Howard Starks


Howard Vernon Starks was an American poet from the U.S. state of Oklahoma. He is best known for his poem, "August: Osage County," which was one of the inspirations for Tracy Letts' Pulitzer Prize-winning.

Early life

Starks was born December 7, 1929, in Shidler, Oklahoma. He graduated high school in Fittstown, Oklahoma and served in the U.S. Army before earning a bachelor's degree in education from East Central State College in Ada, Oklahoma. He began a career in education with two years in the Fox and Healdton, Oklahoma public schools before entering the University of Oklahoma graduate school. He taught as a graduate assistant in English before teaching at University of Nevada, Reno and University of Colorado in Boulder.

Higher education career

In 1968 he came to Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant and remained until his retirement in 1995. He taught courses in humanities, mythology, modern poetry, and numerous branches of literature. He was very active in theater and drama at SOSU as a performer, director, costume designer and drama coach, and in 2002 he received the Distinguished Faculty Award from Southeastern State Oklahoma University for his meritorious service and accomplishments.

Poetry

After his retirement in 1995 he completed his first book of poetry, Family Album for Running Board Press. It was a finalist in the 1997 Oklahoma Book Awards.
The collection contained fifteen poems, but one poem from the book, "August: Osage County," has achieved both national and international prominence because of Tracy Letts'. Letts' drama won the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award for best play of 2008.
After his death a tribute to Starks was part of Southeastern’s year-long commemoration of the university's centennial.