A Complex Bravery by Robert Lipton

Wednesday, March 07, 2018


Poetry Resume:  Robert Lipton

Currently Poet Laureate, Richmond, CA 6/2017-6/2019. 


Poetry Book Publication
 “ A Complex Bravery” published by Marick Press, 2006.
Review of book in Poetry International, Winter 2008

Book Chapter (non-fiction):  Bearing Witness in the Promised Land.  In:  Live from Palestine.  Live From Palestine: International and Palestinian Direct Action Against the Israeli Occupation Nancy Stohlman (Editor) and Laurieann Aladin (Editor); Preface by Noam Chomsky; Foreword by Dr. Mustafa Barghouthi.  South End Press.  2003  http://www.ccmep.org/2003%20Articles/090203_bearing_witness_in.htm

Selected Publications:
Echo 681, Interbang, Jacaranda Review, Squaw Valley Review (1994 and 2003), King Log, Shades of Contradiction, The Texas Observer, Parthenon West, New Orleans Quarterly (Pushcart prize nominee), Journal of Human Architecture
Quillpuddle, Opium Magazine (opiummagazine.com), Red Wheelbarrow, Southword (Gregory O’Donoghue Competition. )

Workshop experience:
-Weekly poetry workshop leader at the Berkeley Art Center, 1999-2003.
-Previous:  Participated in and helped with the Beyond Baroque weekly poetry -workshop, 1988-1993 (With Bob Flanagan and Mark Robin):  1997-98.
-Organized workshop with Gerald Stern on the current state of poetry, May 1, 2004, Berkeley Art Center.

Fellowship and writer’s colony experience:
- One month fellowship to Vermont Studio Center, October, 2001
- Attended the Squaw Valley Community of Writers workshop  1994 and 2003
- One month fellowship at Ragdale, November, 2011.
- 1st placed poem in the Gregory O’Donoghue Competition 2018 - Tyrone Guthrie Centre poetry residency.

Performance:
-Hosted poetry reading series at Mama Pajama’s Café and vintage clothing store, Los Angeles, 1989-1992.  Leading poets from the region were invited to read in this monthly series. (Bob Flanagan, Viggo Mortenson, Cecilia Wolloch, David St. John).
-Featured Reader: Beyond Baroque, June 1991
-Hosted Poetry evening at the Berkeley Art Center, December 1, 1999.  Benefit reading for the radio station KPFA, among those reading were Jack Foley, Ed Markman, Jennifer Stone.
-Organized Poets for Peace reading at the Berkeley Art Center.  May 1st, 2004.  Readers included Gerald Stern, Ilya Kamisky, Polina Barskova and Meredith Striker and Robert Lipton.
-Poets for Peace reading participant (September 19th 2004)  with Maxine Hong Kingston,  Ilya Kaminsky, Peter Streckfus, Fred Marchant, and Dan Bellm.

Funding/arts development experience:
Developing literary arts center (I am  the founding director) at the Berkeley Art Center with Jaime Robles, Robin Henderson and Eliza Schefler of Rhythm and Muse. The center had an on-going reading series, occasional reading programs and workshops, visiting writers and a weekly workshop (which I  lead).  Received grant from the Berkeley Community Arts program and from the Alameda community arts program.  

Book reviews:

Obituary and review of FrancEYE, http://poetryflash.org/blog/?p=20091213-francEyE


References:

Gerald Stern

7 Gracie Square Apt 12-a
NY, NY 10028
Cell: 9098 500 2467
Blurb: “ Lipton’s language is fresh and fiery, full of a strong moral sense that underlies it and causes you to catch your breath on first encounter.  This does not prevent him from using diverse poetic strategies, experiments based variously on traditional forms but only based on them.  His subject matter is sometimes implicit and sometimes direct, but always discovered through the crispest of language.  His poetry is rich; he is a huge talent.” 

Ilya Kaminsky

The Department of English & Comparative Literature
MFA Creative Writing Program 
San Diego State University
5500 Campanile Drive 
SDSU Mail Code MC 6020 
Arts & Letters 226 
San Diego, CA 92182-6020
Cell: 603 548 1305
Blurb for “A Complex Bravery”: “This is the book of childhood, love and war. Lipton’s
poems are a gang that takes no prisoners: his voice is direct, his tone is clear, his diction is ironic—but his irony is earned and felt-through. The manuscript is a book of elegies that refuse to go mourning without at least a little bit of protest. Whatever his loss is, Lipton’s voice's always quirky and alive, always ready to report the world straight to us, without patronizing, for “this battle is parent by parent / and I have homework to do.”

A.   Van Jordan

Collegiate Professor

Brian Turner

Sierra Nevada College
MFA Program Chair