Joseph Mayo Wristen

Joseph Mayo Wristen (1951 - Present)

Joseph was born in Toppenish Washington and has lived in the Northwest off and on for most of his life. At the age of seventeen, Joseph had hitched hiked throughout the northwest and California, and until the age of twenty six he spent most of his time traveling Europe and North America.

During this period of his life he worked many odd jobs, where he meet many interesting people. Joseph attended classes at a variety of schools; Fairhaven in Bellingham, WA, Madison Film School in Wisconsin, Evergreen College in Olympia, WA and others.

His first full time job was selling encyclopedias and children’s books. Since
then he has worked for a number of companies in the solar energy industry,
recreation properties sales, the telecommunications industry, the security
software industry and as a real estate agent.

Until just a few years ago no one other than his closest friends and family had seen his work. At his youngest daughter’s request he decided to publish three books; one for each of his children. Just A Dancing Bear Looking For A Star, Dead Dreams, and The Code.

Joseph has just completed Painting with Words, his fourth book of free verse, which features his work The Wall.

Joseph presently lives in Southern California with his wife, Michele, and their six children. He is currently working on his newest collection of poetry, there is a dead man living in the kitchen which will include his third play ‘The Meeting”.

Works from each of his first four books are posted on the American Poems website.