Beverly Zeimer

My interest in poetry dates back to childhood when my mother, inspiring a lifetime love for the language, taught me verse. Migrating from the Appalachia, my grandparents, and parents were tenant farmers, and our family learned to make the most of its resources, the ancient tradition of poetry free for the taking. I spent hours memorizing poems, and each Sunday, I recited a piece in church.

The focus on my work is on the importance of preserving the history of our varied traditional cultures, to share my experiences as I retrieve my childhood, its poverty, and the richness that existed within it. My hope is to inspire others to preserve their own stories in poetic form.

A member of a writer’s group, I work with other regional poets, welcoming their critiques, and I revise many times to mold my poems into colorful detail. I write in narrative free verse, as in keeping with the freedom of rural living.

My desire is to record these stories and pass them on, assuring that no account of my relationship with Ohio’s rich cultural heritage is left out. My hope is that one day, the lifestyles of tenant families, migrant workers, and farm laborers will be preserved in a larger, comprehensive collection of poems.

My work has appeared in various journals and anthologies including A Community of Voices: Reflections on Diversity published by the College of Wooster, Wooster, Ohio and in  Shawnee State University’s  Every River on Earth: Writing from Appalachian, Ohio edited by Neil Carpathios and published by the Ohio University/Swallow Press.

My first collection of poetry, Pick a Way won 1st prize in Salon’s chapbook competition sponsored by Pudding House in 2009. I have two other poetry collections: The Wildness of  Flowers (2013) and Giving Myself Up to My Art (2014). I am looking for a publisher for these as wel.

I am available for featured readings in Columbus and surround where I encourage aspiring writers to preserve their family histories in poetic form. "Write your stories," I say to my audiences.

I live with my husband and son in rural Ohio. That said, I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Greater Columbus Arts Council and The Community for their support and for believing in me.

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