Rich Ferguson

Poet

Los Angeles, CA
California US

Author's Bio

Pushcart Prize-nominated poet Rich Ferguson has shared the stage with Patti Smith, Wanda Coleman, Moby, and other esteemed poets and musicians. Ferguson was selected by the National Beat Poetry Foundation, Inc. (NBPF), to serve as the U.S. Beat Poet Laureate (2023-24) and the State of California Beat Poet Laureate (Sept. 2020 to Sept. 2022). He is a featured performer in the film, What About Me? featuring Michael Stipe, Michael Franti, k.d. lang, and others. His poetry and award-winning spoken-word music videos have appeared in numerous anthologies and festivals, and he was a winner in Opium Magazine’s Literary Death Match, L.A. He is the author of the poetry collections 8th& Agony (Punk Hostage Press), Everything Is Radiant Between the Hates (Moon Tide Press), and the novel New Jersey Me (Rare Bird Books). Ferguson is the lead editor of an anthology of CA poets entitled Beat Not Beat (Moon Tide Press). 

Publications & Prizes

Anthology:
Beat Not Beat (Moon Tide Press, 2022)
Books:
Somewhere, a Playground (Moon Tide Press, 2025)
,
Everything Is Radiant Between the Hates (Moon Tide Press, 2020)
,
8th & Agony (Punk Hostage Press, 2012)
Prizes won: 

- National Beat Poet Laureate (2023 - 2024) - National Beat Poetry Foundation
- Beat Poet Laureate of CA (2020 - 2022) - National Beat Poetry Foundation
- Artist-In-Residence grant from the Valparaiso Foundation in Spain (2022)
- Pushcart-Prize Nominee (2020, 2012)
- Literary Death Match Winner, LA (2009) - Opium Magazine
- Riordan Reading Grant Recipient (2009)

Personal Favorites

Favorite authors: 
Terrance Hayes, Patti Smith, Patricia Smith, Dorianne Laux, Tony Hoagland, Nick Flynn, Claudia Rankine, Kim Addonizio, Ferlinghetti, Denis Johnson, Wanda Coleman, Bukowski, Lorca, Natalie Diaz, Amiri Baraka, George Saunders, and so many more...
What I'm reading now: 
The Art of Voice by Tony Hoagland, Life On Earth by Dorianne Laux, There Are More Things Beautiful Than Beyonce by Morgan Parker

More Information

Gives readings: 
Yes
Travels for readings: 
Yes
Identifies as: 
American
Prefers to work with: 
Any
Fluent in: 
English
Born in: 
Des Moines, IA
Iowa
Raised in: 
San Francisco, CA
California
Please note: All information in the Directory is provided by the listed writers or their representatives.
Last update: Jan 05, 2025