Larry D. Thomas

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Larry D. Thomas
Larry Thomas Portraits 009 edited.jpg
Larry D. Thomas, 2006
Born1947 (age 77–78)
Haskell, Texas, U.S.
OccupationPoet
LanguageEnglish
Alma mater University of Houston
GenrePoetry
Website
www.larrydthomas.com

Larry D. Thomas (born 1947) is an American poet. [1] He was the 2008 Texas Poet Laureate, [2] and in 2009 was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters.

Contents

Early life and education

Thomas was born in Haskell, Texas in 1947. He attended the University of Houston, where he earned a Bachelor's in English in 1970. [3]

Career

Early career

While earning his degree Thomas worked as a social services caseworker. [4] He was drafted into the Navy after graduation. His orders had placed him in Norfolk, Virginia, where he worked as a prison counselor for the naval base. Thomas continued to work in the prison system after his discharge, working in the adult probation field in Houston, Texas. [3]

Writing career

Thomas began writing while he was in the service and continued writing after he retired in 1998. [5] [3] His first collection of poetry, The Lighthouse Keeper, was published in January 2001 through Timberline Press. That same year he published Amazing Grace through the Texas Review Press. The collection won several prizes, which included the 2003 Western Heritage Wrangler Award. [6] Thomas would receive the award a second time in 2015 for The Goatherd and has since won other awards. [7]

In April 2007 Thomas was appointed by the Texas Legislature as the 2008 Texas Poet Laureate and in 2009, was inducted into the Texas Institute of Letters. [8]

Awards

Bibliography

Further reading

References

  1. ↑ Cortez, Sarah (2020-10-14). "Two Poets: Part 1". Texas Books in Review. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  2. ↑ HORTON, MARIANNE (2007-06-13). "Montrose man honored as poet laureate". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2020-10-17.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 LASSIN, ARLENE NISSON (2005-04-21). "Faces in the Crowd: Larry D. Thomas". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
  4. ↑ "Larry D. Thomas: 2008 Texas Poet Laureate". UH Alumni Quarterly. University of Houston Alumni Association. Summer 2008. Retrieved 28 October 2020.
  5. ↑ "Vita -- Larry D. Thomas". www.larrydthomas.com. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
  6. 1 2 "Past Western Heritage Award Winners". National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
  7. 1 2 "Thomas' muse lives in West Texas". Odessa American. April 5, 2015. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
  8. 1 2 "Texas Poets Laureate". TSLAC. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
  9. ↑ "Texas Institute of Letters: Active Members". Texas Institute of Letters. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
  10. ↑ Miller, Michelle (2004). "Out of the dust, into the blue". Texas Books in Review. 24 (2–3) – via Gale Literature Resource Center.
  11. ↑ PHILLIPS, ROBERT (2005-02-06). "'Skulls Speak Wind,' and Thomas hears every word". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
  12. ↑ Oliphant, Dave (2006-06-22). "Texas stereotypes revisited". Texas Books in Review. 26 (2): 12–14.
  13. ↑ O&amp, Courtney; apos; Banion (2008-09-22). "Poetry and the art of motorcycle maintenance". Texas Books in Review. 28 (3–4): 22–24.
  14. ↑ Hada, Ken (2010-03-22). "The poet brushes multiple canvasses". Texas Books in Review: 23–25.
  15. ↑ Belcik, Jennifer (2011-03-22). "Poet licensed for birds". Texas Books in Review: 19–21.
  16. ↑ Alfier, Jeffrey (Fall 2011 – Winter 2012). "Review of Larry D. Thomas". Valparaiso Poetry Review. XIII (1).
  17. ↑ Wilde, Dana (2015-01-08). "OFF RADAR: "The Lobsterman's Dream"". Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
  18. ↑ Conroy, Ed (2015-06-20). "Poetry collection is a portrait of the Mexican soul". San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved 2020-10-09.
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