The 70 new poems in "Wingspan" reflects poet Jon Obermeyer's wide ranging interests and geographic wanderings. A native of Santa Barbara, CA, Jon has lived most of his adult life in North Carolina (with a short detour to west Florida). In this third collection of poetry, Jon explores his West Coast roots and his East Coast habitats, the delights of parenting, creative work and exploring the natural wold, and musings about turning 60. In a confident, original voice Jon reminds us what is important and what keeps us going, riding the thermals. "What defines Jon Obermeyer's poetry is a trust of plain speech and sure-footed humility; a willingness to let circumstance wash over, but not wash away." Terry L. Kennedy, author of New River Breakdown "Jon Obermeyer was a student of the brilliant Robert Watson and one thing he learned from Watson was to find his own voice...diction, lyricism, and meaning uniting to let us see what he sees, hear what he hears, feel what he feels." Kelly Cherry, author of The Life and Death of Poetry: Poems (LSU Press) "Jon Obermeyer is one of those poets who goes right for the gut. His words are bright, penetrating, clean as a bone. In this collection, he talks about tectonic plates, English invaders, and red-eye gravy in a spiritual way....He listens. He listens closely. That's his secret. I've never met anyone with a better ear to the ground. He's not trying to solve anything." John Miller, from the Foreword
About the Author: A native of Santa Barbara, CA, Jon Obermeyer is a graduate
 of Westmont College. He holds the M.F.A. in 
Creative Writing degree from UNC Greensboro, where he served as Associate Poetry Editor of The Greensboro Review and received recognition for excellence from the Academy of American Poets. Jon is the author of "The Reassurance of Ghosts" "Salsipuedes" and "Occupational Hazards" (poems), "The Winter Practice" and "Centripetal Force" (short stories), The Low Wire: Meditations on Loss and Creative Restoration" and "Shreibspeigel: The Writing Mirror" (essays), "It Happens That Fast," "Briarcliff" "The Harbor" and "The Guests" (memoir),"Myriad: A Poet's Guide to the Writing Life" and "Siren Call SF," a poetry-photography collaboration with San Francisco photographer Dwayne Newton (2019) Jon is a two-time finalist for the James Applewhite Poetry Prize. His poems have appeared in North Carolina Literary Review, Northern Virginia Review, The Greensboro Review, Blue Pitcher, Tar River Poetry, the International Poetry Review, Edge of our World, Stroke Connections, Santa Barbara Magazine and Spectrum. Jon's short stories have appeared
 in Equator, Cities & Roads, and O.Henry Festival Stories. His story "Not Really Mine to Give" was runner-up in the 1982 Santa Barbara News & Review fiction contest. Clyde Edgerton selected Jon's short story "Confessions of a Pacifist" for publication in the N.C. Writers Network's Fiction Syndication Competition. His essays and book reviews have appeared in the News & Record and The New York Times. He lives in Bethesda, NC near Durham.