Suzanne Lummis

Instructor Biography:

MA, poet whose most recent book, Open 24 Hours, received the 2013 Blue Lynx Poetry Prize. Ms. Lummis’s work has appeared in The New Yorker, Ploughshares, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Hudson Review, The Antioch Review, and California Poetry from the Gold Rush to the Present, and she is editor of the anthology Wide Awake: Poets of Los Angeles and Beyond. She is a recipient of Beyond Baroque’s George Drury Smith Award and the UCLA Extension Outstanding Instructor Award in Creative Writing.

Instructor Statement:

What do I believe in? Total immersion, which involves not only explorations of craft that emphasize both process and results, but also occasional discussions regarding the literary world—both historical and contemporary, national and local—so that student poets can feel a sense of connection and discover how they might fit in. And, importantly, close reading and detailed response to the students’ own work is supplemented by some attention to great contemporary and modern poets, for—contrary to the popular myth—a poet’s existence is not solitary. Through their love of poetry, students are forever adventuring into the writings of other poets. And through their lively curiosity, and because they know the material for poetry can be found in unexpected places, they remain engaged observers of the world beyond the written word.

Our Students Say it Best!

“A true gem.  Suzanne is an amazing instructor.  I loved her teaching style, her wealth of background from the poetry world, her amazing feedback.  She is quite supportive and nurturing.” —Writers’ Program student