Collins, Floyd G. 1951–

(Floyd Green Collins)

PERSONAL: Born November 4, 1951, in Charleston, SC; son of Floyd Green, Sr. (a printer) and Sally (a homemaker; maiden name, Quinn) Collins; married Caroline Wellman (a teacher), August 22, 1987. Ethnicity: "Caucasian." Education: Memphis State University, B.A., 1984; University of Arkansas, M.F. A., 1988, Ph.D., 1997. Politics: "None." Religion: Roman Catholic. Hobbies and other interests: Archaeology, college football.

ADDRESSES: Home—200 Southland Dr., Apt. H-l, Barnesville, GA 30204. E-mail—floydcolli659@bellsouth.net.

CAREER: Writer. Quincy University, Quincy, IL, visiting assistant professor, 1999–2000; Wabash College, Crawfordsville, IN, visiting assistant professor, 2000–01.

MEMBER: Associated Writing Programs, Academy of American Poets, Modern Language Association of America.

AWARDS, HONORS: University of Arkansas Press, John Ciardi Award for Poetry, 1985, C. Vann Woodward Award for Nonflction, 1988; Academy of American Poets Prize, 1987.

WRITINGS:

Scarecrow (poetry), St. Luke's Press (Memphis, TN), 1980.

The Wedding Guest (poetry), Ptarmigan Press (Fay-etteville, AR), 1987.

Forecast (poetry), Epiphany Publications (Siloam Springs, AR), 1993.

Seamus Heaney: The Crisis of Identity (literary criticism), University of Delaware Press (Newark, DE), 2003.

Poetry reviewer, Gettysburg Review, 1989–. Contributor of poetry and essays to literary journals.

WORK IN PROGRESS: What Harvest, a book of poetry on the 1836 Texas revolution, especially the battle of the Alamo.

SIDELIGHTS: Floyd G. Collins told CA: "I was drawn to the work of Seamus Heaney by his book North, especially the Viking poems. While studying his writing, I became fascinated with his crisis of identity and its effect on his poems. My interest in the 1836 Texas revolution dates back to childhood; I have always read voraciously on the subject. In writing about the battle of the Alamo, my poetry has shifted to a more expansive, narrative form that seeks to retain the lyric intensity of my earlier work.

"I was always interested in writing, but I became more interested in college, largely because of John Hazzard, who taught the composition classes I took. I really enjoyed studying literature. That's when I decided I wanted to be a poet. I remain interested in everything from 'Caedmon's Hymn' to The Haw Lantern, and I adore the dwelling in absence that words betoken. As for my writing process, I begin with an image or an idea; that's all I know. As for the effect I hope my work will have, I would like for people to appreciate the sedulous care I give to language when they read my books."

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Choice, February, 2004, D.R. McCarthy, review of Seamus Heaney: The Crisis of Identity p. 1076.

ELF: Eclectic Literary Forum, fall, 1995, Kevin Walzer, review of Forecast, p. 48.

Southern Humanities Review, summer, 1995, Scott Ward, review of Forecast, pp. 307-308.