M.L. Liebler

M.L. Liebler (born Michael Lynn Liebler in 1953 in Detroit, Michigan) is the author of several books of poetry including the 2001 finalist for The Paterson Poetry Prize and winner of The 2001 Wayne State University Board of Governors’ Award for "Written In Rain: New & Selected" (2000) and "The Moon A Box" (New Issues Press, 2004) which received The 2005 Paterson Poetry Award of Excellence.
His forthcoming books are "Wide Awake in Someone Else's Dream" (Wayne State University Press, April 2008) and "Working Words: An Anthology of Labor, Art & Literature" (Coffeehouse Press, 2009).
Much of his work has been published in both national and international journals and reviews, and he has recorded compact discs of poetry and music with such well-known musicians as Al Kooper, Country Joe McDonald, Jorma Kaukonen, Mike Watt, Professor Louie & The Crowmatix and his own Magic Poetry Band. In addition, he has read and performed his poetry extensively in Russia, China, Israel, Europe, Britain, Mexico and most of the United States.
In 2005, he was named The first Poet Laureate of St. Clair Shores, Mich., his hometown. Liebler is the founding Director of The Writer’s Voice Project and the recent Metro Detroit Writers Literary Organization.
He has taught English, creative writing, world literature, American studies and labor studies at Wayne State University in Detroit since 1980.He also has a writer daughter, Shelby Lynn, and a journalist son, Shane M. Liebler.

Selected Bibliography

Books

Wide Awake in Someone Else's Dream (Wayne State University Press, 2008)
Greatest Hits (Pudding House Press, 2005)
The Fragrant Benediction of Life (Bilingual Russian/English, 2004)
The Moon A Box: Poems of This World (Western Michigan University Press, 2004)
The China Journal (XOXOX Press, 2002)
Breaking the Voodoo & Other Poems (Adastra Press, 2001)
Written in Rain: New & Selected Poems (Teabot Bach, 2000)
Brooding the Heartlands (Bottom Dog Press of Firelands College, 1998)
Stripping the Adult Century Bare (Viet Nam Generation Press, 1995)
Deliver Me (Ridgeway Press, 1992)
Breaking the Voodoo (Parkville Press, 1990)
Whispers by the Lawn-Volume II (Ridgeway Press, 1987)
Whispers by the Lawn-Volume I (Ridgeway Press, 1985)
Measuring Darkness (Ridgeway Press, 1980)

Recordings

The Kurl of the Butterfly's Tongue -- M.L. Liebler & The Magic Poetry Band (Detroit radio Company, 2007)
Poetry Score -- Al Kooper & M.L. Liebler (unreleased, 2005)
Crossing Borders -- Country Joe McDonald & M. L. Liebler (Rag Baby Records, 2002)Paper Ghost Rain Dance (Blue Boundary Records, 2001)
The Gift Outright (School Kids’ Records, 1997)

Videos

M. L. Liebler & The Magic Poetry Band on "Backstage Pass" (PBS, 2000)
M. L. Liebler & The Magic Poetry Band "Live in New York City" (Radio Thin Air Videos & Warner Television-NYC, 1995)

Journal Publications

The Connecticut Review, Hot Metal Press, The Cortland Review, Exquisite Corpse, Christian Science Monitor, Prague Literary Review, Contemporary Review of Fiction, On The Bus, Gargoyle, Lilliput Review,The Windsor Literary Review, Cedar Hill Review, The Paterson Literary Review, Long Shot, Hong Kong University Literary Review, The Red Brick Review, American Book Review, The Heartlands Today, Wordswright Magazine, Nexus Literary Review, The Big Scream, The Bullhead Literary Review, The Great Midwestern Review of Literature, The Underground Review, The Santa Fe New Mexican, Rattle”Poetry for the 21st Century, Cottonwood Review, River Styx, Drumvoices Review, Rolling Stock, Relix Magazine, The Detroit Sunday Journal, The Detroit News, The Detroit Free Press, The Albuquerque Daily News, The Woodstock Times, San Fernando Literary Review, The MacGuffin Review, Mimesis and others.

Anthology Publications

Identity Lessons (Viking Penguin), A Gathering of Poets (Kent State University Press) Abandoned Automobile: Detroit Poets of the 20th Century (Wayne State University Press), Coffeehouse Poets (Bottom Dog Press-Bowling Green State University), and others.

Readings

Tel Aviv University, Tmol Shilshom (Jerusalem), The American Center of Jerusalem, The American Center of Yaffo (Israel), The American Center of Karmiel (Upper Galilee), Herbew University, American Center of Beer Sheva, Israel, London's Farrago Poetry Series, Stuttgart University, Stuttgart Poetry Slam, Berlin Slam Poetry Series (Germany), Munich’s Speak & Spin Series, Novosibirsk State University-Russia, St. Petersburg-Russia and The Federation of Russian Writers & Poets in Moscow-Russia, University of Macau China Literary Festival 2003, Prague Literary Series, Atomic Café Performance Poetry Series (Munich), Substanz Poetry Slam (Munich), University of Wales Series 2003, University of Munich (Germany), Hong Kong International Literary Festival 2002, Poetry Society of London (UK), University of Wales, University of Bath (UK), University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Alaska’s 5th Annual Authors’ Festival 2001, Fairbanks Art Association Literary Series, University of Hong Kong, Macau University (China), Woody Guthrie Festival (OK), Beyond Baroque (LA), Luna Cafe (LA), Seattle Poetry Festival, Paterson Poetry Festival, The Dodge International Bi-Annual Poetry Festival (NJ), St. Mark’s Poetry Project (NY) The Knitting Factory (NY), La Mama La Galleria (NY), CB 313 Gallery (NY), City College of New York Annual Poetry Festival, Guild Complex (Chicago), Catskills OutLoud Poetry Festival, AWP Albany, AWP Atlanta, The Writers Center (DC), Atticus Books (DC), Center City Borders (Phil), Robin’s Books (Phil.), Baltimore Art Gallery, Cody’s Bookstore (SF), Black Oak Books (SF), SITE Santa Fe, Billings YMCA (MT), University of California-Santa Barbara, Moon Dog Café (LA), Laguna Beach Poets (CA), Mid-Mississippi Writers Conference, Aquinas College’s OutLoud Festival, and many readings Canada and the U.S.

Work Profile

"Editor", Michigan Writers Series: Wayne State University Press, 2004-present
"Director", Springfed Literary Arts of Metro Detroit, 2004-present
"Director", Arts in the Spirit Writing Program: Oakwood Hospitals, 2005-present
"Director", The Writer’s Voice of YMCA of Metropolitan Detroit, 1994-2004
International YMCA Arts & Humanities Initiative, 2002-present
Wayne State University English Dept. Intern Program, 1985-present
WSU Resident Scholar/Humanities Center, 2001-2002
WSU Literary Series, 1983-present
Detroit Public Library/Broadside Press Poet-In-Residence, 1996-1999
Weekly Literary Host/Segment Producer, CBS Talk Radio, 1997-1999
Weekly Host/Producer of "Vision of Words", WDTR-FM, 1995-1999
The Writer’s Voice of The Downtown YMCA, 1995-1997
WSU Minority Task Force on Education, 1990-1997
Summer Academy, WSU School of Medicine, 1985-1990
Poetry Resource Center of Michigan, 1986-1992

Links/Works Cited

Liebler, M.L. "Written in Rain: New and Selected Poems 1985-2000". Huntington Beach: Tebot Bach, 2000.
Liebler, M.L. "Greatest Hits". Johnstown: Pudding House Press, 2005.
Official M.L. Liebler Web site: [http://www.mlliebler.com]
Magic Poetry Band on Myspace: [http://www.myspace.com/thenewmagicpoetryband]
Detroit Radio Company Magic Poetry Band Web site: [http://www.detroitradiocompany.com/mapobapage.htm]
Springfed Arts: Metro Detroit Writers Web site: [http://www.springfed.org]

Awards

Detroit Writer's Guild Annual Black History Literary Arts (Feb. 17, 2007)
U.S. State Department Award to Teach Israeli High School Teachers American Studies and Poetry Writing (July 2007)
U.S. State Department Award to Teach Israeli High School Teachers American Studies and Poetry Writing (July 2006)
WSU Library has contracted to collect all of Liebler's writings and personal papers for their ongoing authors’ archives (2006)
Poet Laureate of St. Clair Shores, Mich. (2005-present)
Best Detroit Poet 2004, The Detroit Free Press (Spring 2004)
WSU Global Education Grant (2003, 2004, 2005)
WSU David McKenzie Honor Society Community Award (2003)
Wayne County Council for Arts & Humanities Arts Award (2002)
ArtServe/MCACA Writer in the School for Michigan status for (2001-2004)
WSU Board of Governors Book Award (2001)
Artserve/Michigan Council for the Arts Creative Artist Grant (2001)
Poet-In-Residence Award at Northern Michigan University (2001)
WSU Excellence in Teaching Awards (1993, 1994, 1996, 2000)