Elena Karina Byrne

Judged: Jan-Mar 2009

Elena Karina Byrne

A graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, Elena Karina Byrne is a visual artist, teacher, book reviewer, editor, Poetry Consultant and Moderator for The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, and former 12 year Regional Director of the Poetry Society of America. She is currently Literary Programs Director for The Ruskin Art Club and the Poetry Arts teacher for the Idylwild Arts Academy. In addition, Elena is part of the West Hollywood Book Fair’s Planning Committee and works with Red Car studios editing several documentary film projects including, The Big Read, Muse of Fire and Why Shakespeare? Elena has taught poetry since the 1980’s in grade schools, high schools and colleges, including Brentwood High School and the University of Souther n Californa. Since 1991 Elena has organized readings for the Museum Of Contemporary Art’s Night Vision poetry programs, the University of Southern California’s Doheny Memorial Library, the Getty Research Institute at the J. Paul Getty Center, The Metropolitan Transit Authority’s Metro Art live Poetry in Motion annual readings, and the Chateau Marmont “Act of the Poet” series.

Elena was the 2005 Poetry Co-Editor for The Los Angeles Review and one of three judges for the 2006 PEN USA Literary Award in Poetry. Her book reviews have appeared in Slope, Poetry International and The Journal, among others. An eleven-time Pushcart Prize nominee and 2008 Pushcart Prize winner, Elena’s many recent publications, among others, include, Best American Poetry 2005, The Yale Review, Paris Review, American Poetry Review, Agenda (UK), Poetry, Volt, Agni, Pool, Denver Quarterly, Colorado Review, Virginia Quarterly Review, Ploughshares, Antioch Review, Verse, The Journal, Tri-Quarterly, Barrow Street, Crazyhorse, Painted Bride Quarterly, Poetry Daily Anthology, Anthology of Magazine Verse & Yearbook of American Poetry, and Spunk and Bite: A Writer’s Guide to Punchier, More Engaging Language and Style. Books include: The Flammable Bird (Zoo Press/Tupelo Press 2002) and her new book, MASQUE, (Tupelo Press 2008); forthcoming works in progress include, This Fable Language (poetry 2011), Voyeur Hour (poetry/ art) and Beautiful Insignificance (essays 2011).