Jack Foley

A poet, literary critic, and radio host since the 1960s, Mr. Foley is the author of more than 20 volumes of poetry and a former Woodrow Wilson Fellow at the University of California. Naturally creative, he discovered poetry at the age of 15 after reading the work of Thomas Graves, describing the experience as a kind of baptism. He completed a Bachelor of Arts in English literature at Cornell University in 1963 and a Master of Arts in English literature at the University of California in 1965. Mr. Foley joined Station KPFA-FM in 1988 as executive producer of a live poetry program and continues to serve as a radio host and producer. He was editor in chief of Poetry USA from 1990 until 1995, and has published his work continuously since 1987, with recent works including a 2021 experimental autobiography, a collaboration with Japanese poet Maki Starfield, and a column for the Alsop Review. In addition to written work, Mr. Foley has read and performed throughout his career, often with his late wife, Adelle, and was the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Berkeley Poetry Festival and the K.M. Anthru Literature Prize.