The 2007 recipient of the Greta Wrolstad Scholarship for Young Poets is Kristi Maxwell.

Kristi Maxwell lives and writes in Cincinnati, where she is pursuing her doctorate. Her poems have most recently appeared in Bird Dog, Coconut, How2, and the Modern Review, and her first book, Realm Sixty-Four, is forthcoming from Ahsahta Press in 2008.

ABOUT GRETA

Greta Wrolstad participated in the Summer Literary Seminar in St. Petersburg, Russia in June 2005, through a scholarship based on her entry in the annual contest, which at that time was co-sponsored by Fence. She died in Missoula, Montana on August 9, 2005, from injuries sustained in a car accident on August 5th.

Greta was a student in the Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing program at the University of Montana, where she taught English Composition and was awarded a Poetry Fellowship to teach an undergraduate poetry workshop. As co-editor for CutBank Literary Magazine, Greta helped run a discussion group devoted to contemporary poetics. The Winter 2006 edition of the journal – Cutbank Poetry 65, edited by her friends and classmates – is dedicated to Greta, containing her poem "Fontaine de Vaucluse" as well as several of her photographs.

Greta Anne Wrolstad was born in Corvallis, Oregon, on April 26, 1981, to Ron and Kathy Wrolstad. She was educated in Corvallis schools, graduating from Corvallis High School in 1999. She was a talented athlete, playing soccer for the Corvallis Reign and Corvallis High teams. She enjoyed ski racing and was on the Corvallis High ski team, later returning to help coach. She was a gifted artist -- a skilled potter, painter, poet and writer. She enjoyed traveling, spending time in New Zealand with her family and later spending a term on a study abroad program at the Catholic University of Angers, France. She graduated cum laude from the Clark Honors College at the University of Oregon with a B.A. in English in 2003, and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa. Greta was an adventurer and creative spirit who brought joy to all she encountered, emanating serenity and living her short life to the fullest. She was motivated by learning and by living new experiences; her diverse work experience includes working as a field biologist for the U.S. Forest Service, an account manager in an Alaska fish cannery, a firefighter, a promoter of wildlife conservation on the 2003 Lollapalooza music tour, and an information officer for American Field Service.

In addition to the Greta Wrolstad Scholarship for Young Poets, the Creative Writing Department at the University of Montana awards an annual Travel Scholarship, in Greta’s name, to an outstanding poet in their graduate Creative Writing program.

Following is a poem by Greta.