George Swede

Poet

Toronto
Canada
CA

Author's Bio

Publishers in Canada, England, France, Poland, Portugal and the U.S. have put out 40 collections and 16 other titles. My work has also appeared in numerous literary periodicals around the world and in major newspapers (Globe and Mail, Montreal Gazette, New York Times, Ottawa Citizen, Times of London, Times Literary Supplement, Toronto Star, Washington Post, etc.) as well as on radio and TV (BBC, CBC, CTV, NHK, PBS, RTE, etc.). My prose and poems have been translated into at least 23 languages. From January, 2008 to January 2012, I was editor of Frogpond: The Journal of the Haiku Society of America. For more information go to my web site or to Wikipedia.

Publications & Prizes

Anthologies:
Erotic Haiku: Of Skin On Skin (Black Moss Press, 2017)
,
Global Haiku: Twenty-five Poets World-wide (Brooks Books, 2000)
Books:
Helices (Red Moon Press, 2016)
,
Joy In Me Still (Inkling Press, 2010)
,
White Thoughts, Blue Mind (Inkling Press, 2010)
,
First Light, First Shadows (Snapshot Press, 2006)
,
Almost Unseen:Selected Haiku of George Swede (Brooks Books, 2000)
,
I Want To Lasso Time (Simon & Pierre, 1991)
,
Holes In My Cage (Three Trees Press, 1989)
,
As Far As The Sea Can Eye (York Publishing, 1979)
,
Endless Jigsaw (Three Trees Press, 1978)
,
Tell-Tale Feathers (Fiddlehead Press, 1978)
Chapbooks:
My Shadow Doing Something (Tiny Poems Press, 1997)
,
Leaving My Loneliness (King's Road Press, 1992)
,
Where Even The Factories Have Lawns (Gesture Press, 1988)
,
Bifids (CURVD H&Z, 1984)
,
Night Tides (South Western Ontario Poetry, 1984)
,
Flaking Paint (Underwhich Editions, 1983)
,
Frozen Breaths (Wind Chimes Press, 1983)
,
All Of Her Shadows (High Coo Press, 1982)
,
Eye To Eye With A Frog (Juniper Press, 1981)
,
This Morning's Mockingbird (High Coo Press, 1980)
,
A Snowman, Headless (Fiddlehead Press, 1979)
,
Wingbeats (Juniper Press, 1979)
,
Unwinding (Missing Link Press, 1974)
Prizes won: 

First Place, 2017, Haiku Society of America Kanterman Awards for Helices; Honorable Mention, 2015, Haiku Society of America Kanterman Awards for micro haiku: three to nine syllables; Honorable Mention, 2014, Touchstone Distinguished Book Awards for micro haiku: three to nine syllables; Scorpion Prize, 2012, Roadrunner,12.2 (poem selected by Mark Wallace); Grand Prize, 2011, Foreign Language Category, Int'l Kusamakura Haiku Competition; First Honorable Mention, 2011, Haiku Society of America Kanterman Awards for Joy In Me Still; Honorable Mention, 2010, Touchstone Book Awards for Joy In Me Still; Scorpion Prize, 2010, Roadrunner, 10.1 (poem selected by Marjorie Perloff); Second Prize, 2008, Mainichi Daily News Haiku Contest; Winner, 2005, Snapshot Press Tanka Manuscript Competition for First Light, First Shadows; Japan Foundation Grant 1997 for tour of Japan; Second Prize, 1997, Mainichi Daily News 125th Anniversary Haiku Contest; First Prize, 1994, Mainichi Daily News Haiku Contest; Japan Air Lines Grant, 1990 for tour of Japan (and to help Judge the first World Children's Haiku Contest); Museum of Haiku Literature Award: 1983, 1985, 1992;  Many Canada Council Grants and Ontario Arts Council Grants for Readings in the Schools (until 1995); Our Choice Award: 1984, 1985, 1987, 1991, 1992, Canadian Childrens' Book Centre.

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
White
Prefers to work with: 
Adults
Fluent in: 
English
Born in: 
Riga
Latvia
Raised in: 
Vancouver, BC
Canada
British Columbia
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Jan 14, 2018