Reginald Shepherd—poet, essayist, anthologist, fellow blogger (visit here and here), and a good friend to The Perpetual Bird—passed away yesterday evening (according to this post by Emily Warn on Harriet) after a long and painful contest with cancer. I never had the good fortune of meeting Reginald, though we corresponded off and on by email. He wrote beautiful poems and passionate, intelligent essays, many of which first saw light on his own blog. We will always have his books, but I will miss the ongoing dialogue he conducted with poets (living and dead). Someone once said that a great teacher is someone who pursues his own education in public. Reginald was such a teacher, and in his last months a courageous example of devotion to the life of poetry.
Joseph Hutchison, Colorado Poet Laureate 2014-2019, has published 20 collections of poems and edited or co-edited three poetry anthologies. He currently directs two master’s-level programs for University College at the University of Denver: Professional Creative Writing and Arts & Culture Management. Joe lives with his wife, Melody Madonna, in the mountains southwest of Denver, Colorado, the city where he was born. 
Had it in mind to make a small post<BR/>about Mr. Reginald Shepherd’s <BR/>passing, but Silliman has and you<BR/>and Harriet (Emily Warn). I left a<BR/>comment at the latter. Am now of<BR/>the feeling that should suffice.