Marcus Amaker

Marcus Amaker (born October 29, 1976) is the poet laureate of Charleston, South Carolina. He has seven published books. His poetry has been featured on PBS Newshour, TEDx, Huffington Post, Charleston Magazine, Post and Courier, Charleston City Paper, Charleston Art Mag, Charleston Regional Business Journal. Amaker was named Charleston, South Carolina’s first poet laureate by Mayor John Tecklenburg. In addition to poetry, Amaker is an award-winning graphic designer, web designer, videographer and musician.

Biography

Early life and education Amaker graduated from the University of South Carolina in 1999. He graduated with a bachelor's degree in Journalism. After graduation, he worked at The Anderson Independent-Mail. He later moved to Charleston in 2003 to work as a graphic designer at the Post and Courier. While at the Post and Courier, he became editor of Preview and Charleston Scene, the paper’s entertainment sections.

Poet laureateship

Marcus Amaker and Marjory Wentworth read at Mayor John Tecklenburg’s inauguration, in 2016. Shortly thereafter, Tecklenburg named Amaker Charleston, South Carolina’s first poet laureate.

Awards and honors

• Charleston, South Carolina poet laureate 2016–present
• South Carolina Press Association, 2005: Second Place in page design (daily division, over 80,000)
• South Carolina Press Association, 2007: First Place in page design (daily division, over 80,000)
• South Carolina Press Association, 2008: First Place in feature page design (daily division, over 80,000); First Place in entertainment section (all daily division)
• South Carolina Press Association, 2009: Second Place in page design (daily division, over 80,000); Third Place in illustrations (daily division, over 80,000)
• South Carolina Press Association, 2010: Second Place in entertainment section (daily division, over 80,000); Third Place in inside page design (daily division, over 80,000)

Works

• Mantra: an interactive poetry book (second edition). 2016. Createspace ISBN 978-1530297511
• the spoken word: selected poems: 2003-2013. 2013. Createspace. ISBN 978-1490586755
• the present presence. 2012. Createspace. ISBN 978-1477414606
• The Soft Paper Cut: poetry and art by marcus amaker. 2007. Createspace. ISBN 978-0979651014
• poems for augustine. 2005. Createspace. ISBN 978-1419609138
• listening to static: poetry and graphic art. 2005. Booksurge. ISBN 978-1419603860