
Poet, Author, Podcast Host
James Morehead is the Poet Laureate of Dublin, California, author of canvas: poems, portraits of red and gray: memoir poems, The Plague Doctor, and he hosts The Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast. James’ poem “tethered” was transformed into an award-winning hand drawn animated short film, “Twilight in the Sculpture Forest” into a short film, and “gallery” was set to music for baritone and piano. James is a member of the American Academy of Poets, California State Poetry Society, Tri-Valley Writers, and AWP.
contact: dublinpoetlaureate@gmail.com
BOOKS
The Plague Doctor (in three acts)

A mesmerizing collection of eerie, image-rich poems that explore the fleeting nature of existence and friendship, inspired by the world of art and artists.
“James Morehead’s poetry pulses with vibrant detail. In this new collection Morehead has created a vivid document that captures what it means to be perpetually inspired by the world in all its facets.” – Tina Cane, Poet Laureate of Rhode Island
portraits of red and gray: memoir poems
“The vulnerability and humanity expressed in these poems is moving.” – Angie Trudell Vasquez, Poet Laureate – Madison, WI
“The rhythmic control is impeccable. The centerpiece of this collection, a long series of poems that chronicle a trip through the former Soviet Union, is a fast moving, impressionistic feast of imagery.” – Carmine Di Biase, Distinguished Professor of English, Emeritus – Jacksonville State University
canvas: poems
“To read canvas is to be transported to a world infused with meaning and memory.” – Morgan Liphart, poet and author of Barefoot and Running
“These are poems to be savored, re-read, kept handy for those times when only poetry will do.” – W. J. T. Mitchell, Gaylord Donnelley Distinguished Service Professor, English and Art History, University of Chicago
James Morehead’s books are also available in select libraries:
- “canvas”: listing on Link+ and listing on WorldCat
- “portraits of red and gray”: listing on Link+ and listing on WorldCat
- “The Plague Doctor: listing on Link+
EVENTS
Upcoming events featuring James Morehead in person and virtually:
- Wed Dec 13 – Poetry & Pizza Open Mic #15 at Mountain Mike’s (Dublin, CA)
- Mon Jan 8 – 10:30am – 12pm – Poetry Circle – Orinda Books (Orinda, CA)
- Mar 16-17 – TBC – St. Patrick’s Day Festival (Dublin, CA)
- Sat Apr 27 – 10am – 12pm – Haiku Festival 20th Anniversary (Chicago, IL)
PODCAST
Where does a poem come from? How does an image, a sound, an emotion, an experience, the spark of an idea, become a poem? The Viewless Wings Poetry Podcast explores the art of poetry through interviews with poets and artists, and special features. Hear poets including Olivia Gatwood, Safia Elhillo, Yanyi, and Regina Harris Baiocchi, and more. Subscribe today.
FILMS

Gaia Alari (Animator-Director) and James Morehead (Producer, Writer, Narrator) team up to bring the poem “tethered” to life with the magic of traditional animation. The poem is a selection from Morehead’s debut book “canvas”. “tethered” features 2D animation created from 750 drawings.
- Winner – Best Animation (London Web Fest)
- Honorable Mention (One-Reeler Short Film Competition)
- IMDB listing

James Morehead (Writer-Director) and Brad Brown (Videographer-Editor) team up to bring the poem “Twilight in the Sculpture Forest” to life, on location, at the Haliburton Sculpture Forest.
Twilight in the Sculpture Forest was awarded Best Documentary at the International Poetry Film Festival.
PERFORMANCES
WEBCASTS
Performance at Lit Balm Aug 2023
PLACEMENTS
- “That time I was left for dead downstage” (Prometheus Dreaming, September 2021)
- “landscape (after bert weir) (“Flee to Spring Anthology”, Wingless Dreamer, August 2021)
- “north south east west” Prompt for the Planet (Prompt for the Planet & PromptPress, October 2021)
- “ghosts of bodie, california” (“The Book of Black Anthology”, Wingless Dreamer, October 2021)
- “crush” on episode 71 of NPR’s Poetically Yours (2021)
- Bankhead Theatre “Double Take” exhibit features ekphrastic collaborations with local artists and poets (February 2022) with accompanying book
- “dissolving in the gallery” (Beyond Words Literary Magazine, March 2022)
- “An inbox of bloom” (Quillkeepers Press, June 2022)
- “Ode to Dahlia” (Finalist, Matter 2021 contest, Oprelle, anthology purchase link)
- “lost (and found)” and “The New Yorkers” were included in Rutland, Vermonts Poetry Downtown festival for National Poetry Month 2022
- “the silent roar of haleakalā” was selected for the Alameda County Fair 2022 Fine Arts Division
- “She is San Francisco” premiered on the San Francisco Chronicle Total SF podcast (July 2022)
- “red line drawn on parchment paper” (Cathexis Northwest Press Aug 2022 issue)
- Searching, still, for the ERA (NPR / WNIJ, August 2022)
- A sonnet for a Neopolitan rooster (2nd Place – Oprelle 2022 Oxbow Poetry Contest)
- Hiding from the Curator (A Fantastic Ekphrastic Emeryville Art & Poetry Celebration, 2022)
- The Plague Doctor (The Dillydoun Review, Issue 21, Nov 2022)
- She sings in cursive on the Fillmore stage (UCSF The Ignatian Literary Magazine, Issue 34.5, Fall 2022)
- Flickering Through Stained Glass featured by the Presidio of San Francisco Chapel (December 2022)
- “At the barricade” premiered on the San Francisco Chronicle TotalSF Podcast (February 17, 2023)
- Ode to Spinning Vinyl (The Citron Review, Spring 2023)
- How I found you when the pareidolia fled (Loud Coffee Press, Spring 2023)
- ‘The Plague Doctor’ chronicles the eerie and chilling (Danville SanRamon, May 16, 2023)
IN THE NEWS
- Interview in Diablo Magazine (September 2023)
- Interview on TV-30 (August, 2023)
- The Plague Doctor: A Conversation with James Morehead— curated by Kristina Marie Darling (July 31, 2023)
- Poetry and Pizza Open Mic set in Dublin (Pleasanton Weekly. Jul 23, 2023)
- Dublin’s Laureate to Read Poetry Selections (The Independent. Apr 20, 2023)
- Morehead to serve 2nd term as Dublin poet laureate (Danville San Ramon. Feb 17, 2023)
- James Morehead Confirmed as Dublin’s Poet Laureate for Second Time (The Independent. Feb 10, 2023)
- Interview: NPR WNIJ’s Poetically Yours by Yvonne Boose (January, 2023)
- Interview: Lisa Haselton Book Reviews & Interviews (January, 2023)
- A poetic journey through Dublin (Pleasanton Weekly. April, 2022)
- Watch Poetically Yours Live: ‘More than greeting card love’ (NPR station WNIJ. Feb, 2022)
- Dublin Celebrates 40th Anniversary With New Downtown Sign, Poem (Patch. Feb, 2022)
- James Morehead on Doing the Right Thing When No One Else Will (The Write Stuff. Aug, 2021)
- James Morehead To Serve As Dublin, CA Poet Laureate (Patch. June, 2021)
- Painting and Poetry Partnership at Dublin Art Show (Patch. Aug, 2021)
- Book Marketing Case Study—Canvas by James Morehead (AuthorImprints. July 2021)
- How The Pandemic Inspired This Dublin Man To Follow His Dreams (Patch. May, 2021)
- Self-Publishing and Pursuing Passions With Poet James Morehead (Influenster. June, 2021)
- Dublin Author Publishes First Volume of Poetry, Entitled “Canvas” (The Independent. May, 2021)