M.L. Liebler

Detroit Poet, Literary Arts Director, Professor & Editor

       M. L. Liebler Brief Professional Resume

 

Education:

B.A. Oakland University (1976)

M.A Oakland University (1980)

Teaching:

Wayne State University-Department of English                                 1980-present

Macomb Community College-Adjunct Professor of English              1989-1995

YMCA of USA National Arts & Humanities Faculty                        1997-2004

Center for Creative Studies-Adjunct Professor of English                  1985-1990

 

Program Director:

Founder & Director, The Hannan Detroit Literary Arts Center        2013-present

Founder & Director, The Midtown Detroit Literary Walk                2012-present

Founder & Director, The Midwest Literary Walk in Chelsea            2008-present

Director, Springfed Literary Arts of Metro Detroit                            2004-2010

Founding Director, The National Writer’s Voice Project of  Detroit   1994-2004

International YMCA Arts & Humanities Initiative                              2002-2008

Wayne State University English Dept. Intern Program                        1985-present

Wayne State University Resident Scholar/Humanities Center              2001-2002

Wayne State University Literary Series                                              1983-present

Detroit Public Library / Broadside Press Poet-In-Residence               1996-1999

Weekly Literary Host/Segment Producer /CBS Talk Radio                1997-1999

Weekly Host/Producer of Vision of Words /WDTR-FM                   1995-1999

The Writer’s Voice of The Downtown YMCA                                 1995-1997

Wayne State U’s Minority Task Force on Education                          1990-1997

 Summer Academy / WSU School of Medicine                                  1985-1990

 Poetry Resource Center of Michigan                                                 1986-1992

 

 Books Published:

 

Working Words:Punching the Clock & Kicking Out the Jams (Coffee House)    2010

Momenti nel Passato che Risplendono/The Moment That Shines.                        2010

(Italian/English) The Ridgeway Press.

Wide Awake in Someone Else’s Dream (Wayne State University Press)              2008

Greatest Hits (Pudding House Press)                                                                    2005

The Fragrant Benediction of Life (Bilingual Russian/English)                             2004

The Moon A Box :Poems of This World (Western MI University Press)              2004

The China Journal (poems) (XOXOX Press)                                                       2002

Breaking the Voodoo & Other Poems (Adastra Press)                                         2001

Written in Rain: New & Selected Poems (Teabot Bach)                                     2000

Brooding the Heartlands (Bottom Dog Press of Firelands College)                   1998

Stripping the Adult Century Bare (Viet Nam Generation Press)                         1995

Deliver Me (Ridgeway Press)                                                                              1992

Breaking the Voodoo (Parkville Press)                                                                1990

Whispers by the Lawn-Volume II (Ridgeway Press)                                            1987

Whispers by the Lawn-Volume I (Ridgeway Press)                                             1985

Measuring Darkness (Ridgeway Press)                                                               1980

 

Recordings:

Coyote & The Monk (M.L. Liebler & Peter Lewis) (Detroit Radio Co. Records)                                  2012

This Is The Way the World Ends (M.L. Liebler & The High Strung)(Detroit Radio Co. Records)          2010

Gasoline: Detroit Legacy Recordings (Liebler, Jones & Bey)(Detroit Radio Co. Records)                    2009

The Kurl of the Butterfly’s Tongue (M. L. Liebler Magic Poetry Band) (Detroit Radio Co. Records)     2007

Crossing Borders: Country Joe McDonald & M. L.  Liebler (Rag Baby Records) 2002

Paper Ghost Rain Dance (Blue Boundary Records) CD                                         2001

The Gift Outright (School Kids’ Records) CD 1997

 

·         Videos:

  • Our Vietnam Generation  (Famie International Films/Public Television USA)                          2011                     
  • OUT OF THE ORDINARY...INTO THE EXTRAORDINARY Robert Taylor, Show Host   2010
  • The Spoken Word Revolution. Osslo Television Prod. Detroit & New York.                           2010.
  • M.L. Liebler Live & In Performance for The U.S. State Department’s-Tel Aviv, Israel Website. 
  • Edited from major performances at Western Galilee College in Akko, Israel, Levensky
  • Teachers College in Tel Aviv http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT_sEPyipBo

State Department Studios in Downtown Tel Aviv. March 2009, 2010, 2011

·       Workshop with Gaza University students 2011 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn8BlVU7uUA&feature=related                                                  

  • M. L. Liebler & The Magic Poetry Band on Public Television’s Backstage Pass (PBS)           2000
  • M. L. Liebler & The Magic Poetry Band Live in New York City                                                1995
  • (Radio Thin Air Videos & Warner Television-NYC)

 

·         Publications in Journals:

Exquisite Corpse, Christian Science Monitor, Prague Literary Review, Contemporary Review of Fiction, On The Bus, Gargoyle, Lilliput Review,The Windsor Literary Review, Cedar Hill Review, The Paterson Literary Review, Long Shot, Hong Kong University Literary Review, The Red Brick Review, American Book Review, The Heartlands Today, Wordswright Magazine, Nexus Literary Review, The Big Scream, The Bullhead Literary Review, The Great Midwestern Review of Literature, The Underground Review, The Santa Fe New Mexican, Rattle”Poetry for the 21st Century, Cottonwood Review, River Styx, Drumvoices Review, Rolling Stock, Relix Magazine, The Detroit Sunday Journal, The Detroit News, The Detroit Free Press, The Albuquerque Daily News, The Woodstock Times, San Fernando Literary Review, The MacGuffin Review, Mimesis & others.

·         Publications in Anthologies:

Identity Lessons (Viking Penguin), A Gathering of Poets (Kent State University Press)

Abandoned Automobile: Detroit Poets of the 20th Century (Wayne State University Press ), Coffeehouse Poets (Bottom Dog Press-Bowling Green State University) and others

.

Awards:

 

·      Michigan Council for Arts and Cultural Affairs 2014 Literary Arts Grant

·      The 2013-2014 Knight Foundation Innovative Detroit Arts Award       

·      WSU Alumni Faculty Award for Community Service 2013

·      Faculty of the Year Award from The WSU  Dean of Students  2012

·      Wayne State University’s President’s Award of Excellence in Teaching 2011

  • U.S. Fulbright Specialist 2012-2017
  • U.S. State Department Award to teach Israeli High School Teachers American Studies and Writing. July 2011  Kadoorie, Israel. {CLASS Program}
  • Awarded. State of Michigan Library’s 2011 Notable Book Award for Working Words
  • Awarded Barnes & Noble Writers for Writers Award 2010 by Pets & Writers, Inc. New York City 18 March 2010.
  • Awarded a 2010  U.S. State Department Cultural and Educational Specialist Grant for May 2010 to tour Russia for readings, lectures and classroom visits in Novosibirsk, Russia 9 May – 16 May 2010
  • Awarded a 2010  U.S. State Department Cultural and Educational Specialist Grant for May 2010 to tour Israel for readings, lectures and classroom visits in Arab and Israeli towns and villages from Akko to the Ber Sheeva it in the south.  2 May- 6 May 2010
  • Awarded  2010-2011  Learning Community Grant for Freshman Composition Courses and Programming by The Provost’s Office for Retention Program March 2010.
  • Awarded Indie Excellence Book Award in Los Angeles May 2009 for new book from Wane State University Press.
  • Awarded The Paterson Poetry Book Prize for Literary Excellence 2009 for new book May 2009.
  • Awarded a 2009 U.S. State Department Cultural and Educational Specialist Grant for March 2009 to tour Israel for readings, lectures and classroom visits in Arab and Israeli towns and villages from Northern Israel to the Negev Desert in the south.
  • Awarded  2009-2010  Learning Community Grant for Freshman Composition Courses and Programming by The Provost’s Office for Retention Program
  • Finalist  for The 2009 USA Book Award for Wide Awake in Someone Else’s Dream (Wayne State Press 2008).
  • Appointed First U.S.A. Public library Artist in Residence for 2008-2009 at The Chelsea District Library System in Chelsea, MI.
  • Awarded WSU Global Grant for 2008 to  establish study abroad programs for WSU Freshman students in The Motown-Stuttgart Learning Community for 2008-2009 school year with University of Stuttgart,  Ludwig Maximilian University in Munich, Germany.
  • Awarded  2008-2009  Learning Community Grant for Freshman Composition Courses and Programming by The Provost’s Office for Retention Program 
  • U.S. State Department Award to teach Israeli High School Students & Teachers and Help  College Professors with ideas for teaching  English Literature & American Studies Programs March 2008 in Jerusalem, Beer Sheva, Emiq Yizrael., Akko, Israel.
  • U.S. State Department Award to teach Israeli High School Teachers American Studies and Writing. July 2007 Beer Sheva, Israel. {CLASS Program}
  • U.S. State Department Award to teach Israeli High School Students & Teachers and Help  College Professors with ideas for teaching  English Literature & American Studies Programs March 2007 in Jerusalem, Beer Sheva, Yaffo, and Akko, Israel.
  • Awarded  2007-2008  Learning Community Grant for Freshman Composition Courses and Programming by The Provost’s Office for Retention Program 
  • Detroit Writer's Guild Annual Black History Literary Arts. 17 February 2007. Detroit, MI
  • U.S. State Department Award to teach Israeli High School Students American Studies and Poetry Writing. July 2006.  Jerusalem, Israel. {CLASS Program}
  • Wayne State University Library has contracted to collect all of my writings and personal papers for their ongoing authors’ archives. 2006.
  • Named “Best Detroit Poet” by The Detroit Free Press Annual Community Awards for Metro Detroit. Fall  2005.
  • Awarded, 2005 Paterson Book Award for Literary Excellence by The Paterson Poetry Center in Paterson, NJ.
  • Awarded, WSU Global Grant 2005 to teach block seminars at Novosibirsk State University (Russia), Ludwig Maximillian University (Munich) and Stuttgart University (Germany) May through June 2005
  • Named, First Poet Laureate of St. Clair Shores, Michigan (1st Poet laureate in Metro Detroit outside The City of Detroit) April 18, 2005.

·      Nominated, WSU 2005 Board of Governors Award for new book/CD of poetry from Western Michigan University Press.

·      Awarded, Editor’s Choice Award for Allen Ginsberg Poetry Contest

·      Poetry Center of Paterson, New Jersey July 2004.AWARDED Best Detroit Poet 2004 The Detroit Free Press (Spring 2004)

·      AWARDED, Wayne State University Global Education Grant  2003 & 2004

·      AWARDED, WSU David McKenzie Honor Society Community Award 2003

·      AWARDED, Wayne County Council for Arts & Humanities Arts Award 2002

·      FINALIST, American Book Award 2002 & Great Lakes Book Award 2002

·      AWARDED ArtServe/MCACA Writer in the School for Michigan status for 2001-2004

·      AWARDED Wayne State University’s Board of Governors Book Award 2001

·      FINALIST Paterson Literary Book Award (Stanley Kunitz winner)  2001

·      AWARDED Artserve/Michigan Council for the Arts Creative Artist Grant for 2001

·      Awarded Poet-In-Residence Award at Northern Michigan University-Summer 2000

·      Received Wayne State University Excellence in Teaching Awards 1993, 1994,1996 & 2000

·      Nominated for Wayne State University Award for Community Involvement 2000

·      Nominated for Pushcart Literary Awards in 1990, 1995, 1998, 1999, 2000

·      Received Wayne State University Quality Service Award 1993

·      Nominated for Governor of Michigan’s 1998, 1999, 2000,2001, 2002, 2003 Arts in Education Award

·      Nominated for YMCA Arts Program for Governor of Michigan’s Arts Organization Award

·      Honorable Mention-Canada’s Cranberry Press Chapbook Contest 1997

 

Readings: (Selected National & International Last 5 Years Only)

 

·       Associated Writing Program, Seattle, WA 2014

·       Los Angeles Cultural Center-Downtown LA 2013

·       Western Wyoming Community College, Rock Springs, WY 2013

·       Paterson Literary Center. Paterson, NJ  2013

·       Rochester Writers Center, Rochester, NY 2013

·       Beyond Baroque. Los Angeles. June 2011 / July 2012

  • House of Culture, Kabul, Afghanistan May 2012
  • Various Colleges & Schools in Novosibirsk, Russia  9 May – 16 May 2010
  • Various Colleges & Schools in Israel  2 May – 6 May 2010
  • Aquinas  College. Grand Rapids, MI  25 April 2010.
  • Ferris State University. Big Rapids, M11 February 2010.
  • Paterson High School for the Arts. Paterson, NJ. 29 January 2010.
  • Paterson International High School. Paterson, NJ. 28 January 2010.
  • Santa Barbara City College. . Santa Barbara, CA. 1 May 2009
  • Redondo Beach Poetry Society.  Redondo Beach, CA. 28 April 2009.
  • Costa Mesa High School Writer in Residence, Costa Mesa, CA. 27 April 2009.
  • Bayliss Public Library. S.S. Marie, MI. 23 April 2009.
  • The Delco Institute’s Mad Writers’ Series. Philadelphia, PA.  16 April 2009.
  • Carlow College Visiting Writers’ Series. Pittsburgh, PA. 15 April 2009.
  • Prosody Poetry Show. Pittsburgh Public Radio. Pittsburgh, PA. 15 April 2009.
  • Levensky Teachers’ College. Tel Aviv, Israel. 19 March 2009.
  • Hemdat Hadarom College of Education.  Nevidot, Israel. 18 March 2009.
  • English Teachers Association of Israel (ETAI). Mghar, Israel. 17 March 2009.
  • ORT Rogozin High School. Migdal HaEmek, Israel. 17 March 2009.
  • Sackhnin Teachers’ College. Sachnin, Israel. 16 March 2009.
  • Western Galilee College. Akko, Israel. 16 March 2009.
  • Beit Safafa High School. South Jerusalem, Israel. 15 March 2009.
  • Leyada University High School. Jerusalem, Israel. 15 March 2009.
  • Tel Aviv University’s Visiting Writers’ Series. Tel Aviv Israel. 12 March 2009.
  • AWP (Associated Writing Programs Annual Conference). Chicago, IL. 14 February 2009.
  • AWP After Glow Reading at Buddy Guy’s Legend.  Chicago, IL. 12 February 2009.
  • Paterson Public Schools. Paterson, NJ. 29 January 2009.
  • Rend College. Rend, IL  24 October 2008.
  • Batesville Library Program. Batesville, IN. 23 October 2008.
  • Springfed 10th Annual Writers’ Retreat. Harbor Springs, MI.  10 October 2008.
  • University of Helsinki. Helsinki, Finland. 26 July 2008.
  • University of Munich.  Munich, Germany 20 May 2008.
  • Deutsch - American Center . Stuttgart, Germany. 15 May 2008
  • ORT High School in Akko, Israel 20 March 2008.
  • Emiq Yizrael College.  Emiq Yizreal, Israel 19 March 2008.
  • Al Qasami College.  Baqer Al Gharbia, Israel 18 March 2008.
  • ACHVA College. Beer Toyvia, Israel. 17 March 2008.
  • Jerusalem High School for the Arts. Jerusalem, Israel. 16 March 2008.
  • Speke Border’s Store. Liverpool, England. 10 March 2008
  • Fuel Lounge Sunday Poetry Party. Manchester, England. 9 March 2008
  • Rosa Parks High School. Paterson, NJ February  2008.
  • Don’t Tell Mama Café Literary Series, New York, NY. 31 January 2008.
  • East Side High School. Paterson, NJ January 2008.
  • The Heartland Café.  Chicago, IL. 6 October 2007.
  • Beit Berl College. Beer Sheva, Israel. 26 July 2007.
  • Beyond  Baroque Literary Arts Center. Venice, CA  28 APRIL 2007.
  • Art Share Theater. Los Angeles, CA. 27 April 2007.
  • Cost Mesa High School. Costa Mesa, CA.  23 April – 25 April, 2007.
  • Hebrew University-Mt. Scopious Campus. Jerusalem, Israel 22 March 2007.
  • ACCESS Students at Jerusalem American Corner. Jerusalem, Israel. 22 March 2007
  • Beit Berl Teachers’ College. Israel. 21 March 2007
  • American Corner at Karmeil. Israel. 20 March 2007
  • Akko Public School. Israel. 20 March 2007
  • Western Galilee College. Israel. 20 March 2007
  • ETAI. Beer Sheva. Israel. 19 March 2007
  • American Corner at Yaffo. Israel. 18 March 2007
  • Poetry Society of London. London, UK 9 March 2007.
  • Southern Connecticut University. New Haven, CT 12 February 2007
  • The College of William and Mary. Richmond, VA 8 February 2007.
  • Bayliss Public Library. SS. Marie, MI 16 December 2006.
  • Munising Public Library. Munising, MI 15 December 2006.
  • Peter White Public Library. Marquette, MI 14 December 2006.
  • Mt. Pleasant Public Library. Mt. Pleasant, MI  5 December 2006.
  • Holland Public Library. Holland, MI 4 December 2006.
  • Chelsea Public Library. Chelsea, MI 30 November 2006.
  • Georgia Tech University. Atlanta. GA. 17 November 2006.
  • The University of Malta. Malta. 23 July 2006.
  • American Corner/U.S. Embassy. Jerusalem, Israel July 2006.
  • Costa  Mesa High School. Costa Mesa, CA. 15 May through 18 May 2006.
  • Controlled Burn Literary Series. Kirtland College. Roscommon, MI. 13 April 2006.
  • Timol Shishom Arts Café & Bookstore. Jerusalem, Israel. 16 March 2006. (Sponsored by The US Embassy).
  • The Hebrew University Visiting Authors Series 2006. Hebrew University. Jerusalem, Israel. 16 March 2006. (Sponsored by The US Embassy).
  • The University of Tel Aviv Visiting Writers Series 2006. Tel Aviv, Israel. 13 March 2006.
  • David Yellin College of Education. Jerusalem, Israel . 12 March 2006. (Sponsored by The US Embassy).
  • Penn State University. Erie, PA. 28 February 2006.
  • Carnegie Mellon University. Pittsburgh, PA. 27 February 2006.
  • University of Windsor Winter Literary Arts Series. Windsor, Ontario, Canada.  23 February 2006.
  • Bowery Poetry Club. New York, NY. 13 February 2006.
  • The Colony Arts Café. Woodstock, NY. 10 February 2006.
  • Eastside High School. Paterson, NJ. 10 February 2006.
  • New York State Penitentiary. Ellenville, NY. 9 February 2006.
  • University of Regensberg Arts Festival. Regensberg,,College of Charleston. Charleston,

and Macon State College. Macon, GA ,.Berlin Slam Poetry Series (Germany), Munich’s Speak & Spin Series, Novosibirsk State University-Russia, St. Petersburg-Russia and The Federation of Russian Writers & Poets in Moscow-Russia, University of Macau China Literary Festival 2003, Prague Literary Series, Atomic Café Performance Poetry Series (Munich), Substanz Poetry Slam (Munich), University of Wales Series 2003, University of Munich (Germany), Hong Kong International Literary Festival 2002, Poetry Society of London (UK), University of Wales, University of Bath (UK), University of Alaska-Fairbanks, Alaska’s 5th Annual Authors’ Festival 2001, Fairbanks Art Association Literary Series, University of Hong Kong, Macau University (China), Woody Guthrie Festival (OK), Beyond Baroque (LA), Luna Cafe (LA), Seattle Poetry Festival, Paterson Poetry Festival, The Dodge International Bi-Annual Poetry Festival (NJ), St. Mark’s Poetry Project (NY) The Knitting Factory (NY), La Mama La Galleria (NY), CB 313 Gallery (NY), City College of New York Annual Poetry Festival, Guild Complex (Chicago), Catskills OutLoud Poetry Festival, AWP Albany, AWP Atlanta, The Writers Center (DC), Atticus Books (DC), Center City Borders (Phil), Robin’s Books (Phil.), Baltimore Art Gallery, Cody’s Bookstore (SF), Black Oak Books (SF), SITE Santa Fe, Billings YMCA (MT), University of California-Santa Barbara, Moon Dog Café (LA), Laguna Beach Poets (CA), Mid-Mississippi Writers Conference, Aquinas College’s OutLoud Festival,  and many readings Canada & the US.

 

Courses Taught at Wayne State in Last Five Years

                        1.  Undergraduate

            English l0l, l02, 30l (Freshman and Advanced Composition), ll0 (Good Books), 2l0 (Introduction to Poetry), 2l2 (Introduction to Fiction), 231 (Major American Books), 280 (Creative Writing), 303 (Research Paper), 340 (Topic in Literary Themes), 590 (Independent Studies in performance art, poetry, and fiction), English 340 (The Vietnam War through Literature), several UGE l00  courses(University and Its Libraries), ENG 340 (Urban/Labor Literature), Eng 3400 (The Beatles Impact on Popular Culture)  Humanities 250 (Intro to Labor Studies) English 383/589 Performance Art/Advanced Creative Writing, English 381/587 Advanced Poetry Seminars & English 680 Master Level Creative Writing Seminar, English 2100 (Freshman Seminar) What’s Going On: The Poetry & Music or Motown and English 2120 Kick Out the James: Rock Fiction. (Freshman Year Seminar).

           

2.  Graduate

  • English 582 (The Internship Practicum)
  • English 589 (Playwrighting Seminar)
  • English 587 (Advanced Poetry Seminar)
  • English 680 (Master Level Writing Workshop)
  • American Studies 5010 (Vietnam War through Literature, The Beatles &    
  • Their Impact on Popular Culture, Motown Literature & Music, etc).

 

Course or Curriculum Development

 

•           Developed. Direct & Teach WSU England Spring Break Program 2007-present

•           Developed New, Innovative Freshman Learning Community Freshman  

               Compositions courses and Creative Writing programs for 2007-2008 & 2008-2009, 2009-2010, 

               2010-2011, 2013-2013, 2013-2014

•           Developed New Freshman Year Seminars for Winter & Fall 2004

•           Developed-English 3400: The Beatles & Their Impact on Popular Culture Fall

               2002

•           Developed-English 340: The Sixties: Art & Culture /Fall 1996

•           Developed English 340/American Studies 5010: The Vietnam War Through       

              Literature/Fall 1995 taught through the present

•             Developed Performance Art course (English 383/589) in  Fall 1993. Taught in

               1996 & 1999.

 

Quotes on the Works of M. L. Liebler:

 

·       "M. L. Liebler is the poet laureate of America’s working class. In a world full of despair, it is comforting to have a writer so gifted and generous singing our song of rebellion and hope."—Michael Moore

 

·       “M. L. Liebler is a piece of the reality poetry needs to stay alive...He is a beacon shining for the republic (of poetry and love) for  which he stands.Alicia Ostriker

 

·       “M. L. Liebler is the backbone of the new literary renaissance.” Bob Talbert The Detroit Free Press

 

·      “M. L. is an American populist artist in the tradition of the Beat poets, Carl Sandburg and Diego Rivera...” Ed Sanders

 

·      “Liebler is a tremendous source of poetry energy in The Motor City & beyond.” John Sinclair

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Photo Credit: Mandi Wright