Ruth Ellen KocherÌýis the author of the poetry collections (Tupelo Press, 2016), Ìý(Tupelo Press 2013),Ìý (Noemi Press, 2013), Ìý(New Issues Press 2003),Ìý, winner of the Green Rose Prize in Poetry (New Issues Press 2002), andÌý,Ìýwinner of the Naomi Long Madget Award for African American Poets (Lotus Press 1999). Her poems have been translated into Persian in the Iranian literary magazine,ÌýShe’r,Ìýand have appeared or are forthcoming in various anthologies including, Angles of Ascent: A Norton Anthology of Contemporary African American Poets, Black Nature, From the Fishouse: An Anthology of Poems that Sing, Rhyme, Resound, Syncopate, Alliterate, and Just Plain Sound Great, An Anthology for Creative Writers: The Garden of ForkingPaths, IOU: New Writing On Money, New Bones: Contemporary Black Writing in America. She has taught poetry writing for the University of Missouri, Southern Illinois University, the New England College Low Residency MFA program, the Indiana Summer Writer’s workshop, and Washington University’s Summer Writing program.