Stephen C. Pollock

Author Biography: Stephen C. Pollock received the Rolfe Humphries Poetry Prize in his senior year at Amherst College. His poem "Syringe" was shortlisted for the 2018 Live Canon International Poetry Competition and was performed as part of the awards ceremony at the Greenwich Theatre in London. The same year, his sonnet "song for us" appeared in the Poeming Pigeon. In 2019, his poem "Steel Refineries--Gary, 1954" was shortlisted for the Molotov Cocktail Shadow Award, placed third in the Poetry Society of Indiana's annual contest (Last Stanza category), and was published in Ink to Paper. His poem "Leaves" was a semi-finalist for the 2019 River Styx International Poetry Contest and was published online in Buddhist Poetry Review. His poem "Narcissus" was a finalist for the 2019 Morton Marr Poetry Prize. In 2020, three poems were recognized by the North Carolina Poetry Society: "Arachnidaea: Line Drawings" was a finalist for the Poet Laureate Award; "Nasal Biopsy" received an honorable mention for the Joanna Catherine Scott Award; and "Steve's Balloons" was awarded second prize for the Thomas H. McDill Award. In April 2020, the online journal Coffin Bell published five of Steve's poems: "Ash"; "Spine of Dorian Gray"; "Locomotion"; "The Waxing"; and "Pendulum." That same month, the Oregon Poetry Association awarded "Arachnidaea: Line Drawings" second place in the Association's spring contest (Poet's Choice category). Most recently, in November 2020, Steve's sonnet "Waning Crescent" was published in The Road Not Taken, an online journal of formal poetry. Steve writes poems, short fiction and scientific articles at his home in North Carolina. He also holds U.S. Patent 4,477,158. Professional Career: Department of Ophthalmology, Duke University, 1987-2004: Associate Professor with Tenure, Chief of Neuro-Ophthalmology, Chief of Comprehensive Ophthalmology, Chief of Ophthalmology at the Durham V.A. Medical Center, Residency Program Director CEO of Community Eye Care (CEC), a national vision benefits company, 1998-2017