Christopher Bursk
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Christopher Bursk (1943 – June 21, 2021) was an American poet, professor and activist. He is the author of nine poetry collections, including ''The First Inhabitants of Arcadia'' published by the (
University of Arkansas Press The University of Arkansas Press is a university press that is part of the University of Arkansas and has been a member of the Association of University Presses since 1984. Its mission is to publish peer-reviewed books and academic journals. It wa ...
(2006)), praised by ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
'' which said, "Bursk writes with verve and insight about child rearing, aging parents, sexuality, his literary heroes, the sexuality of his literary heroes."


Life

Bursk was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and received a B.A. from
Tufts University Tufts University is a private research university in Medford and Somerville, Massachusetts, United States, with additional facilities in Boston and Grafton, as well as Talloires, France. Tufts also has several Doctor of Physical Therapy p ...
, an MFA from
Warren Wilson College Warren Wilson College (WWC) is a private liberal arts college in Swannanoa, North Carolina. It is known for its curriculum that combines academics, work, and service as every student must complete a required course of study, work an on-campus j ...
and an MA and a PhD from
Boston University Boston University (BU) is a Private university, private research university in Boston, Massachusetts, United States. BU was founded in 1839 by a group of Boston Methodism, Methodists with its original campus in Newbury (town), Vermont, Newbur ...
. He lived in
Langhorne Manor, Pennsylvania Langhorne Manor is a Borough (Pennsylvania), borough in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,422 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, a 55.6% increase from the 2000 United States Census, 2000 census. The mayo ...
, and taught at Bucks County Community College. He and his wife, Mary Ann, have three children: Christian, Norabeth, and Justin. His poems have been published in literary journals and magazines including ''Paris Review'', ''The American Poetry Review'' and ''Manhattan Review'', and in anthologies including ''The Mysterious Life of the Heart: Writing from The Sun About Passion, Longing, and Love'' (Sun Publishing Company, 2009), and ''Three new poets: Christopher Bursk, William Corbett, Paul Hannigan'' (Pym-Randall Press, 1966).


Awards

Bursk's literary honors include fellowships from the
National Endowment for the Arts The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created in 1965 as an independent agency of the feder ...
,
Pennsylvania Council on the Arts {{Short description, American arts agency in the state of Pennsylvania The Pennsylvania Council on the Arts (PCA) is an agency serving the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. Its mission is to strengthen the cultural, educational, and economic vitality of P ...
, 1995
Pew Foundation The Pew Charitable Trusts is an independent non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO), founded in 1948. Pew's stated mission is to serve the public interest by "improving public policy, informing the public, and invigorating civic life". ...
The Pew Center for Arts and Heritage
Fellowships - artist profile of Christopher Bursk
and Guggenheim Foundation. His awards include the Capricorn Poetry Award, the Green Rose Prize, Milton Kessler Poetry Book Award, the 49th Parallel Poetry Award and the Donald Hall Prize in Poetry. His humanitarian honors include the Bucks County Citizen of the Year award from Bucks County Community College, and the Bucks County Humanitarian of the Year award. His humanitarian activities have included working as a probation counselor, volunteering in a shelter for abused women and teaching poetry to prisoners at Bucks County Prison. He has been an advocate for the homeless and an organizer for farm workers’ rights.


Published works

Full-length poetry collections * "Dear Terror" (
Read Furiously Read or READ may refer to: Computing * Read (computer), to retrieve data from a storage device * Read (system call), a low-level IO function on a file descriptor in a computer * Read (Unix), a command in Unix operating systems Places * Read, La ...
, 2020) * "A Car Stops and a Door Opens" (CavanKerry Press, 2017) * "Unthrifty Loveliness" (WordTech Communications, 2014) * "Selected Poems" (FutureCycle Press, 2014) * ''The First Inhabitants of Arcadia'' (University of Arkansas Press, 2006) * ''The Improbable Swervings of Atoms'' (
University of Pittsburgh Press The University of Pittsburgh Press is a scholarly publishing house and a major American university press, part of the University of Pittsburgh. The university and the press are located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in the United States. The press ...
, 2005) * ''Ovid at Fifteen'' (
New Issues Press New Issues Poetry & Prose is a literary press associated with Western Michigan University. It was founded by poet and Western Michigan University professor Herbert S. Scott. Editors have included poets William Olsen and Nancy Eimers. The Huff ...
, 2003) * ''Cell Count'' (
Texas Tech University Press The Texas Tech University Press (TTUP), founded in 1971, is the university press of the American Texas Tech University, located in Lubbock, Texas. The press is a member of the Association of University Presses. See also *List of English-lang ...
, 1997) * "The One True Religion" (Quarterly Review of Literature, 1997) * ''The Way Water Rubs Stone'' (
Word Works The Word Works is a literary organization based in Washington, DC. Founded in 1974, it has published works by Frannie Lindsay, Fred Marchant, Jay Rogoff, Grace Cavalieri, Donna Denizé, Christopher Bursk, and Enid Shomer and is a member of th ...
, 1988) * ''Places of Comfort, Places of Justice'' (Humanities and Arts Press, 1987) * ''Place of Residence'' (Sparrow Press, 1983) * ''Standing Watch'' (
Houghton Mifflin The asterisk ( ), from Late Latin , from Ancient Greek , , "little star", is a typographical symbol. It is so called because it resembles a conventional image of a heraldic star. Computer scientists and mathematicians often vocalize it as ...
, 1978) Chapbooks * "The Boy With One Wing" (Finishing Line Press, 2013) * ''Making Wings'' (State Street Press, 1983) * "Little Harbor" (Quarterly Review of Literature, 1982)


References


Sources

* Pennsylvania Center for the Book
Biographies - Christopher Bursk

Christopher Bursk Listing
''Poets & Writers'' Directory * Library of Congress Online Catalog
Christopher Bursk


External links


Christopher Bursk home page

"Why Latin Should Still Be Taught in High School" by Christopher Bursk
www.poets.org
"Your Father Sunbathing" by Christopher Bursk
www.poets.org

by Christopher Bursk, ''Standards'', Vol. 7, No. 1
"Ashes, Ashes We All Fall Down"
by Christopher Bursk, ''The Sun'', February 2008, Issue 386 * Joel Brouwer

''The New York Times'', April 23, 2006 * Marcus Smith

''Rattle'', No. 27, Summer 2007

Author page, University of Arkansas Press {{DEFAULTSORT:Bursk, Christopher American male poets National Endowment for the Arts Fellows Living people Writers from Cambridge, Massachusetts Poets from Massachusetts Poets from Pennsylvania Warren Wilson College alumni Tufts University alumni Boston University alumni American educators American activists 1943 births Writers from Bucks County, Pennsylvania Pew Fellows in the Arts