Meghan Adler

“Poetry connects us to ourselves and to others. We read about and feel universal truths. Our souls and memories are awakened.  I remember Tony Hoagland’s poem Jet was the first poem I ever truly loved. I studied its craft and ease and grace, and decided right then and there that I wanted to “be” Tony Hoagland — to tell my own stories and move readers with language both concise and evocative.

In the nine years since, I have become a dedicated poet – committed to the artistry and craft of narrative poetry. I’m honored that my work has been recognized: in 2004, I was awarded first prize in Lumina's National Poetry Contest, judged by former US Poet Laureate Billy Collins. Two of my poems were awarded Honorable Mention and Editor’s Choice in the 2006 Allen Ginsberg Poetry Awards. Most recently, my poem Pomegranate was nominated for the 2007 Pushcart Prize in Poetry. And, in 2008, I was a finalist in the Muriel Craft Bailey Award Contest and I was awarded Honorable Mention for the Rattle Poetry Prize. My work has appeared in an anthology about spiritual awakening entitled Illuminations and in the following literary journals: Eclipse, Gastronomica, Oberon, The Paterson Literary Review, Rattle, Watershed, Zeek; and is forthcoming in The Comstock Review, The North American Review, and The Ledge.

After studying Elementary Education at the University of Rhode Island, I earned a master's degree in Reading from Wheelock College, and studied poetry for four years at Manhattan's Writer's Studio. I spent 15 years as an elementary teacher and a reading specialist in New York, Boston and Italy. Having moved to San Francisco two and a half years ago, I now work as a learning specialist at a wonderful private school in Corte Madera, as well as tutoring students privately at my office in Mill Valley. I volunteer at 826 Valencia, a non-profit organization in San Francisco that supports students with their creative and expository writing skills, where I teach writing and poetry classes to young writers.

I want to encourage you to read poetry! Visit the poetry section of your local public library and/or independent bookstore. If you are lucky enough to be in San Francisco, visit City Lights Bookstore’s second floor. It’s dedicated to poetry — a whole floor!”

Read more of Meghan’s work