Robert Kirschten

Screenwriting Writing and Poetry Video. An academic continually seeking out new opportunities to integrate new digital media and poetics into practice and curriculum.

Kirschten is the author of James Dickey and the Gentle Ecstasy of Earth: A Reading of the Poems; “Approaching Prayer”: Ritual and the Shape of Myth in A.R. Ammons and James Dickey; and five books of poems, Old Family Movies, Nighthawks and Irises: Poems about Paintings, Chicago Poems, Looney Tunes: A Comic Book of Poems, and Fribble and Wheeze: a post postmodern Book of Poems.

He is the editor of Critical Essays on James Dickey, “Struggling for Wings”: The Art of James Dickey, James Dickey: The Selected Poems, and Critical Essays on A.R. Ammons.

He has written seven screenplays in the genre of broad comedy, including HOTEL SCHOOL, BARREL ROLL, CROSSWORD, and TYRANNOSAURUS SEX, plus a pilot for a sitcom--ALIVE & KICKING.

His screenplay HOTEL SCHOOL was winner of the Best Screenplay Award at the Red Wasp Film Festival.

His screenplay BARREL ROLL is winner of the Best Screenplay Award at Red Wasp and "best comedy" at Woods Hole Film Festival.

Kirschten was elected to Who's Who in America 2009.

He has written, directed, and performed in four poetry video DVDs: OLD FAMILY MOVIES: POETRY VIDEO, CHICAGO POEMS: POETRY VIDEO, NIGHTHAWKS & IRISES: POETRY VIDEO on PAINTINGS, and GOOFY TUNES: COMIC POETRY VIDEO --all @ www.oldfamilymovies.com.

OLD FAMILY MOVIES is winner of Award of Merit @ Best Shorts Competition in history/biography. GOOFY TUNES received its world premiere @ New Media Film Festival in Los Angeles.

He offers a Home/Class Study Course in Poetry Video at www.oldfamilymovies.com.

Kirschten holds a Ph.D. from the University of Chicago in Poetry and Poetics.