Drawing upon a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Cornell University and a Master of Arts in English literature from the University of California, Berkeley, Jack Foley is an internationally acclaimed poet, author, and radio host who has accrued over 30 years in his field. The current executive producer-in-charge of the Poetry Program for Station KPFA-FM in Berkeley, CA, since 1988, he has also served as a prominent literary critic since 1985. Earlier in his career, he was the editor-in-chief of Poetry USA in Oakland, CA, for five years. Likewise, he was a resident artist for the Djerassi Program and a Woodrow Wilson Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley. Affiliated with the Modern Language Association, the San Francisco chapter of the National Poetry Association, and PEN Oakland, Mr. Foley has been described as a “passionate intellectual,” and his poetry reflects the intimate depths of the human experience.
Interested in poetry at the age of 15 upon reading a poem by Thomas Gray, Mr. Foley discovered the beauty of language, seeing echoes of himself within the written works he read. Intrigued by the evocation of key human elements, such as passion, love, and beauty, he sought to write his own poetry that reflected his own unique experiences. Since the inception of his hobby, and subsequently his career, he has published myriad books and CDs, renditions of his poetry performed on stage alongside physical interpretations of tap dancing, creating an all-inviting yet multitudinous show that evokes a sense of oneness between the poet and the audience. Often, Mr. Foley would perform his work alongside his late wife Adelle, who was also a talented poet. Since her passing, he has continued to perform with his girlfriend Sangye Land, whose artistic endeavors are an endless source of inspiration.
As a testament to his success, Mr. Foley received a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Berkeley Poetry Festival in 2010, which he cites as the ultimate highlight of his career. In addition, the same year a day was named in his honor titled “Jack Foley Day” in Berkeley. Cited in multiple Who’s Who publications, Mr. Foley intends to continue writing in the near future.
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