College of Charleston Department of English professor Gary Jackson’s mix of comic books and real-life tragedy earned him recognition as a New American Poet by the Poetry Society of America. Jackson’s debut book of poems, Missing You Metropolis, juxtaposes comic books with reality and innocence with anger and depression.
[Related: Read about New American Poets at Poetry Society of America: Gary Jackson]
The title of New American Poet is a highly coveted distinction for emerging poets. Poet Jennifer Chang selected Jackson after reading Missing You Metropolis, writing, “These poems effervesce with the music of rage, seriocomic perspicacity, and sly social critique.”
[Related: Discover Missing You Metropolis]
Jackson’s book is nontraditional in many ways. “I always loved comic books, so I started writing these poems very rooted in the comic book world and in Topeka, Kansas where I grew up,” Jackson said. “A friend of mine committed suicide around the time I was writing these poems, so I was also writing about that and I realized they all fit together.”
Jackson began teaching poetry courses at the College in 2013. He is currently working on his second book, a poetry collection about his family, culture and heritage.
For more information, email Gary Jackson at jacksonga1@cofc.edu.
