Didi Jackson (born April 22, 1970) is an American poet and professor. In 2020, she released her debut poetry collection, ''Moon Jar'', and in 2024, she released another titled ''My Infinity'', both with Red Hen Press. She is a professor of creative writing at

Vanderbilt University Vanderbilt University (informally Vandy or VU) is a private university, private research university in Nashville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1873, it was named in honor of shipping and railroad magnate Cornelius Vanderbilt, who provide ...

Career

She has taught art history courses; she has also taught in the Department of English at the

University of Vermont The University of Vermont and State Agricultural College, commonly referred to as the University of Vermont (UVM), is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in Burlington, Vermont, United States. Foun ...

. Since 2021, Jackson has been an assistant professor of creative writing at

. Jackson has taught "many different levels of students, from high school students to graduate students." In 2020, Jackson released her debut poetry collection, ''Moon Jar'', with

Red Hen Press Red Hen Press is an American non-profit press located in Pasadena, California, and specializing in the publication of poetry, literary fiction, and nonfiction. The press is a member of the Community of Literary Magazines and Presses, and was a fin ...

. Among other experiences, the book's poems involve the suicide of Jackson's husband in 2011. She stated it "was a very difficult book to write, but one that I did so out of necessity. I felt I needed to tell my story." In 2024, Jackson released a second poetry collection called ''My Infinity'' with Red Hen Press. ''

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

'' particularly noted Jackson's poems in conversation with

Hilma af Klint Hilma af Klint (; 26 October 1862 – 21 October 1944) was a Swedish artist and mysticism, mystic whose paintings are considered among the first major Abstract art, abstract works in Western art history. A considerable body of her work predates t ...

and stated "The question of why haunts this stirring collection, giving voice to the human instinct to seek answers from the dead." The

Poetry Foundation The Poetry Foundation is a United States literary society that seeks to promote poetry and lyricism in the wider culture. It was formed from ''Poetry'' magazine, which it continues to publish, with a 2003 gift of $200 million from philanthrop ...

said "Jackson finds inspiration in Klint’s daring work, in the power of creativity to bring us back to ourselves, to find wonder in the everyday". In 2022, Jackson won the Robert H. Winner Memorial Award from the

Poetry Society of America Poetry (from the Greek word '' poiesis'', "making") is a form of literary art that uses aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meanings in addition to, or in place of, literal or surface-level meanings. Any partic ...

for her poem "Two Mule Deer". Jackson's poems have additionally been published in the ''New Yorker'' ''BOMB Magazine'',

Academy of American Poets The Academy of American Poets is a national, member-supported organization that promotes poets and the art of poetry. The nonprofit organization was incorporated in the state of New York in 1934. It fosters the readership of poetry through outrea ...

, and others.

Personal life

In 2013, she married

Major Jackson Major Jackson (born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is an American poet and professor at Vanderbilt University. He is the author of six collections of poetry: ''Razzle Dazzle: New & Selected Poems 2002-2022'' (W.W. Norton, 2023), ''The Absurd Ma ...

, another American poet and professor. The same year, they moved to

Vermont Vermont () is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders Massachusetts to the south, New Hampshire to the east, New York (state), New York to the west, and the Provinces and territories of Ca ...

. She has a son.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jackson, Didi 1970 births Living people 21st-century American poets American women poets Vanderbilt University faculty