- Joy Leftow
Joy Leftow, born in Washington Heights in
New York City , is an Americanpoet ,fiction writer , andessay ist. Leftow's poetry isnarrative andlyrical , and each poem tells a complete story. Some poems have gained critical acclaim, such as "Tupelo Honey ," "Advancing on Satori", and the more recent, "Being Jewish," and "My Mother," all of which have beenpublish ed in severaljournals . Her poems are often gritty and raw urban tales based on her unique observations and experience. Familiar themes in her work encompass family and social issues which is combined with self introspection. Familiar themes in her work concern identity and inclusion. She covers themes of overall inclusion and exclusion into various groups in general (even the nuclear family) and organizations. HerJew ish identity has become another developing theme.After dropping out of high school and living for some time on welfare, Leftow restarted her education under the auspices of the New York State Higher Education Opportunity Program and obtained a B.A. from
Columbia University . During her undergraduate studies, she began writing by taking elective writing courses. She continued her studies and obtained apost-graduate Masters of Science inSocial Work degree fromColumbia University in New York City and a Master of Arts inCreative Writing from City College of New York.Leftow frequently appears on New York City
radio shows, such as theTeachers & Writers Collaborative Radio Show, "Everything Goes," "Poetry Central", "The Sounds of Poetry" on Adelphi RadioWBAU -FM," Jazz Poetry Café" with Phillip Gregory onWFLO , "Cool on the Groove" on Rockland World Radio Program and "Indiefeed Performance Poetry". [ [http://www.indiefeedpp.libsyn.com/index.php?post_id=173915 ] ] She has also been featured on television programs such as "The New Yorkers" [http://www.authorsden.com/joyleftow Joy Leftow (author) on AuthorsDen ] ] ,http://joyleftow.googlepages.com JoyLeftow ] ] . She has read her poetry at CBGB's, the Wetlands, Cornelia Street Cafe, Bowery Poetry Club, the Back Fence, Palmer Vineyards and the Paris Cafe. She organized and hosted thespoken word event at the 4th, 5th and 6th Annual Uptown Arts Stroll event.In addition to working as a clinical social worker, Leftow taught youth
literacy classes for young children through the Beacon program and is also a production editor for Augustus Publishing. [http://www.AugustusPublishing.com]"bringing a bold energetic humor to the matters of everyday life. Growing up in a not so “Leave It To Beaver” household, she reflects on her relationships with family members and friends with more sarcasm than you could find in a whole season of “Seinfeld.” Her prose is like a catchy tune, keeping the reader engaged within every line and pause, allowing her words and loud voice to linger around in your head. Her observations and analysis of human nature represent the cynicism with which we think but never have the guts to say out loud."
"Guatemalan Sash": "New Press Literary Quarterly", Summer, 1994
Poets & Writers - Directory of American Poets & Writers [http://www.pw.org/directory/index.php]
Dee Rimbaud- Art and Writing, an Independent Press Guide [http://www.rimbaud.org.uk/]
"Spot Of Bleach and Other Poems & Prose", Big Foot Press, 2005 [http://www.amazon.com/dp/0917455509]
"Being Jewish", "Poetry in Performance" 34, City College of New York, 2006: P.198
"Mexican Delight": "Medicinal Purposes", Volume III, No.1, P.2, 2006,
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