Penn State Altoona professor publishes poem in bird anthology

ALTOONA, Pa. - Erin Murphy, professor of English at Penn State Altoona, has a poem about inebriated robins in the new anthology "Birdbrains: A Lyrical Guide to Washington State Birds."

Murphy's poem "Flying Under the Influence in Issaquah" focuses on robins that become tipsy after feeding on fermented fruit. The poem appears alongside work by such notable writers as Naomi Shihab Nye, Diane Seuss, Jane Hirshfield, Ted Kooser and Carolyn Forché.

Edited by Susan Rich and published by Raven Chronicles Press, the collection includes bird notes by Stephanie Delaney and original artwork by Hiroko Seki.

Murphy is the author or editor of more than a dozen books and serves as Poet Laureate of Blair County. You can read more about her work on Murphy's website.