Ted Kooser, U.S. & Nebraska
Studied Poetry: I did
not study poetry, as such, but took a creative writing course
as a freshman at Iowa State and a couple as a graduate student
at the University of Nebraska. My degrees are in English, not
in creative writing or poetry.
Writing: I
wrote poems as a little boy but didn’t get serious
about it till I was in my late teens.
Inspiration: In the everyday world. I write
most of my poems about very ordinary things.
Favorite Poets: I read the poetry of May
Swenson as a young man, and I can see her influence on me to
this day. I also read Elizabeth Bishop, William Carlos Williams,
and others, too many to list. There are many living poets whose
work I admire, and I hesitate to list some for fear of neglecting
others.
Challenges: I had to find time to write while
employed in business. I worked in the life insurance business
for 35 years and did my writing early in the morning before
I had to get my necktie and suit on.
Advice: Read, read, read. There is nothing
more important or more beneficial than reading.#
