Considering the pig, a single-minded bestiary.
An alphabetical list of poets who have considered the pig.
Hone Tūwhare, New Zealand, (1922-2008), poetry includes: My Pork & Puha Anthem. Hone was Te Mata Poet Laureate in 1999 and received two honorary doctorates in literature. He was named one of New Zealand’s ten greatest living artists in 2003 and awarded one of the three inaugural Prime Minister’s Awards for Literary Achievement.
Lee Upton, United States, (b. 1953) – poems include: Shots of Vodka, Hog Roast. She is the author of eleven books of poetry, fiction, and literary criticism.
Richard Vallance, Canada (b. 1945), poetry includes: Whoso Squeals or Grunts. Vallance is a poet, and the editor of the international, multilingual sonnet anthology, The Phoenix Rising from the Ashes / Le Phénix Renaissant de ses Cendres (2013).
Ann Vaughan-Williams, New Zealand/England, (b. 1941), poetry includes: Breast-feeding. Vaughan-Williams is a poet, social worker and educator. She was an editor of the Long Poem Magazine for five years and has co-edited anthologies for Merton Poets.
Denisa Vitova, Czech Republic/Switzerland, (contemporary), poetry includes: The Practical Man. Vitova is a poet and student in literature and linguistics (English and Slavonic studies) at the University of Zurich. So far, her work has been published by The London Magazine, Ambit, Firewords, The Poetry Society UK, The Moth, Acumen and elsewhere.
David Russell Wagoner, United States, (b. 1926), poetry includes: The Orchard of the Dreaming Pigs and Judging a Hog. Wagoner is a poet, novelist and educator. He has taught at the University of Washington, Seattle, since 1954 and has created twenty-four exquisitely crafted poetry collections and ten acclaimed novels.
United States, (contemporary) Driving Past 27 Pigs in the Middle of June With the Windows Open Pigs don’t care for bacon. I flash by, an orange blur to Pig-poor eyes, staring Blearily, thoughts Of sows, and slop and mud Percolating behind them. Unhurried pork on the hoof, Cloven (could Satan be a pig?) to … Read more
Ted Walker, England, (1934-2004), poetry includes: Pig pig. Walker was a poet, short story writer, journalist, broadcaster, dramatist and educator. He was also Professor of Creative Writing at New England College (1971–92), at their British campus in West Sussex.
Gillian Wallace, Canada (b. 1958), poetry includes: Dinner Time. Wallace is a poet, editor and copy editor. She has a PhD in the psychology of religion, writing her thesis on original sin.
Ania Walwicz, Poland/Australia, (b. 1951), poetry includes: All Writing Is Pigshit. Walwicz is a poet and play-wright. She was born in Swidnica, Poland and emigrated to Australia in 1963 and was educated at Melbourne’s Victorian College of Arts and the University of Melbourne. Walwicz currently teaches Creative Writing in RMIT’s Professional Writing and Editing program.