MIKE STINSON is a poet from Nebraska, and his first full-length book of poetry is Much Needed Rain (2026).

On a wintry day in Nebraska, while sitting at his second-grade desk, Mike looked out the window and became rapt with a glorious red Northern Cardinal perched against a backdrop of fresh fallen snow. A few weeks later, he researched and composed his first manuscript, The Bird Book. In third grade, he became enthralled with Great Plains and Native American history, which became a lifelong passion. In his ensuing formative years, to perhaps help cope with his parents’ divorce, he became a sports enthusiast. The diamonds, gyms, and fields were his sacred spaces. The practices and games, his great escapes. After high school, Mike learned formal meditation and hitchhiked around the country, carrying the Tao Te Ching and Be Here Now by Ram Dass as his guides.

All the while, Mike also carried a spiral notebook, in which he wrote random thoughts and feelings in poetic form. He found his way to the Writer’s Workshop at UNO in the early 70’s, which further kindled his passion for poetry. He continued his wayward journey until eventually he settled down a bit, earning a master’s in counseling psychology and working as a psychotherapist in private practice and for Lincoln Public Schools. His writing continued in a variety of genres, including a poetry column and personal-interest/humor commentary called Walking the Dog for a small-town newspaper.

Upon retirement, Mike delved into the study and writing of haiku in earnest. He likes to think the above experiences were breadcrumbs leading to this sublime art form. His undying love of nature and birds, photography, life and travel on the Great Plains, and baseball still awaken his heart to the “Now” where the spirit of haiku moments abide.