MITSUI, James Masao 1940-

PERSONAL: Born February 4, 1940, in Snohomish, WA; son of Minoru (a railroad worker) and Shime (a homemaker; maiden name, Nakayama) Mitsui; married Lilly Kramer (a director of corporate marketing), August 7, 1986; children: Britt, Karen, Candace, Becky, Jacqui, Tad. Education: East Washington University, B.A. (education), 1963; University of Washington, B.A., 1973, M.A. (English), 1975. Hobbies and other interests: Painting, Seattle Mariners, fishing.

ADDRESSES: Home—229 Sandy Drive, Cocolalla, ID 83813. E-mail—[email protected].

CAREER: Renton School District, Renton, WA, high school English teacher, 1966-99. Adjutant, 5th Med. Bn. Ft. Carson, CO. Military service: U.S. Army, 1964-65, became first lieutenant.

MEMBER: Friends of the Shelter.

AWARDS, HONORS: PNW Booksellers Award, 1974, for Journal of the Sun; National Endowment for the Arts fellowship, 1976.

WRITINGS:

poetry

Journal of the Sun, Copper Canyon Press (Port Townsend, WA), 1974.

Crossing the Phantom River, Graywolf Press (Port Townsend, WA), 1978.

After the Long Train, Bieler Press (Minneapolis, MN), 1986.

From a Three-Cornered World: New and Selected Poems, University of Washington Press (Seattle, WA), 1997.

Poetry consultant, Scott-Foresman Publishers.

SIDELIGHTS: James Masao Mitsui told CA: "Initially I wrote poetry because I taught a creative writing class. I worked with Bill Stafford, Dick Hugo, David Wagoner, Richard Blessing, and Nelson Bentley. Early on I was influenced by Asian art and black-and-white photography. William Carlos Williams was a big influence. My favorite poets are James Wright and Pablo Neruda. I like to include the landscape that I am in, and focus on my family and heritage (relocation of Japanese-Americans, World War II). I keep a journal and write late at night. I am a big believer in revision.

I like to paint (acrylics and watercolor) and admire the work of Edward Hopper and Andrew Wyeth. Currently I reside in North Idaho on a small lake, and enjoy the quiet of nature."