About the Author

Jerry Johnson was an educator for 29 years. He is a retired professor from Fitchburg State College in Massachusetts where he was a finalist for the Dr. Vincent J. Mara Award for Excellence in College Teaching. Jerry lives in Vermont's Northeast Kingdom. The stimulus for much of the author's work stems from the natural beauty of this Vermont locale.

Jerry Johnson, Creek Road Poet View larger image

Galway Kinnell, a former Vermont State Poet, provided some inspiration. One summer day after a doubles tennis match with Kinnell as his partner, the author asked, "Galway, what would you rather do, write poetry or play tennis?" Kinnell responded with, "I'd just like to get my first serve in!" That evening, the author wrote Ode to a First Serve Going In, which is included in this collection.

One of Jerry’s poems was a winner in the Second Annual Poetry Challenge, sponsored by Wonderland Books of Putnam, Connecticut. Phoebe Lou Weeks, former book review and poetry editor for The Atlantic Monthly, was the poetry contest judge. Several of the author's poems have appeared in Vermont publications, including the following: The Mountain Troubadour, The Chronicle, The North Star Monthly and The Green Mountain Trading Post. Since 2001 Jerry has been a contributor (tennis poems and stories) to The New England Senior Tennis Foundation Bulletin which reaches thousands of readers throughout New England and the U.S. Bud Collins, sportswriter for the Boston Globe and famous tennis personality on TV, has used Jerry’s poetry in Tennis Week magazine. Jerry has been a freelance writer for the Worcester (MA) Telegram. The author is an active member of The Poetry Society of Vermont and The League of Vermont Writers. He is currently working on two new books of poetry—one for adults and one for children.

Jerry Johnson is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts in Amherst where was voted the school's top student-athlete. A highly ranked New England tennis player, he won the Worcester (MA) County Championship on 21 occasions. The author enjoys hiking the Vermont hills with his Golden Retriever, training and riding his horses, fishing for brook trout, woodworking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and playing tennis.

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Jerry Johnson - Creek Road Poet
www.vtpoet.com
Copyright © 2004-2005 Jerry Johnson
Illustrations Copyright © 2004 Julie Petercuskie
No illustrations may be used in any form without written permission of Julie Petercuskie.
No images may be used in any form without written permission of Jerry Johnson.
All rights reserved.