Jim Powell is an American poet, translator, and literary educator. He is noted for his work in formal verse and for translating poetry from languages such as Spanish and French. Powell’s poems have appeared in a variety of literary magazines and journals, including The New Yorker, Poetry, and The Paris Review.
His published collections of original poetry include titles such as The Death of the Flowers, The Invisible Bride, and The Heart’s Grain, each of which has been reviewed in academic and literary outlets for their craftsmanship and engagement with contemporary themes through traditional forms.
In addition to his original poetry, Powell has produced translations of classical and modern poets, contributing to the wider accessibility of works by figures such as Jean de La Fontaine and Federico García Lorca. His translation work has been praised for balancing fidelity to source texts with lyrical fluency in English.
Powell has held teaching positions in creative writing and literature at several universities, where he has mentored emerging writers and conducted workshops on poetic form and translation studies. He has received a number of awards and fellowships recognizing his contributions to poetry, including grants from the National Endowment for the Arts and a prize from the Academy of American Poets.
Overall, Jim Powell’s career reflects a sustained commitment to formal poetic practice, cross‑cultural literary exchange, and the instruction of new generations of poets.