late Blue (2017; Cherry Grove Collections) and Body and Echo (2010; PlainView Press), a chapbook with CD of original poems set to music by Laszlo Slomovits, Receiving the Shore (2016, Little Light Publications), and a book of creative nonfiction, Daily Bread: A Portrait of Homeless Men & Women of Lenawee County, Michigan (2009; Bottom Dog Press). She is co-author of a children's play based on Patricia Polacco's book I Can Hear the Sun, which was produced by Wild Swan Theatre of Ann Arbor, Michigan, in 2015. She is also the recipient of the 2016-2017 Picture Book Mentorship Award from the Society for Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI), Michigan Chapter. Burd received her MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Washington in Seattle. She currently teaches creative writing classes online through The Loft Literary Center (Minneapolis).
Author Photo by Linda Navarro |
Jennifer Burd: Writer and Teaching Artist
Jennifer's new book, Fringe, is here! Fringe was published by Finishing Line Press in May, 2023. Please join Jennifer for an evening of poetry and music at Booksweet in Ann Arbor at 7 p.m. on Friday, February 7, 2025. She will be reading from Fringe and other works, and will joined by musician Laz Slomovits. Jennifer will also play the bowed psaltery to Laz’s guitar and vocals for some of her poems that he has set to music. For more information about the event, click here. Booksweet, 1729 Plymouth Rd, Ann Arbor, MI, 48105 (734) 929-4112 https://www.shopbooksweet.com/ See and hear a video of Jennifer reading a poem from Fringe here. From Zilka Joseph, author of In Our Beautiful Bones, Sparrows and Dust, and Sharp Blue Search of Flame, on Fringe: "Is Hope a thing with feathers/or a blade? What is life like when you are homeless or in prison? Burd sensitively sketches people from her life experiences and work, portrays their existence with all its sharpest edges, its heart wrenching truths. She makes visible what society makes invisible, gives us real numbers as she layers the chapbook with meanings of 'fringe' and 'marginal,' their implications echoing effectively through her poems. What can be more lucid than these lines about the woman whose scars are – a galaxy of stars up and down her arms, or the man who wants to learn how to read but who has to walk past shelf/after shelf of books in colorful jackets/ with their backs turned to him/, or Alan who lives in his tent saying When I sit here on a nice morning and you see the deer, and the birds flying across – it’s my house. Dare we hope? Can we bend like the grass with dew; sun comes”? It’s Burd who makes us human as we read her poems." Purchase Fringe from Finishing Line Press. Royalties from sales of Fringe will be donated to Avalon Housing in Ann Arbor, a nonprofit that assists homeless and low-income individuals with housing and other supports. |
Other News
Jennifer's new book, Fringe, is now available! We met our presale-purchase goal for receiving royalties, some of which will be donated to Avalon Housing in Ann Arbor, a nonprofit that assists homeless and low-income individuals with housing and other supports. Thank you, readers!
Read Jennifer's poem "Lessons" at the website for Third Wednesday: A Quarterly Journal of Literary & Visual Arts
Listen to Jennifer's poem "Explaining a Calendar to the Future" at the Passager Podcast "Burning Bright" (scroll down to find it under the section called "Time.").
Jennifer's poem "Prison Literature Class" appears in A Constellation of Kisses, an anthology from Terrapin Books.
"As soon as I heard this anthology’s title I thought of the words Jimi Hendrix made famous: 'Excuse me while I kiss the sky.' These pages are constellated with all manner of kisses in all manner of patterns."
—from the Foreword by Lee Upton
Read the review of Jennifer's book of poetry, Day's Late Blue (2017), in Border Crossing. Below is a poem from the book, "If You Ask Me":
If You Ask Me
If you ask me
I'll say I dread
the coming cold
forgetting how
I'll warm myself
at the way the maple
holds fire
in its branches
but doesn't burn –
a slow flaring
until the embers fall –
and all winter
above the ashes
smoldering green
beneath the skin.
Day's Late Blue was published by Cherry Grove Collections in July 2017. It can be purchased from Jennifer (jburd@tc3net.com), from WordTech Communications, and at Amazon.com.
Haiku
new year –
sunlight
on a swan's wings
(Published in hedgerow #147)
spring morning...
she leaves the house
with a basket on her arm
(Published in Mariposa 50, Spring/Summer 2024)
Poetry & Music
Hear Jennifer play the bowed psaltery in accompaniment to Laz Slomovits in his song setting of Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."
Watch a video of Jennifer and Laz playing Laz's song settings of Emily Dickenson poems at the Emily Dickenson House and Museum in Amherst, Massachussetts.
Past Events
Private Benefit Concert: Dancing Off the Page - Poetry Set to Music
There is an ancient tradition throughout the world, of poetry not only being read from books, but also set to music and sung. In late July, 2019, Jennifer joins Laszlo Slomovits, award-winning songwriter, composer and singer, to present a program of a great variety of poetry read and sung. This program is a private house concert to benefit the Ann Arbor nonprofit Food Gatherers. The poems range from the transcendent, spiritual lyrics of the 12th and 13th Century Sufi mystics, Rumi and Hafiz, to the classic poems of the American greats, Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson, right up to the contemporary Naomi Shihab Nye, Daniel Gerber and Linda Nemec Foster. A special feature of the event is Jennifer’s lyric poetry which Laszlo has set to music, as well as the reading of her award-winning haiku, to which Laszlo responds with various folk flutes in a spontaneous, improvised dialogue between words and music. Much of Jennifer's poetry highlights Michigan landscapes. With dynamic readings, gorgeous melodies and lively rhythms, the poems dance off the page, as Jennifer and Laszlo bring the magic of live reading and music to timeless lyrics.
Jennifer's new book, Fringe, is now available! We met our presale-purchase goal for receiving royalties, some of which will be donated to Avalon Housing in Ann Arbor, a nonprofit that assists homeless and low-income individuals with housing and other supports. Thank you, readers!
Read Jennifer's poem "Lessons" at the website for Third Wednesday: A Quarterly Journal of Literary & Visual Arts
Listen to Jennifer's poem "Explaining a Calendar to the Future" at the Passager Podcast "Burning Bright" (scroll down to find it under the section called "Time.").
Jennifer's poem "Prison Literature Class" appears in A Constellation of Kisses, an anthology from Terrapin Books.
"As soon as I heard this anthology’s title I thought of the words Jimi Hendrix made famous: 'Excuse me while I kiss the sky.' These pages are constellated with all manner of kisses in all manner of patterns."
—from the Foreword by Lee Upton
Read the review of Jennifer's book of poetry, Day's Late Blue (2017), in Border Crossing. Below is a poem from the book, "If You Ask Me":
If You Ask Me
If you ask me
I'll say I dread
the coming cold
forgetting how
I'll warm myself
at the way the maple
holds fire
in its branches
but doesn't burn –
a slow flaring
until the embers fall –
and all winter
above the ashes
smoldering green
beneath the skin.
Day's Late Blue was published by Cherry Grove Collections in July 2017. It can be purchased from Jennifer (jburd@tc3net.com), from WordTech Communications, and at Amazon.com.
Haiku
new year –
sunlight
on a swan's wings
(Published in hedgerow #147)
spring morning...
she leaves the house
with a basket on her arm
(Published in Mariposa 50, Spring/Summer 2024)
Poetry & Music
Hear Jennifer play the bowed psaltery in accompaniment to Laz Slomovits in his song setting of Robert Frost's poem "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening."
Watch a video of Jennifer and Laz playing Laz's song settings of Emily Dickenson poems at the Emily Dickenson House and Museum in Amherst, Massachussetts.
Past Events
Private Benefit Concert: Dancing Off the Page - Poetry Set to Music
There is an ancient tradition throughout the world, of poetry not only being read from books, but also set to music and sung. In late July, 2019, Jennifer joins Laszlo Slomovits, award-winning songwriter, composer and singer, to present a program of a great variety of poetry read and sung. This program is a private house concert to benefit the Ann Arbor nonprofit Food Gatherers. The poems range from the transcendent, spiritual lyrics of the 12th and 13th Century Sufi mystics, Rumi and Hafiz, to the classic poems of the American greats, Robert Frost and Emily Dickinson, right up to the contemporary Naomi Shihab Nye, Daniel Gerber and Linda Nemec Foster. A special feature of the event is Jennifer’s lyric poetry which Laszlo has set to music, as well as the reading of her award-winning haiku, to which Laszlo responds with various folk flutes in a spontaneous, improvised dialogue between words and music. Much of Jennifer's poetry highlights Michigan landscapes. With dynamic readings, gorgeous melodies and lively rhythms, the poems dance off the page, as Jennifer and Laszlo bring the magic of live reading and music to timeless lyrics.
Publications
Books:
Fringe (Poetry; Finishing Line Press, 2023)
Day's Late Blue (Poetry; Cherry Grove Collections; 2017)
Receiving the Shore (Poetry/CD, with Laszlo Slomovits; Little Light Publications, 2016)
Body & Echo (Poetry; Plain View Press, 2010)
Daily Bread: A Portrait of Homeless Men & Women of Lenawee County Michigan (Creative nonfiction; Bottom Dog Press, 2009)
Anthologies:
A Constellation of Kisses (Terrapin Books, 2019): "Prison LIterature Class"
Memories Flow in Our Veins: 40 Years of Women's Writing from CALYX (Calyx Editorial collective; 2016): "Recalculating"
The Way North: Collected Upper Peninsula and New Works (Edited by Ron Riekki; Wayne State University Press, 2013): "haiku"
Poetry in Selected Print Journals:
Jennifer has had poetry published in numerous print journals, including Beloit Poetry Journal, Southern Poetry Review, Calyx, Modern Haiku, Acorn, and Haiku Presence.
Selected Poetry Archived in Online Journals:
tinywords: haiku
"Recalculating" at Calyx
Ann Arbor Review: Issues 9 – 16
NEAT (Winter 2015): "Before and After"; "Beginning"
Glint, Issue 7, Fall 2015
Antiphon: Issue 11, Spring 2014
Joint Poetry with Laszlo Slomovits Archived in Online Journals:
Segue: Volume 12, Fall 2014
Redheaded Stepchild: (Winter 2015): "Between Light"
Articles in Online Journals:
Poets Quarterly, Summer 2015: "White Space as Metaphoric Frame"
Books:
Fringe (Poetry; Finishing Line Press, 2023)
Day's Late Blue (Poetry; Cherry Grove Collections; 2017)
Receiving the Shore (Poetry/CD, with Laszlo Slomovits; Little Light Publications, 2016)
Body & Echo (Poetry; Plain View Press, 2010)
Daily Bread: A Portrait of Homeless Men & Women of Lenawee County Michigan (Creative nonfiction; Bottom Dog Press, 2009)
Anthologies:
A Constellation of Kisses (Terrapin Books, 2019): "Prison LIterature Class"
Memories Flow in Our Veins: 40 Years of Women's Writing from CALYX (Calyx Editorial collective; 2016): "Recalculating"
The Way North: Collected Upper Peninsula and New Works (Edited by Ron Riekki; Wayne State University Press, 2013): "haiku"
Poetry in Selected Print Journals:
Jennifer has had poetry published in numerous print journals, including Beloit Poetry Journal, Southern Poetry Review, Calyx, Modern Haiku, Acorn, and Haiku Presence.
Selected Poetry Archived in Online Journals:
tinywords: haiku
"Recalculating" at Calyx
Ann Arbor Review: Issues 9 – 16
NEAT (Winter 2015): "Before and After"; "Beginning"
Glint, Issue 7, Fall 2015
Antiphon: Issue 11, Spring 2014
Joint Poetry with Laszlo Slomovits Archived in Online Journals:
Segue: Volume 12, Fall 2014
Redheaded Stepchild: (Winter 2015): "Between Light"
Articles in Online Journals:
Poets Quarterly, Summer 2015: "White Space as Metaphoric Frame"
Awards
The Bellingham Review, Spring 1988 (second place, 49th Parallel Poetry Contest)
Michigan Associated Press Editorial Association Award, 2002 (third place for "Homeless in Lenawee County" series published in The Daily Telegram, Adrian, Michigan)
Honorable Mention, World Monuments Fund 2012 Haiku Contest
2016-2017 Picture Book Mentorship Award, SCBWI - Michigan
The Bellingham Review, Spring 1988 (second place, 49th Parallel Poetry Contest)
Michigan Associated Press Editorial Association Award, 2002 (third place for "Homeless in Lenawee County" series published in The Daily Telegram, Adrian, Michigan)
Honorable Mention, World Monuments Fund 2012 Haiku Contest
2016-2017 Picture Book Mentorship Award, SCBWI - Michigan