Peripatetic Poet: A.E. Stallings

“This is flawed and mortal, and its stains

Bear the evidence of taking pains.

It did not have to happen, won’t illumine

The smirch of history, the future’s omen.

Necessity is merely what sustains—

It’s what we do not need that makes us human. (9-14)

(“Antiblurb”, Hapax)

“From the get-go, really. I have always wanted to write books. …and I wanted to be an author. Books were important” (Byrne).

An American living in Greece, A. E. Stallings is widely recognized as a prominent contemporary poet. Known for its freshness, breadth of subject, and dexterous use of form, her poetry is consistently received with excitement and praise. Over the last twenty years, Stallings has garnered serious attention along with major awards, including the MacArthur Grant and a Guggenheim Fellowship. In addition to her own poetry, Stallings has published well-received translations of classical Greek and Latin poetry. (Read More)

Watch an interview with A.E. Stallings discussing her poetry