21 Facts About Annie Finch

Annie Finch was born on October 31,1956 and is an American poet, critic, editor, translator, playwright, and performer and the editor of the first major anthology of literature about abortion.

Annie Finch's poetry is known for its often incantatory use of rhythm, meter, and poetic form and for its themes of feminism, witchcraft, goddesses, and earth-based spirituality.

Annie Finch's books include The Poetry Witch Little Book of Spells, Spells: New and Selected Poems, The Body of Poetry: Essays on Women, Form, and the Poetic Self, A Poet's Craft, Calendars, and Among the Goddesses.

Annie Ridley Crane Finch was born in New Rochelle, New York, on October 31,1956.

Annie Finch's mother was poet and doll artist Margaret Rockwell Finch and her father, Henry Leroy Finch Jr.

Annie Finch's great-aunt was the socialist organizer, politician, and writer Jessie Wallace Hughan.

Annie Finch was educated in public schools, then for two years at Oakwood Friends School and one year at Simon's Rock Early College, where she studied filmmaking and art history.

Annie Finch's first poetry collection, Eve, was a finalist for the National Poetry Series and the Yale Series of Younger Poets.

Annie Finch's third book, Among the Goddesses: An Epic Libretto in Seven Dreams, which received the Sarasvati Award for Poetry, is a hybrid work combining narrative and dramatic structure to tell a mythic story about abortion.

Annie Finch's poems are collected in anthologies including the Academy of American Poets Poem-a-Day, Penguin Book of The Sonnet, Norton Anthology of World Poetry, and Penguin Book of Twentieth-Century American Poetry.

Annie Finch has written that she believes it is part of her calling as a poet to compose occasional poetry on topics of personal and cultural importance.

Annie Finch is keenly aware of the shape and sound of her poems.

Annie Finch's feminism is evident in her prose writing, editing, and literary organizing.

In 1997, Annie Finch founded the international listserv Discussion of Women Poets.

Annie Finch facilitated the listserv until 2004 when she passed ownership of the list to Amy King.

Annie Finch started a blog called American Witch in 2010 and has published several articles about earth-centered spirituality in The Huffington Post.

Annie Finch was invited by composer Deborah Drattell to write the libretto for the opera Marina, based on the life of poet Marina Tsvetaeva.

Annie Finch's edited or coedited anthologies of poetry and poetics include A Formal Feeling Comes: Poems in Form by Contemporary Women, An Exaltation of Forms: Contemporary Poets on the Diversity of Their Art, Villanelles, and Measure for Measure: An Anthology of Poetic Meters.

Annie Finch has authored a poetry-writing textbook, A Poet's Craft: A Comprehensive Guide to Making and Sharing Your Poetry.

Annie Finch has facilitated poetry workshops at conferences and literary centers including Wesleyan Writers Conference, Poetry by the Sea, West Chester Poetry Conference, Ruskin Arts Center, and Poets House; and online at Yale Alumni Workshops, 24 Pearl St and the London Poetry School.

Annie Finch has been a guest lecturer at universities including University of Notre Dame, Indiana University, University of California, Berkeley, University of Toronto, and Harvard University.