Joe Kreger
{{short description|American poet}}
Joe Russel Kreger (born 1939 in Tonkawa, Oklahoma){{cite news |last1=Browne |first1=Archibalde |title=Oklahoma poet laureate Joe Kreger reflects on his life as a 'cowboy poet' |url=https://nondoc.com/2021/06/02/joe-kreger-oklahoma-poet-laureat/ |access-date=24 July 2022 |agency=NonDoc |date=2 June 2021}} served twice as poet laureate of the American state of Oklahoma.{{cite news |last1=Martin |first1=Brandon |title=Joe Kreger named Oklahoma State Poet Laureate |url=https://okcfox.com/news/local/joe-kreger-named-oklahoma-state-poet-laureate |access-date=19 June 2021 |agency=KOKH |date=22 April 2021}} He was previously appointed in 1998 after the death of Betty Shipley,{{Cite book|title=The Oklahoma Poets Laureate: A Soucebook, History, and Anthology|last=Holliday|first=Shawn|publisher=Mongrel Empire Press|year=2015|isbn=9780990320432|location=Norman, OK|pages=202}} and reappointed in 2021. Kreger was the first poet laureate of the state to be considered primarily a "cowboy poet,", preceding Eddie Wilcoxen (2011–2012) and Jay Snider (2023-2024). Born in Tonkawa, Oklahoma, Kreger has spent most of his life as a rancher.{{cite web |first1= |title=Cowboy Poetry |url=http://www.kregerranch.com/?page_id=32 |publisher=Kreger Ranch |access-date=3 August 2019}}{{cite web |last1=Root |first1=Ken |title=Joe Kreger: My most unforgettable character |date=30 May 2017 |url=https://www.iowaagribusinessradionetwork.com/joe-kreger-my-most-unforgettable-character/ |publisher=Iowa Agribusiness |access-date=3 August 2019}}
His poems have been published as Lookin' at Life (1997, Innovative Broadcast Corp) and Still Lookin' (2000, Doane Agricultural Service).{{cite web |title=Catalogue records |url=https://www.worldcat.org/search?q=au%3AKreger%2C+Joe.&qt=hot_author |publisher=WorldCat |access-date=3 August 2019}}{{cite news |last1=Burke |first1=Mack |title=Joe Russell Kreger is Oklahoma's poet laureate again |url=https://news.okstate.edu/magazines/state-magazine/articles/2021/fall/joe_russell_kreger_is_oklahomas_poet_laureate_again.html |access-date=24 July 2022 |agency=Oklahoma State University |date=25 August 2021}}
Early life
Joe Kreger was born in Tonkawa, Oklahoma. His father was a medical doctor who served in the U.S. Army during World War II. Kreger earned a bachelor's degree in animal science in 1961 and a master's in agricultural education in 1968 from Oklahoma State University.{{cite web |title=Joe Kreger |url=https://business.okstate.edu/tributes/week-1/joe-kreger.html |website=Spears School of Business |date=November 2014 |access-date=25 August 2019}} He served in the U.S. Army Reserves, worked for Redbud Hereford Ranch, taught at Northern Oklahoma College, and then founded his own ranch, Kreger Ranch.
Works
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The High Plains Journal has published numerous poems by Kreger:{{cite web |title=Cowboy Poetry by Joe Kreger |url=https://www.hpj.com/home_and_family/cowboy_poet/ |website=High Plains Journal |access-date=24 July 2022}}
- Kreger, Joe, "The Road Still Runs Both Ways" High Plains Journal, December 3, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Neighborin'" High Plains Journal, November 19, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Labels" High Plains Journal, November 5, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Headgear" High Plains Journal, October 15, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Grandpa’s Barn" High Plains Journal, October 1, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "In the Winds" High Plains Journal, September 17, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Workin' Slow" High Plains Journal, September 3, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Investing" High Plains Journal, August 20, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Maturity" High Plains Journal, August 6, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Roy" High Plains Journal, July 16, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Jackrabbits" High Plains Journal, July 2, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "A People Living Free" High Plains Journal, June 18, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "The Race" High Plains Journal, June 4, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Fifty-six" High Plains Journal, May 21, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Switchin' Positions" High Plains Journal, (S.P.) May 7, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Pet?" High Plains Journal, April 16, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "His Time" High Plains Journal, April 2, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "That Little Hometown Cafe" High Plains Journal, March 19, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Calvin'" High Plains Journal, Time March 5, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Food" High Plains Journal, February 19, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Ice Storm" High Plains Journal, February 5, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Cold Back" High Plains Journal, January 15, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Grandpa’s Barn" High Plains Journal, January 1, 2018.
- Kreger, Joe, "Cows don't know it's Christmas" High Plains Journal, December 18, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "When Bud left home" High Plains Journal, December 4, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "Try" High Plains Journal, November 20, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "The Wall" High Plains Journal, November 6, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "Walkin’ Home" High Plains Journal, October 16, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "Checkin’ Heats" High Plains Journal, October 2, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "The Seat of Wisdom" High Plains Journal, September 18, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "Death Loss" High Plains Journal, September 4, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "The Overcomer" High Plains Journal, August 21, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "The Lowly Sandbur" High Plains Journal, August 7, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "The Donkey and Me" High Plains Journal, July 17, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "That Gremlin in My Shed" High Plains Journal, July 3, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "The Cowboy Hall of Fame" High Plains Journal, June 19, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "Small Pleasures" High Plains Journal, June 5, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "The City" High Plains Journal, May 15, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "Sellin' Out" High Plains Journal, April 25, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "Shoppin' Trip" High Plains Journal, April 17, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "Sarah’s Babies" High Plains Journal, April 3, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "Second Thoughts" High Plains Journal, March 20, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "Gettin’ Away" High Plains Journal, March 6, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "Elementary Education" High Plains Journal, February 20, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "Options" High Plains Journal, February 6, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "The Gift of Light" High Plains Journal, January 10, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "The Epitaph" High Plains Journal, January 2, 2017.
- Kreger, Joe, "The Drifter" High Plains Journal, December 19, 2016.
- Kreger, Joe, "Speed" High Plains Journal, December 5, 2016.
- Kreger, Joe, "Smooth Mouthed" High Plains Journal, November 21, 2016.
- Kreger, Joe, "In My Mind’s Eye" High Plains Journal, November 15, 2016.
See also
{{Portal|Poetry }}
References
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{{OK Poets Laureate|state=expanded}}
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Category:Poets laureate of Oklahoma
Category:People from Tonkawa, Oklahoma