Madeline DeFrees
Encyclopedia
Madeline DeFrees is an American poet
born in Ontario, Oregon
, and currently living in Seattle, Washington
. She joined the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary
in 1936 and was known by the name, Sister Mary Gilbert until she was dispensed of her religious vows in 1973. She received her B.A. in English from Marylhurst College, (see Marylhurst University
) and an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Oregon
.
She has taught at the Holy Names College, the University of Montana and the University of Massachusetts
. While still a nun, she taught at the University of Montana, in Missoula, from 1967 to 1979. Since her retirement in 1985, DeFrees has held residencies at Bucknell University
, Eastern Washington University
, and Wichita State University
. She recently retired from the faculty of the Pacific University
low-residency MFA program in Forest Grove, Oregon
. She has continued to teach, lecturing at the low-residency MFA program of the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts (Whidbey Writers Workshop) in January 2009.
DeFrees is the author of two chapbooks, two nonfiction books, and eight poetry collections, including Blue Dusk (Copper Canyon Press
, 2001), which won the 2002 Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize and a Washington Book Award. She received a Guggenheim Fellowship
in Poetry and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
. Her latest collection is Spectral Waves, Copper Canyon Press, 2006.
Spectral Waves won the 2007 Washington State Book Award
for Poetry.
Poet
A poet is a person who writes poetry. A poet's work can be literal, meaning that his work is derived from a specific event, or metaphorical, meaning that his work can take on many meanings and forms. Poets have existed since antiquity, in nearly all languages, and have produced works that vary...
born in Ontario, Oregon
Ontario, Oregon
Ontario is the largest city in Malheur County, Oregon, United States. It lies along the Snake River at the Idaho border. The population was 10,985 at the 2000 census, with an estimated population of 11,245 in 2006...
, and currently living in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
. She joined the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary
Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary
The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary is a teaching order founded at Longueuil, Québec, Canada in 1843 by Blessed Mother Marie-Rose for the Christian education of young girls.Their motto is: "Jésus et Marie, Ma Force et Ma Gloire" .Since 1843, the...
in 1936 and was known by the name, Sister Mary Gilbert until she was dispensed of her religious vows in 1973. She received her B.A. in English from Marylhurst College, (see Marylhurst University
Marylhurst University
Marylhurst University is a private Catholic liberal arts university located in Marylhurst, Oregon, United States, nine miles south of Portland on the Willamette River. It is among the oldest collegiate degree-granting institutions in Oregon, awarding its first degree in 1897...
) and an M.A. in Journalism from the University of Oregon
University of Oregon
-Colleges and schools:The University of Oregon is organized into eight schools and colleges—six professional schools and colleges, an Arts and Sciences College and an Honors College.- School of Architecture and Allied Arts :...
.
She has taught at the Holy Names College, the University of Montana and the University of Massachusetts
University of Massachusetts
This article relates to the statewide university system. For the flagship campus often referred to as "UMass", see University of Massachusetts Amherst...
. While still a nun, she taught at the University of Montana, in Missoula, from 1967 to 1979. Since her retirement in 1985, DeFrees has held residencies at Bucknell University
Bucknell University
Bucknell University is a private liberal arts university located alongside the West Branch Susquehanna River in the rolling countryside of Central Pennsylvania in the town of Lewisburg, 30 miles southeast of Williamsport and 60 miles north of Harrisburg. The university consists of the College of...
, Eastern Washington University
Eastern Washington University
Eastern Washington University is an American public, coeducational university located in Cheney, Washington.Founded in 1882, the university is academically divided into four colleges: Arts and Letters; Business and Public Administration; Science, Health and Engineering; and Social & Behavioral...
, and Wichita State University
Wichita State University
Wichita State University is a NCAA Division I public university in Wichita, Kansas with selective admissions. WSU is one of six state universities governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The current president is Dr. Donald Beggs....
. She recently retired from the faculty of the Pacific University
Pacific University
Pacific University is a private university located in Oregon, United States. The first campus began more than 160 years ago and is located about 38 km west of Portland in Forest Grove...
low-residency MFA program in Forest Grove, Oregon
Forest Grove, Oregon
Forest Grove is a city in Washington County, Oregon, United States, west of Portland. Originally a small farm town, it is now primarily a bedroom suburb of Portland. Settled in the 1840s, the town was platted in 1850 and then incorporated in 1872 and was the first city in Washington County...
. She has continued to teach, lecturing at the low-residency MFA program of the Northwest Institute of Literary Arts (Whidbey Writers Workshop) in January 2009.
DeFrees is the author of two chapbooks, two nonfiction books, and eight poetry collections, including Blue Dusk (Copper Canyon Press
Copper Canyon Press
Copper Canyon Press is an independent, non-profit small press, specializing in the publication of poetry and located in the picturesque town of Port Townsend, Washington. Since 1972, the Press has published poetry exclusively and has established an international reputation for its commitment to...
, 2001), which won the 2002 Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize and a Washington Book Award. She received a Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowship
Guggenheim Fellowships are American grants that have been awarded annually since 1925 by the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation to those "who have demonstrated exceptional capacity for productive scholarship or exceptional creative ability in the arts." Each year, the foundation makes...
in Poetry and a grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
National Endowment for the Arts
The National Endowment for the Arts is an independent agency of the United States federal government that offers support and funding for projects exhibiting artistic excellence. It was created by an act of the U.S. Congress in 1965 as an independent agency of the federal government. Its current...
. Her latest collection is Spectral Waves, Copper Canyon Press, 2006.
Spectral Waves won the 2007 Washington State Book Award
Washington State Book Award
The Washington State Book Awards are presented annually in recognition of notable books written by Washington authors in the previous year.This literary awards program was established in 1967 as the Governor's Writers Awards. The program was based at the Washington State Library in Olympia...
for Poetry.