Cole Swensen Curriculum Vitae
Education
Ph.D. 1994. Literature, University of California, Santa Cruz
M.A. 1983. Creative Writing, San Francisco State University
B.A. 1981. English, Magna cum laude, San Francisco State University
Certificate in Bookbinding and Calligraphy, 1980. Digby Stuart College, London
Publications
Poetry Books
Veer, Alice James Books, 2026
And And And, Shearsman Books, 2023
Long-listed for the Griffin Prize
Finalist for the Big Other Book Award
Art in Time, Nightboat Books, 2021
Chosen one of the 10 best poetry books of 2021 by Hyperallergic
On Walking On, Nightboat Books, 2017
Gave, Omnidawn Publications, 2017
Landscapes on a Train, Nightboat Books, fall 2015
Gravesend, University of California Press, 2012
Finalist, Los Angeles Times Book Award
Greensward, Ugly Duckling Presse, 2010
Ours, University of California Press, 2008
Finalist, Los Angeles Times Book Award
The Glass Age, Alice James Books, 2007
Bronze Medal,Foreword Magazine Book of the Year Award
Second place, Maine Literary Award, poetry category
Chosen one of the 10 best books of poetry of 2007 by Library Journal
The Book of a Hundred Hands, University of Iowa Press, 2005
Goest, Alice James Books, 2004
Finalist for the National Book Award, 2004
Chosen one of the 10 best books of poetry of 2004 by Library Journal
Such Rich Hour, University of Iowa Press, Iowa City, 2001
Oh, Apogee Press, Berkeley, CA, 2000
Finalist for the National Poetry Series, 1998
Try, University of Iowa Press, Iowa City, Iowa, 1999
Winner of the Iowa Poetry Prize, 1998
Winner of the San Francisco State Poetry Center Book Award, 2000
Noon, Sun & Moon Press, Los Angeles, CA, 1997
Winner of the New American Writing Award, 1997
Numen, Burning Deck Publications, Providence, R.I. 1995
Named an “International Book of the Year,” Times Literary Supplement
Finalist for the PEN West Award in Poetry, 1996
Park, Floating Island Press, Inverness, CA, 1991
New Math, William Morrow & Co., New York, 1988
Winner of the National Poetry Series, 1987
It's Alive She Says, Floating Island Press, 1984
Artist’s Books
Ode to a Cemetery, Hirmer Verlag, 2024
Poems for a photo essay for a book-length photo essay by Bethany Jacobson
The Leyden Jar Project, Propolis Press, 2018
Poems for a book-sculpture by book artist Karen Randall
Flare, Yale University Art Gallery, 2009
Collaboration with the visual artist Thomas Nozkowski
Critical Volume
Noise That Stays Noise: Collected Essays, Poets on Poetry Series, University of Michigan Press, 2011
Anthologies
Publications from the past few years are listed here; a complete list is available on request.
Magpie on the Gallows: Poems on Bosch and Bruegel’s Art, ed. David Sullivan, Carbonation Press, 2026
Breaking into Blossom: Poems with Extraordinary Endings,Texas Review Press, upcoming 2025
Ecotones: Investigating Sounds and Territories, ed. Valentin Bansac et al, Spector Books, 2025
Dancing About Architecture, ed. C. Atherton, MadHat Press, 2024
Best American Poetry, edited by Elaine Equi, Scribner, 2023,
Leaning Toward the Light, ed. Tess Taylor, Storey Press, upcoming 2023
The Best of Tupelo Quarterly, ed. Kristina Marie Darling, Tupelo Press fall, 2022
The Anthology of Conceptualisms, ed. Steve Tomasula, University of Alabama Press, 2022
Prompt Book, ed. Barbara Henning, Spuyten Duyvil, 2021
North American Women Poets in the 21st Century, ed. Sewell & Ali, Wesleyan U Press, 2020
No News: 90 Poets Respond to a Unique BBC Newscast, ed. Alvin Pang, Recent Work Press, 2020
Almost There: An Anthology of Contemporary Poetry, Ragged Lion Press, London, 2020
TheEkphrastic Writer, McFarland, ed. Janée Baugher, 2020
The End of the World Project, Moira Books, 2019
Here Now, ed. Steve Tomasula, University of Alabama Press, 2019
There Are Girls Like Lions, ed. R. Hiles, Chronicle Books, 2019
Works in Translation
Books
Et et et Jose Corti, 2025
French translation by Maitreyi and Nicolas Pesquès of And And And
Reviewed in Le Monde, Libération, Diacritik & L’Humanité
Art à temps, Éditions Apic, 2025
French translation by Habib Tengour of Art in Time
Gravesend, Arcipelago Itaca, 2024
Italian translation by Alessandro De Francesco of Gravesend
Gave, Éditions Nuit Myrtide, 2021
French translation by Dimitri Vazemsky of Gave
Poèmes à Pied, Jose Corti, 2021
French translation by Maitreyi and Nicolas Pesquès of On Walking On
Le nôtre, Jose Corti, 2013
French translation by Maitreyi and Nicolas Pesquès of Ours
L’Age du Verre, Jose Corti, 2010
French translation by Maitreyi and Nicolas Pesquès of The Glass Age
Reviewed in Le Monde & Libération
Si riche heure, Jose Corti, 2007
French translation by Maitreyi and Nicolas Pesquès of Such Rich Hour
Nef, Petits Matins, Paris, 2005
French translation by Remi Bouthonnier of Noon
Parc, Format Américain, Bordeaux, France, 1996
French translation by Pierre Alferi of Park
Numen, Editions Créaphis, Paris, France, 1994
French translation by Juliette Valéry of Numen
Works Translated
Books
And Suddenly into Nothing by Suzanne Doppelt, Pamenar Press, London, upcoming 2026
Touché by Pascalle Monnier, Green Linden Press, Iowa, 2025
winner: Stephen Mitchell Translation Award, 2025
Elegies by Emmanuel Hocquard, New York Review Books, New York, 2025
And the Street by Pierre Alferi, Green Linden Press, Iowa, 2023
winner: ALTA National Translation Award, 2024
finalist: Stephen Mitchell Prize
Recover by Vincent Broqua, Pamenar Press, London, 2022
Vak Spectre by Suzanne Doppelt, 1913 Editions, 2019
Now, Now, Louison by Jean Frémon, New Directions (American edition), 2019
finalist: 2019 Big Other Book Award in Translation
finalist: 2020 French-American Foundation Translation Prize
Now, Now, Louison by Jean Frémon, Fugitive Books (British edition), 2018
reviewed in the TLS & the Financial Times
listed in the Financial Times Best Books of 2018
Atlas Inutilis by Hervé Le Tellier, Black Square Editions, 2018
In the Beginning: The Foundational Texts of the Bible by Frédéric Boyer, Chronicle Books, 2017
Overyellow by Nicolas Pesquès, Free Verse Press, fall 2016
Winter, by Eugénie Paultre, co-trans. with Simone Fattal, Post-Apollo Press, 2014
Lazy Suzie by Suzanne Doppelt, Litmus Press, 2014
finalist, Best Translated Book Award, 2015
finalist, National Translation Award from ALTA, 2015
The Posthumous Life of Robert Walser by Jean Frémon, Omnidawn Press, 2014
The Invention of Glass by Emmanuel Hocquard, co-trans. with Rod Smith, Canarium Press, 2012
finalist for Best Translated Book Award, 2012
The Field is Lethal by Suzanne Doppelt, Counterpath Press, 2011
Fairy Queen by Olivier Cadiot, Lana Turner, Vol. 2, Fall 2009
Ouiji by David Lespiau, Editions Héros-Limite, 2009.
The Real Life of Shadows by Jean Frémon, Post-Apollo Press, 2009
Juliology by Nicolas Pesquès, Counterpath Press, 2008
You Are the Business by Caroline Dubois, Burning Deck, 2008
finalist, Best Translated Book, 2008 Award from Open Letters
Physis by Nicolas Pesquès, Free Verse Editions, 2007
Ring Rang Wrong by Suzanne Doppelt, Burning Deck, 2006
Colonel Zoo by Olivier Cadiot, Green Integer, 2005
OXO by Pierre Alferi, Burning Deck Publications, 2004
Future, Former, Fugitive by Olivier Cadiot, Roof Books, 2004
Island of the Dead by Jean Frémon, Green Integer Books, 2003
winner, the PEN Center USA Literary Award for Translation, 2004
Bayart by Pascale Monnier, Black Square Editions, 2002
Art Poetic’ by Olivier Cadiot, Green Integer Books, 1999
Natural Gaits by Pierre Alferi, Sun & Moon Press, Los Angeles, 1995
Principal Grants, Awards, & Fellowships
Paul Engle Prize, Iowa City UNESCO City of Literature, 2025
Stephen Mitchell Translation Award, 2025
American Literary Translators’ Association (ALTA) National Translation Award, 2024
Villa Le Nôtre Residency Grant, École nationale supérieure de paysage, 2019
Guggenheim Fellowship, 2006
Pushcart Prize, 2005
PEN Center USA Literary Award for Translation, 2004
Pushcart Prize, 2003
San Francisco State Poetry Center Book Award, 2000
Iowa Poetry Prize, 1998
New American Poetry Award, Sun & Moon Press, 1995
National Poetry Series, 1987
Publishing Work
La Presse Books Founder and Editor
A series of contemporary French poetry and creative prose translated by English-language writers and an imprint of Fence Books, all volumes still in print are available through Fence Books.
Books published:
Sleep preceded by Saying Poetry by Jacques Roubaud, trans. Matthew B. Smith, 2018
Joan Darc by Nathalie Quintane, trans. Cynthia Hogue & Sylvain Gallais, 2017
See About by Sebatien Smirou, trans. Andrew Zawacki, 2017
Proustiennes by Jean Frémon, trans. Brian Evenson, 2016
Monosapce by Anne Parian, trans. Emma Ramadan, 2015
To the Secret by Franck André Jamme, trans. Norma Cole, 2015
Seven String Quartets by Frederic Forte, trans. Matthew B. Smith, 2014
The L. Notebook by Sabine Macher, trans. Eleni Sikelianos, 2014
Night & Day by Pierre Alferi, trans. Kate Campbell, 2013
Present Participle by Oscarie Bosquet, trans. S. Riggs & E. L.-Shrader, 2013
Flirt Formula by Anne Portugal, trans. J-J. Poucel, 2012
The Woman of Several Lives by Jean Daive; trans. Norma Cole, 2011
The Whole of Poetry is Preposition by C. Royet-Journoud; trans. K. Waldrop, 2011
Conditions of Light by Emmanuel Hocquard; translated by Jean-Jacques Poucel, 2010
Exchanges on Light by Jacques Roubaud; translated by Eleni Sikelianos, 2009
It by Dominique Fourcade; translated by Peter Consenstein, 2009
Heliotropes by Ryoko Sekiguchi; translated by Sarah O’Brien, 2008
Wolftrot, by Marie Borel; translated by Sarah Riggs and Omar Berrada, 2006
Theory of Prepositions by Claude Royet-Journoud; trans. Keith Waldrop, 2006
Editing & Curating
Curator, monthly series in Brooklyn Rail's New Social Environment project, "Publishing in Transit"
Monthly interviews and conversations with literary editors and enablers
June 2021-continuing, all archived on the Brooklyn Rail website
Translation editor, Fence Magazine #s 42, 43, & 44—continuing
BAX: Best American Experimental Writing, guest editor, Omindawn Press, 2014
Aufgabe, editor of a special issue of the journal on contemporary French poetry, Spring 2011
American Hybrid: A Norton Anthology of New Poetry, W.W. Norton, 2009, co-editor David St. John.
Teaching Positions
Brown University, Professor, Literary Arts Department, Spr. 2012-Fall 2023
University of Iowa, Professor, Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Fall 2001-Fall 2011
University of Denver, Assistant, Associate, Full Professor, English Department, Fall 1996-Spr. 2001