About Joanne

THE Author

Joanne’s Story

Raised in Middletown, New Jersey, Joanne Cherefko has spent her adult life in public education, from teacher to administrator to school board member, instilling a love and understanding of poetry in students. She began writing poetry as a young girl, finding her voice in college, and creating her most complex, angst-ridden poetry after experiencing a grave personal loss. Her most recent poems shed a softer light on the demons of her past and reflect a clear departure from her earlier expressionist style. Since 2007 Joanne has been creating and presenting poetry seminars at Mountain Vista Governor’s School (MVGS) and local high schools in Warren County, Virginia. She is currently a visiting poet at Warren County High School and MVGS. She enjoys researching challenging poets such as Wallace Stevens and Elizabeth Bishop in order to formulate thought-provoking questions that lead students to a critical analysis of poems they would otherwise never read, understand, or appreciate. Joanne’s hobbies are collecting and listening to music ranging from classic rock to contemporary alternative; photography; traveling; camping; hiking; researching poems to teach; writing poetry; cuddling with her dogs; and growing old with the love of her life, her devoted husband Bud.