Micah Ballard was born in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and lives in San Francisco. He is the author of two full-length collections of poetry, Waifs and Strays (City Lights Books, 2011), nominated for a California Book Award, and Parish Krewes (Bootstrap Press, 2009).

Ballard has published many small books of poetry, including: Chandeliers from the Metairie Cemetery (Blue Press, 2001); Negative Capability in the Verse of John Wieners (Auguste Press, 2001); Absinthian Journal (Old Gold, 2002); In the Kindness of Night (Blue Press, 2003); Bettina Coffin (Red Ant, 2003); Emblematic (Old Gold, 2004); Scenes from the Saragossa Manuscript (Snag Press, 2004); Death Race V.S.O.P. (with Will Yackulic & Cedar Sigo) (Red Ant, 2005); Evangeline Downs (Ugly Duckling Presse, 2006); Darrell (Blue Press, 2007); Easy Eden (with Patrick Dunagan) (Push, 2008); and Poems from the New Winter Palace (with Michael Carr)(arrow as aarow, 2010).

He has given poetry readings at a variety of venues, including the San Francisco State Poetry Center, City Lights Bookstore, SOMArts, Pacific Northwest College of Art, Denver Museum of Contemporary Art, and the Poetry Project at St. Mark's Church. His poems have appeared in 6x6, Blue Book, Boog City, Damn the Caesars, Drunken Boat, Joe Brainard's Magazine, Le Palais de Nuit, LIT, Mirage #4 Period(ical), The Recluse, Try!, Vanitas, and the anthologies Bay Poetics and Evidence of the Paranormal, among others.

Currently, he co-directs the MFA in Writing Program at the University of San Francisco. With his wife, poet Sunnylyn Thibodeax, he co-edits August Press and Lew Gallery Editions.

Website: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micah_Ballard

Publications

• Parish Krewes , Bootstrap Productions (January 1, 2009)
• Waifs and Strays , City Lights Books (September 1, 2011)

Awards

• Finalist for California Book Award(2012)

Employment

• Director, Humanities B.A. Program at New College of California (August 2000 - November 2007)
• Co-director, MFA in Writing Program at University of San Francisco (January 2008 - )

Degrees

• Master of Arts in Poetics from New College of California (December 2001)
• Master of Fine Arts in Poetics from New College of California (December 2002)

Genres of Interest

Poetry