Editing John Finlay (U.S. poet)

''{{About|the 20th-century American poet and essayist|the 19th-century Scottish poet|John Finlay (UK poet)}}''


[[File:John_Finlay.jpg|thumb|360px|John Finlay (1941-1991). ''Courtesy [https://soundcloud.com/neelybrucemusic/sets/five-songs-on-poems-of-john Alabama Literary Landscape]''.]]
'''John Finlay''' (January 24, 1941 - February 17, 1991) was an [[American poetry|American poet]] and [[essayist]].<ref name=jfinlayea>David Middleton, [http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-2342 John Finlay], Encyclopedia of Alabama. Web, June 19, 2016.</ref>

==Life==
Finlay was born in Ozark, Dale co., [[Alabama]], at the home of his maternal grandmother. 1 of 5 children of Jean (Sorrell) and Tom Coston Finlay, he grew up on his family's peanut farm near Enterprise, Coffee co., Alabama. As a child he named the family cows after Greek gods and recited [[Shakespeare]] to them.<ref name=jfinlayea/>

He was educated at the [[University of Alabama]], earning a [[Bachelor of Arts|B.A.]] in 1964 and an [[Master of Arts (postgraduate)|M.A.]] in English in 1966. He then taught for 4 years at the University of Montevallo. In 1970 he entered [[Louisiana State University]] in pursuit of a [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]], which he earned in 1980. In the latter year, he also became a Roman Catholic.<ref name=jfinlayea/>

Finlay was diagnosed with AIDS in 1981. He retired to live on the family farm in Enterprise and write full-time until his death 10 years later.<ref name=jfinlayea/>

==Publications==
===Poetry===
*''The Wide Porch, and other poems'' (with introduction by [[Thom Gunn]]). Florence, KY: R.L. Barth, 1984.
*''Between the Gulfs''. Florence, KY: R.L. Barth, 1986.
*''The Salt of Exposure: Poems''. Omaha, NE: Cummington Press, 1988.
*''Notes for the Perfect Poem'' (edited by David Middleton). 1991.
*''Mind and Blood: The collected poems'' (edited by David Middleton). Santa Barbara, CA: J. Daniel, 1992.
*''The American Tragedies: A chronology of six poems'' (edited by David Middleton). Edgewood, KY: R.L. Barth, 1997.

===Non-fiction===
*''Flaubert in Egypt: Essays on the Gnostic spirit in modern literature and thought''. 1993.<ref name=jfinlayea/>
*''Hermetic Light: Essays on the Gnostic spirit in modern literature and thought''. Santa Barbara, CA: J. Daniel, 1994.

===Collected editions===
*''A Prayer to the Father: Poetry and prose''. Thibodaux, LA: Blue Heron Press, 1992.


<small>''Except where noted, bibliographical information courtesy [[WorldCat]]''</small>.<ref>[https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=au%3AJohn+Finlay+1991&qt=advanced&dblist=638 Search results = au:John Finlay 1991], WorldCat, OCLC Online Computer Library Center Inc. Web, June 19, 2016.</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of U.S. poets]]

==References==
{{Reflist|2}}

==External links==
;Poems
*"[http://alina_stefanescu.typepad.com/_patrick_and_alina_weddin/2012/09/a-few-things-in-themselves-a-poem-by-john-finlay.html A Few Things in Themselves]"
;Audio / video
*[https://soundcloud.com/neelybrucemusic/sets/five-songs-on-poems-of-john Five songs on poems of John Finlay] (audio)
;About
*[http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/article/h-2342 John Finlay] at the Encyclopedia of Alabama
*[https://alabamaliterarymap.lib.ua.edu/author?AuthorID=84 John Finlay] at the Alabama Center for the Book
*"[http://www.alinasadventuresinhomemaking.com/2012/09/jeffrey-goodman-brought-a-new-alabama-author-to-my-attention-thanks-to-his-article-in-the-alabama-literary-review-the-story.html The Lyrics and Life of Alabama Poet John Finlay]" at Alina's Adventures
*"[https://thefiddlerofdriskillhill.wordpress.com/2013/10/13/on-literary-gifts-and-giving-my-poet-friend-john-finlay-1941-1991/ On Literary Gifts and Giving: my poet friend John Finly (1941-1991)]"

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[[Category:1941 births]]
[[Category:1991 deaths]]
[[Category:20th-century poets]]
[[Category:University of Alabama alumni]]
[[Category:American poets]]
[[Category:English-language poets]]
[[Category:People from Alabama]]
[[Category:Poets]]
[[Category:LGBT poets]]
[[Category:LGBT writers from the United States]]