Chris Davidson is associate professor of English and director of the English Writing Program. He teaches courses in critical thinking and writing, creative writing, and poetry. He has a bachelor's degree in English from California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, and a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing from the University of California, Irvine. His essays and poetry have appeared in several journals and anthologies, including Monster Verse: Poems Human and Inhuman; Orange County: A Literary Field Guide; and Why To These Rocks: 50 Years of Poems from the Community of Writers. He has published two chapbooks — Poems (Canvas Shop Press, 2012) and Easy Meal (Californios Press, 2020).
Presentations
- “The Future of Paradise”—interdisciplinary panel: Biola University. A panel discussion—including professors from Chemistry and Art—on the lecture of John Chan, visiting “visionary in residence,” regarding the city and ecological destruction. February 23, 2011.
- “Lo-Limb: An Interdisciplinary Panel”: Biola University. A panel discussion—including professors from Classics, Sociology, Communication Studies, and Cinema and Media Arts—about a show of paintings by Dan Callis. February 22, 2011.
- “’But angels were watching’: The City as Organ of (Divine?) Revelation in The Crying of Lot 49”: Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association Conference. Chaminade University, Honolulu, HI. November 13-14, 2010.
- “Teaching Art to Poets & Poetry to Artists: The Limits and Lessons of Cross-Media Collaboration”: Pacific Ancient and Modern Language Association Conference. San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA. Also panel chair. November 6-7, 2009.
- “City as Revelation, City as Judgment: Reading Pynchon and Polanski Under the Influence of Belief”: Paper presented at The City (conference). Wheaton College, Wheaton, IL. September 24-26, 2009.
- “The Enormous Yes: Improvisation Philip Larkin’s ‘For Sidney Bechet’”: Paper presented at Poetries of Numerousness (International Conference). Grant MacKewan College, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Presented May 15, 2009.
- “Witness or Weakness: How Poetry and Politics Might (Not) Mix”: Paper presented at Speaking Truth to Power (Conference on Christianity and Literature). George Fox University, Newburg, OR. Also served as panel chair. April 16-18, 2009.
- Invited Presenter and Panelist. Practicing Theology: Biola Art Symposium. Biola University, La Mirada, California. March 2009.
- Visiting Professor of Creative Writing, Cal State Univ. Long Beach, for Professor Patty Seyburn’s poetry writing class. October 30, 2008.
- “The Enormous Yes: Love as Improvisation in Philip Larkin’s ‘For Sidney Bechet’”: Paper presented at Fire and Ice: Literary Paradox and the Search for Truth (Conference on Christianity and Literature), Biola University, La Mirada, CA. May 2008.
Professional Publications
- “The Alphabet Conspiracy,” book review. The Rumpus (internet): forthcoming 2011.
- “Maggot,” book review. The Rumpus (internet): October 2010.
- “The French Exit,” book review. 52songs.blogspot.com (internet): July 2010.
- “Simplify Me When I’m Dead,” book review. The Rumpus (internet): June 2010.
- “Seismology,” poem. Zocalo Public Square (internet): April 2010.
- “Inadequate Preparation” and “It Really Happened,” poems. Spoon River Poetry Review (Illinois State University): Summer 2009.
- “Tracks,” poem. Inknode.com (internet): Winter 2009
- “Visiting the Farm,” poem. The Chiron Review (St. John, KS): Summer 2008.
- “Here,” poem. Burnside Review (Portland, OR): Summer 2008.
- A Matter of Pleasure: Casa Romantica Poetry Vol. 4, CD audio anthology: 2008 (Engineer, Editor, Project Director).
Readings
- Fourth Annual Religions in Conversation Conference, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, CA. October 15, 2010.
- Meadowlark Poetry Marathon (AWP offsite reading), Denver, CO. April 9, 2010.
- Practicing Theology Symposium, Biola University, La Mirada, CA. March 7, 2009.
- Factory Reading Series, Santa Ana, CA. January 20, 2009.
- Society of Interested Persons Salon, Seal Beach, CA. September 20, 2008.
- Long Beach Poetry Festival (“Slices of Orange: The Poetry of Orange County”), Long Beach, CA. April 10, 2008.
- The Writer’s Garage, Long Beach, CA. Fall 2007.
- Poetry Idiots Reading Series, Orange, CA. August 15, 2007.
- The Broadlind Café, Long Beach, CA. August 5, 2007.
- Factory Reading Series, Santa Ana, CA. Spring 2006.