2011-2012 Writer in Residence

George Wallace

George Wallace, Suffolk County, Long Island’s first poet laureate from 2003-2005, has been named Walt Whitman Birthplace 2011-2012 Writer In Residence. Wallace is a former board member of the association, and vice president of the Long Island Poetry Collective. He succeeds Annabelle Moseley to the position of Writer In Residence at the Whitman Birthplace.



In the position, Wallace will organize workshops, readings and lectures, and reach out to writing communities, social and cultural institutions, and the public.

 Beginning March 6th, Wallace will be hosting the series Walking with Whitman: Poetry in Performance at Walt Whitman Birthplace.  The series of of seven events will feature performances and presentations by some of the most intriguing figures in contemporary literature and the arts on the national scene, paired with respected voices on the regional scene.

Wallace is an award winning poet and journalist who has performed his work across America and in Europe. Author of nineteen chapbooks of poetry, Wallace teaches literature at Pace University in Manhattan. He is editor of Poetrybay, an online poetry magazine archived and distributed worldwide by Stanford University. Other editorial work includes Poetryvlog, a website featuring videos of poets reading their own poetry, Long Island Quarterly, and Walt’s Corner in the Long Islander newspaper.
 


A former Peace Corps Volunteer, USAF Medical Officer and community organizer, Wallace has created dozens of venues for the promulgation of poetry on Long Island and in Manhattan.  

Born at Hempstead and raised in Huntington, he has studied with WD Snodgrass at Syracuse University and at Pacific University with David St John, Dorianne Laux, Ellen Bass and Marvin Bell.

He is author of nineteen chapbooks of poetry, published in the US, UK and Italy, including Poppin Johnny (Three Rooms Press, NY 2009) Summer of Love Summer of Love (Shivastan Press, 2008) and Burn My Heart In Wet Sand (Troubadour Books, 2005).
 
In recent years his rigorous performance schedule has taken him to the West Coast, Europe and the United Kingdom. He is a regular performer at Lowell Celebrates Kerouac, Howlfest, the Woody Guthrie Festival and Bradfest. In the Metropolitan New York area he has appeared at Carnegie Hall, Algonquin Club, Tribes Gallery, Sidewalk Café and at C-Note, and hosts poetry events at Cornelia St Cafe and Bowery Poetry Club.


An avid Whitman enthusiast, he is a major interpreter of Long Island literature and local history, as well as European Surrealism, New York School and Beat writing; and has dialogued with many of the major figures in 20th century poetry and the popular arts, including most of the poets in residence at the Whitman Birthplace.



George Wallace reads Walt Whitman at the Church of Beethoven in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Walt Whitman's "Manahatta" read by WWBA's Writer in Residence, George Wallace.  Neon animation by Jack Feldstein.