Jesse Patrick Ferguson

Jesse Patrick Ferguson is a poet, reviewer and musician who studies literature.  He is the author of five poetry chapbooks: Near Cooper Marsh (Friday Circle, 2005), Old Rhythms (Pooka Press, 2006), Commute Poems (Thistle Bloom Books, 2006), catch a bird (above/ground, 2006) and phoney phonemics (No Press, 2007). His first full-length book of poems will appear in 2009, with Freehand Books, the new literary imprint of Broadview Press.

In May 2006, he taught a creative writing mini-course at the University of Ottawa, in collaboration with local highschools. His experience also includes a writing residency with the Fredericton Arts Alliance in the summers of 2007 and 2008. Finally, he has worked on the editorial boards of Bywords Magazine, Quills Canadian Poetry Magazine, Qwerty Magazine, and he is currently a poetry editor for The Fiddlehead.

Selected Publications
Old Rhythms (Pooka Press, 2006) ISBN: 1-896843-66-2
Near Cooper Marsh (Friday Circle, 2006 (University of Ottawa) ISBN: 1-896362-41-9
Commute Poems (Thistle Bloom Books, 2006)
catch a bird (above/ground, 2006) ISBN: 1-897224-22-2
phoney phonemics (No Press, 2007)

Selected Anthologies
Cúirt 21 (Arlen House, UK, 2006) ISBN: 1-903631-82-3
Ottawater II (above/ground, 2006) ISBN: www.ottawater.com

Books in Print
Harmonics (working title)Freehand Books, 2009 (expected)

Jesse Patrick Ferguson
E-mail: fergusonjesse@hotmail.com
Link: http://www.lib.unb.ca/Texts/Fiddlehead/home.html
Link: http://www.fridaycircle.uottawa.ca/ferguson/ii-6-main.html

Poet in the School
(Fredericton)

phone: 506-472-1523 or fergusonjesse@hotmail.com

Jesse Patrick Ferguson has published poetry and book reviews in 9 countries, both online and in major print journals like Grain, The Fiddlehead and The New Quarterly. He is the author of five poetry chapbooks, and his first full-length book is due with Freehand Books in 2009.

He has diverse experience teaching young people, including leading arts summer camps, supply teaching in elementary schools, guest lecturing on poetry at both the high school and university level, and teaching an enrichment mini course in poetry composition for high school students, hosted at the University of Ottawa (2006).

Finally, he is a singer and musician, which allows him to make connections between poetry and music, a tactic that proves effective in engaging youths.

Grade Levels: Grades 6 - 12

Fees: Standard

Classroom Approach:
In the classroom I would engage students in a discussion of what poetry is and can be. I will read some of my own poetry, and some by other authors (age appropriate, of course), all the while taking the time to ask questions and ellicit opinions. I might also sing a song or two (accompanied by guitar) in order to force students to move beyond the dichotomy of music/fun, poetry/boring. Finally, I will bring along poetry chapbooks and broadsides that will be either free or available for a few dollars.