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Photo by John J. Campbell

Robert Peake’s collection Human Shade was selected for the Lost Horse Press New Poets Series by Marvin Bell. Robert studied poetry at the University of California, Berkeley and in the  Master of Fine Arts In Writing Program at Pacific University, Oregon. In the 2010-2011 academic year, he was Senior Poetry Editor of Silk Road Review.

Robert’s poems have received honorable mentions in both the Rattle Poetry Prize and the Atlantic Monthly Student Writing Contest. His work was also a finalist in the 2007 James Hearst Poetry Prize, a runner up in the 2009 Indiana Review Poetry Prize, and received two Pushcart Prize nominations.

His poems have appeared in Aperçus Quarterly, Askew, Barely South Review, California Quarterly, Cider Press Review, Cloudbank, Fairfield Review, The Long-Islander, Long Poem Magazine, Magma Poetry, North American Review, Oregon Literary Review, The Ojai Bubble, PoetryBay, Poetry International, The Raleigh Review, San Pedro River Review, Silk Road, Sugar Mule, the Beyond The Valley Of The Contemporary Poets 2004 anthology and Open Windows–an anthology of award-winning Southern California poets sponsored in part by the NEA. Excerpts of his poems have appeared in The Los Angeles Times and aired on Classical KDB 93.7 FM Santa Barbara.

In his native California, Robert has been a featured reader at Beyond Baroque in Venice; The World Stage and Ruskin Art Club in Los Angeles; The Bell Arts Factory and Artists’ Union Gallery in Ventura; Carnegie Art Museum in Oxnard; The Redondo Beach Performing Arts Center; and The Beatrice Wood Center, The Village Jester Pub, and Farmer & Cook in Ojai. He has given guest lectures on poetry at Mt. St. Mary’s College in Los Angeles, The Ojai Center For The Arts, and The Brooks Institute. He also conducted a series of poetry writing workshops for Theater 150 in Ojai.

Robert’s essays and reviews have appeared in Poetry International and the Chicago Sun-Timesonline. He has been interviewed by Ventana Monthly, KPCC Public Radio Los Angeles, and OnFM 101.4 The Lola and Lulu Show.

Having relocated to London, England with his wife, Valerie and cat, Miranda in May 2011, Robert has given readings at the Barbican Centre Library and Troubadour Cafe and is an active new member of The Highgate Poets.

What People Are Saying:

“It’s quite easy to get so wrapped up in Robert’s poems that they evoke physical sensations: teary eyes, shortened breaths. Sometimes, even, a gasp…”

–Carolee Sherwood,
poet and blogger

“Robert has a calm, focused and direct stage presence that captivated the standing-room-only crowd.”

“When Robert Peake stepped into the spotlight, I knew something important was about to happen. Then he spoke of seduction, and I, too, was seduced by his muse.”

“Robert Peake … thinks deeply and writes beautifully about topics that only poetry has the means to bring down to earth.”