Lovers of verse will note the Mountain States influence on James Harms when the West Virginia University poet reads from his latest workAfter Westat 7:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 15, in the Mountainlair Gold Ballroom.

Poems such asPisgah Church Cemetery,On Beauty and West Virginia at the Blue Moose CaféandBreakfast in West Virginiaare a reflection of the states impact on the California native and how the notion of home, from both personal and social perspectives, helps us understand who we are in the context of location.

Its a privilege to have such an outstanding poeta poet with a national reputation and many awardson our faculty,said Mark Brazaitis , director of the Universitys creative writing program and professor in the Department of English .The best poets arent always the best readers, but Jim both writes and reads beautifully. People are in for a treat.

The event is free and open to the public, and Harms will be available after the reading to sign books.

Harms, founder and past director of the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing Program , joined the WVU Department of English faculty in 1994 after receiving his masters degree from Indiana University.

His contemporary poems, essays and short stories have appeared in many literary journals, and the Carnegie Mellon University Press has published four of his other books in addition toAfter West:Freeways and Aqueducts,Quarters,The Joy AddictandModern Ocean.His fifth book,East of Avalon,was published by Caddis Case Press.

Harms has been awarded a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Creative Writing, the PEN /Revson Fellowship, fellowships from the West Virginia and Pennsylvania Arts commissions and three Pushcart Prizes.

Since arriving at WVU , he has been named a Benedum Distinguished Scholar, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Teacher, Eberly College of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Researcher and Carnegie Foundation/CASE United States Teacher of the Year for West Virginia.

Currently, he is director of the West Virginia Writers Workshop and contributing editor of West Branch.

After Westis available at http://www.amazon.com/After-West-James-Harms/dp/0887484816 .

For more information, contact Brazaitis at 304-293-9707 or ” Mark.Brazaitis@mail.wvu.edu rel=nofollow> Mark.Brazaitis@mail.wvu.edu .