Description:

David Romtvedt was born in Portland, Oregon and raised in southern Arizona. He received a BA in American Studies from Reed College, an MFA in poetry from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, and was a graduate fellow in Folklore and Ethnomusicology at the University of Texas at Austin. He has worked as a carpenter, tree planter, truck driver, bookstore clerk, assembly line operative, letter carrier, college professor, blueberry picker, musician, and ranch hand.

His most recent book is Zelestina Urza in Outer Space, a novel published by the University of Nevada Center for Basque Studies in 2015. His next book of poems, Dilemmas of the Angels, will be published in Spring 2017 by Louisiana State University Press. Other books include Buffalotarrak: An Anthology of the Basques of Buffalo, Wyoming; Windmill: Essays from Four Mile Ranch; Crossing Wyoming; and Free and Compulsory for All. His books of poetry include Some Church, Certainty, How Many Horses, Moon, and the National Poetry Series selection A Flower Whose Name I Do Not Know. He has edited two anthologies—Deep West and Wyoming Fence Lines. A recipient of two NEA fellowships, the Pushcart Prize, and the Wyoming Governor’s Arts Award, Romtvedt served from 2003 to 2011 as the poet laureate of Wyoming.

With the Fireants, Romtvedt performs dance music of the Americas and has released three recordings, It’s Hot (About Three Weeks a Year), Bury my Clothes, and Ants on Ice. With Ospa, he performs Basque music of Wyoming and the Basque Country. Ospa’s recording Hori Da! (That’s It!) was released in September 2016. He has also served for many years as the musical accompanist for the Buffalo, Wyoming Basque Dance Troupe—Zaharrer Segi.