Lee Meitzen Grue

Lee Meitzen Grue (February 8, 1934 – April 3, 2021) was an American poet and educator. She was the founder and director of the New Orleans Poetry Forum, and has been referred to as that city's unofficial poet laureate. She was editor of the literary journal The New Laurel Review.

Early life She was born in Plaquemine, Louisiana and lived most of her life in New Orleans. At a young age, Grue fell in love with books and poetry, particularly The Golden Treasury by Louis Untermeyer, which featured female poets. Inspired by the poetry, Grue decided to become a poet herself. Ms. Grue founded the New Orleans Poetry Forum in 1972, where she was director until 1990. Starting in 1982, she edited the international independent literary journal, The New Laurel Review

Grue was a visiting writer at Tulane University from 1993 to 1998.

Personal life Lee Meitzen married Ronald David Grue on October 28, 1963, and they were divorced on September 5, 2000. Poetry and Short Story Award from the Deep South Writer Association (1994) Syndicated Fiction Award from PEN (1984) Ledig House (1998) National Education Association (1984–85) Blood at the Root: A Novel (2015) Downtown (2011) Three Poets in New Orleans (in collaboration with Biljana D. Obradović and Patricia A. Ward, 2000) Live!: On Frenchman Street (sound recording with Eluard Burt, as the New Orleans Jazz and Poetry Ensemble, 2000) Goodbye Silver, Silver Cloud (1994) In the Sweet Balance of the Flesh (1990) French Quarter Poems (1979) Trains and Other Intrusions: A Chapbook of Poetry (1974)

Notable poems "In the Garden" (September 4, 2012) "Snug Harbor" (October 4, 2011) "The Old Ice House on Chartres Street" (May 2, 2011) "The Catahoula Hound Visits the Dream of Jean Pierre" (January 10, 2011)