Michael Neal
Morris
Language and
Literature Division
3737 Motley Drive
Mesquite, Texas
75150
(972) 860-7247
Education:
M.A., East Texas State University,
English, 1995
B.A. (with
honors), East Texas State University, English and French, 1985
Thesis:
"Encountering
The Source of Goodness: A Study of
Flannery O'Connor's 'A Good Man is Hard To Find,' 'Revelation,' and 'The
Displaced Person'." Dr. James A.
Grimshaw, adviser.
Honors Thesis:
"'Our
Peace is His Will': Optimism in T.S. Eliot's Ash Wednesday." Dr. Brenda Bell, adviser.
Academic Employment:
English
Instructor, Spring 1998 to present, Eastfield Community College. Teaching Developmental Writing, Composition,
and American, British, and World Literature.
Associate
Faculty, Fall 1995-Spring 1998, Collen County Community College (Preston Ridge
and Spring Creek), English 1301 and English 1302 (Composition).
Associate
Faculty, Fall 1995-Fall 1998, Eastfield Community College, DW 091
(Developmental Writing), English 1301 and 1302 (Compostion), and English 2322
(British Literature).
Graduate
Assistant, 1990-1995. E.T.S.U.,
Communication Skills Center (tutor).
Graduate
Assistant, Spring and Summer, 1991.
E.T.S.U. MACH III, (tutor in charge of T.A.S.P. remediation for
English).
Graduate
Assistant, 1990-1995. E.T.S.U., English
100 (Developmental English), English 110 (Developmental English), English 101
(Freshman Composition), English 102 (Freshman Composition), English 201
(Introduction to Literature).
Teaching
Assistant, 1994, English 406 (Adolescent Literature).
Instructor,
February, 1995, Eastfield Community College, Poetry Workshop for S.P.A.R.
program.
Adjunct
Faculty, Fall 1995, E.T.S.U., English 101.
Presentations (Conference Papers):
"Hell
Imagery in Stephen Crane's Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, English
Graduates for Academic Development conference, 1991.
"'God is a
dog': Color Imagery in John Fante's Wait Until Spring, Bandini,"
English Graduates for Academic Development conference, 1992.
"Charting:
A Method for Tutoring Literature," English Graduates for Academic
Development conference, 1993.
"On
Incorporating Tutor-Made Videos in the Tutor Training Program," Conference
of College Teachers of English (1993).
"Damn: A
Work In Progress," English Graduates for Academic Development conference,
1994.
"Calling
Evil Good: 'A Good Man is Hard To Find' as Paradigm for O'Connor's Short
Fiction." English Graduates for Academic Development conference, 1995.
"Silko's Ceremony
and Lewis' The Screwtape Letters: Studies of Evil," Native American
Literary Festival (E.T.S.U), 1995.
Publications (1989 to
present):
“Talking about
Losing” in second online edition of Liberty Hill Poetry Review.
“The Heat Sign”
in October edition of The Mid-South Review (online Oct-Dec 2003)
Three haiku
poems at Emoments (online 2003)
“Hard Hearing,” “Her Rounded Smile,”
“Incidental Music,” “If Murphy Is Right,” and “Five Missing Lullabies” at The
Electric Mayhem (online 2003).
“I’ve Been Killed Before” in GW Review
(Spring 2003)
“Dream Fragments”
in Pudding Magazine, Number 46 (2003)
“The Painted Grasshopper” in Borderlands:
Texas Poetry Review, Number 18 (Spring/Summer 2002)
“Missing” in The
Alternative (2002)
“Singing Each to
Each” in The Alternative (2002)
"The
Painted Grasshopper" in Borderlands: Texas Poetry Review -- Number 18 (Spring/Summer 2002)
"Missing"
in The Alternative (Spring
2002)
"What I
want for my birthday" in Illya's Honey -- Volume 7, Number 1
"Midlife"
in The Alternative (Spring 2001)
"Jumping
To Conclusions" in Concho River Review -- Volume XIV, Number 2 (Fall 2000)
"Grappling"
in Lynx Eye -- Volume VII, Number 4 (Fall 2000). Nominated for
Pushcart Prize.
"A Poem
About Being Fat" in Our Journey -- Volume 6, Number 1 (December
1999)
"Two
Ghosts" (poem), The Distillery (Winter 1998)
"The End
of the Argument" (short story), Dogwood Tales Magazine.
(January/February 1998)
"Damn"
(poem), The Mayo Review, Spring 1995.
"Calliope"
(poem), The Mayo Review, Spring 1995.
"Cave"
(poem), The Mayo Review, Spring 1994, winner of the Brenda Black-White
poetry award.
"Partita
for continuo" (short story), The Mayo Review, Spring 1994.
"Slam the
Door When You Go" (poem), The Commerce Journal, May 22, 1994.
"Sonnet" (poem), The
Commerce Journal, August 7, 1994.
"Marbles"
(short story), The Mayo Review, Spring 1993.
"Washing
the Whore" (poem), The Mayo Review, Spring 1993.
"Serenade" (poem), The Mayo
Review, Spring 1992.
"For Dave
Dravecky (June 18, 1991)" (poem), The Mayo Review, Spring 1992,
winner of the Brenda Black-White Poetry Award.
"In the mourning" (poem), Forthcoming,
Spring 1991.
"Ginny" (short story), Forthcoming,
Spring 1991.
"The Beggar" (short story), Purpose,
January 1, 1989.
"Dancin'" (poem), Orphic
Lute, Fall/Winter 1989.
Honors and Awards:
Nominated for Pushcart Prize (2002)
Various awards
from Mesquite Literary Festival (1996 to 2002), for poetry, short fiction, and
essays.
Second Place, General Column, T.I.P.A.
Convention (1993)
Brenda Black White Poetry Award (1992;
1994)
Communications Skills Center Outstanding
Tutor (1991)
Related Experience:
Wrote column,
titled "Small Change," for The East Texan during Fall of 1992.
Miscellaneous reviews for The East
Texan.
Wrote section
on tutoring literature for Communications Skills Center manual.
Served on
editorial board for some issues of The Mayo Review.
Scored writing samples of diagnostic
tests for incoming freshman.
Committees (Eastfield College):
Arts Exposition committee
Various search committees
Common Base sub-committee
SACS report sub-committee chair
University Service (E.T.S.U):
Co-chair of English Graduates for
Academic Development conference, 1994.
Served as mentor to new graduate assistants
in English Department.
Orientation for new teaching assistants
Registration/Advisement
Professional Organizations:
Sigma Tau Delta
English
Graduates for Academic Development
References: Available upon
request