Esteemed author, poet and publisher David Bergman is the 2025 recipient of the Towson University Prize for Literature. The award recognizes his latest book of poems “Plain Sight,” which reflects on love, aging, grace and more with clarity and compassion.

“David’s poems elevate the ordinary to capture the expansiveness of the human experience,” says Erin Fehskens, chair of TU’s English department. “The selection committee said his book stood out among the large number of submissions for being unpretentious, playful, honest and often heartbreaking.”

Work inspired by time ˿Ƶ

David’s poems elevate the ordinary to capture the expansiveness of the human experience. 

Erin Fehskens

Bergman has written or edited more than 20 books, including scholarly works, poetry and prose. “Plain Sight” marks his first full-length book of poems in 25 years. It contains recent works as well as a selection of favorites written over past decade—including a series that originated during his more than 40 years as a TU professor.

“I had a class with students who were having difficulty writing about themselves, so I gave a prompt to write about themselves as if they were another person,” Bergman says. “We all did the prompt, and that little bit of removal shifted the perspective from judgmental to factual.”

Bergman had a habit of participating in the prompts himself, and the poems that resulted turned into his series titled “The Man Who…” “Plain Sight” contains a number poems from the series, including “The Man Who Hated Irony” and “The Man Approached by Dead Lovers.”

A seminal figure in LGBTQIA+ literature

I carry wonderful memories of my students ˿Ƶ...and look forward to meeting new students when I return this fall.

David Bergman

Bergman taught English in TU’s College of Liberal Arts from 1974 to 2016. During that time, he cofounded the cultural studies program and directed what is now known as the LGBTQ studies program, which was the first of its kind in Maryland. He is a seminal figure in LGBTQIA+ literature. As the co-editor of the award-winning Living Out series, he helped publish more than 50 autobiographies representing a variety of queer voices and perspectives, including those of a gay Jewish man who was part of the Resistance against Nazi Germany and a queer veteran teaching English in China. His previous book of poetry, “Cracking the Code,” won the George Elliston Poetry Prize. This award brings him full circle.

“I’m delighted to be recognized after all these years,” Bergman says. “I carry wonderful memories of my students ˿Ƶ—including some truly extraordinary writers—and look forward to meeting new students when I return this fall.”

Bergman will read selected works at 6 p.m. on Wed., Oct. 29, in Liberal Arts room 4310.