Blood Red the Sun

About the Book

I was born in the midwest, Minneapolis, Minnesota. My father was an accomplished singer and vocal instuctor. He moved to Seattle in 1948, and I’ve been here ever since. Went all the way through school here, from grade school to the university level. Studied poetry at the University of Washington with 3 different poets: Theodore Roethke, David Wagonner and Nelson Bentley. My degree at the UW was in English Literature. Started writing poetry when I was a junior and later. Six of the poems here were written between 1960 and 1962. After raising a family and changing professions- I rediscovered poetry the spring of 1996, and began writing again. The remaining 15 poems were written from then until the present. Took part last fall in a poetry workshop at the Seattle Public Library with Sal Salsin, Seattle Writers Collective, and several other poets. Have read my poems in various venues around Seattle including: Queen Anne Public Library, Lux Coffee Bar, Queen Anne Coffee House, The Globe Cafe, Pioneer Square Saloon and the Penny University. Several of the poems here have been published: “Dark and Light”, and “Blood-Red the Sun”. Two more are scheduled for publication in July, 1997: “the Muse” and “Shadow-Self” by Golden Apple Press, Champaign, Illinois. I hope you enjoy reading my poems. I very much have enjoyed writing them = = and bringing them to you. Peace, Ben Smith  

About the Author