Joseph Hutchison

Bio

Joseph (Joe) Hutchison, Colorado Poet Laureate (2014-2019), is the award-winning author of 20 poetry collections, most recently Cliff Swallow at Mesa Verde; Under Sleep’s New Moon; The World As Is: New & Selected Poems, 1972-2015; and Marked Men (narrative poems focused on the aftermath of the Sand Creek Massacre). A selection of his poetry appears in the first ever collection of poems by Colorado Poets Laureate, Begin Where You Are: The Colorado Poets Laureate Anthology, published in 2025.

Joe’s poetry, short fiction, essays, reviews, and interviews have appeared in over 100 journals, including American Poetry Review, the Berlin Review, the 20th anniversary issue of Cutthroat, Tar River Poetry, and Poetry Salzburg Review, as well as numerous anthologies. His narrative sequence Bed of Coals was chosen by Wanda Coleman for the Colorado Poetry Award.

As Colorado’s poet laureate, Joe worked to promote poetry throughout the state, participating in nearly 100 events such as poetry readings, workshops, interviews, and gatherings such as the Poetry Out Loud state finals. He has co-edited three poetry anthologies and worked tirelessly to bolster the craft by teaching, leading poetry workshops, and addressing the craft at literary conferences and conventions.

While making the bulk of his living as a commercial writer and editor, Joe has taught elementary through high school-age children for Poets in the Schools programs in Colorado and Oregon, undergraduate writing and literature classes at a variety of institutions, and graduate students at the College of Professional Studies.

Education

Joe earned his MFA in Creative Writing from the University of British Columbia and his B.A. in English and Education from the University of Northern Colorado.