Twyla M. Hansen’s newest poetry book is Feeding the Fire. She is the 2023 Winner-Nebraska Book Award and Finalist-WILLA Literary Award. She is a Larksong Writers Place board member, Humanities Nebraska Speaker’s Bureau creative writing presenter, and was the Nebraska State Poet 2013-2018. Her honors include: Nebraska Literary Heritage Award, Lincoln (NE) High School Distinguished Alumni Award, and Nebraska Center for the Book President’s Award. Her book, Rock•Tree•Bird won the 2018 Nebraska Book Award and WILLA Literary Award. Twyla’s writing is published in periodicals: Briar Cliff Review, The Café Review, Oakwood, Prairie Schooner, South Dakota Review; anthologies: More in Time: A Tribute to Ted Kooser, Nebraska Poetry Sesquicentennial Anthology 1867-2017; and websites:

Poetry Town (georgebilgere.com), Academy of American Poets, Poetry Foundation, Poetry Out Loud, and many more.

 Hansen first started writing in a poetry class in the early 1980s at Nebraska Wesleyan University when she was employed there as the grounds manager and arboretum curator. I had never written a poem before that class, but discovered I had something to say, and did not stop writing when the class was over. For me, writing poetry is an on-going practice of paying attention.

​

She writes, “ I had never written a poem before that class, but discovered I had something to say, and did not stop writing when the class was over. For me, writing poetry is an on-going practice of paying attention.”  Hansen has published eight books of poetry, of which four are still in print. Her newest book will be published by WSC Press in 2026.  A running theme in all of Hansen’s books is place--this place on the Great Plains, and nature--including her own wildlife habitat/pollin-ator-friendly yard and the environment. She writes, “I believe it is not enough to just appreciate one’s surroundings in poetry, but to advocate for all creatures who inhabit our soil, water, and air.”

 

Join Wachiska on Thursday, November 13 at 7:00 PM at Lincoln’s Unitarian Church, 6300 A Street.

This free, in-person talk will also be live-streamed on YouTube at:  https://youtube.com/live/RpOvZZUWf9k?feature=share

No registration needed. Check Wachiska’s website for links to past programs.