Paul Bryan Janeczko (July 27, 1945 - February 19, 2019) was an American poet and anthologist. He published 40 books beginning in the 1980s, including poetry compilations, non-fiction guides for young writers, and books for teachers.

Early life

Janeczko was born on July 27, 1945, in Passaic, New Jersey. He was the son of Frank John and Verna (Smolak) Janeczko. Janeczko was not a serious student when he was young. When he enrolled at St. Francis College in Maine he realized what he had missed. To quote Janeczko, “That's when it dawned on me that it was time for me to start learning.” Janeczko attended graduate school at John Carroll University in Ohio and then began teaching.

Career

He taught high school English for 22 years in Ohio, Massachusetts, and Maine. In 1990, Janeczko decided to leave the classroom in order to focus on poetry and his newborn daughter, Emma. He issued a new poetry anthology in 2015, The Death of the Hat: A Brief History of Poetry in 50 Objects.

Personal life

At the time of his death, Janeczko lived in western Maine with his wife and daughter. He visited schools in the United States and Europe, providing workshops for teachers and students. At home he continued to write books. Janeczko was a member of the National Council of Teachers of English, Educators for Social Responsibility, New England Association of Teachers of English, and Maine Teachers of Language Arts. Janeczko died on February 19, 2019, at the age of 73.

Recognition

He received several awards, including

Works

Poetry

Novels

Nonfiction and professional books

Anthologies