John David Brehm

John Brehm

November 12, 1955 – August 24, 2026

Award-winning poet John Brehm died peacefully in his Portland home on Monday, August 24, at the age of 70.

Born to a working class family in Nebraska, John broke with family tradition by declining to learn a trade after high school and instead embracing the uncertain path of a dedicated, lifelong poet. Over the course of his life, he taught literature to college students in four states and published five volumes of original poetry (a sixth one—Spotlit by Sunlight,a book of original haiku—will be released by Wisdom Publications in 2027), as well as two thematic anthologies and an acclaimed book of essays about poetry (The Dharma of Poetry, Wisdom Publications).

His poems also appeared in literary journals and anthologies including Poetry, Ploughshares, The Gettysburg Review, The Sun, The Southern Review, and The Missouri Review, among many others. His poem “Sea of Faith” was selected for The Best American Poetry 1999, and his work was also included in The Norton Introduction to Literature.

In the 2000s, while living in New York City and working as a freelance copywriter for Oxford University Press, Penguin, Random House, and other publishing houses, John also served as a volunteer hospice worker for five years, a formative experience that flavored much of his subsequent work, as did the Vipassana Buddhist practice that became an essential part of his life during this time.

John settled in Portland, Oregon, in 2011, where he met his wife, Alice Boyd, in 2014. One of their greatest joys was teaching together, leading retreats that combined Feldenkrais movement (Alice’s specialty), meditation, and poetry. They held several of these retreats in the Portland area, as well as in Colorado, California, and Mexico.

Charming, humorous, and compassionate, John enjoyed many deep friendships, as well as lasting relationships with students who stayed in touch with him over the years. Diagnosed with a painful, progressive form of lymphoma in 2021, John remained fiercely committed to his craft, reporting faithfully to his writing desk every morning.

Known for poetry that is accessible, clear, direct, and penetrating, John’s honors include the 2004 Brittingham Prize in Poetry for Sea of Faith and the 2012 Four Lakes Prize in Poetry for Help Is on the Way, as well as the 2016 C. Hamilton Bailey Fellowship from Literary Arts. He was also awarded a 2007 fellowship at Yaddo, the renowned artists’ community in Saratoga Springs, New York.

John is survived by his wife, Alice; his brother, Dale; and numerous members of his chosen family, including close friends and former students who loved him and whose lives were enriched by his spirit, his kindness, and his work.

(In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to John’s publisher, Wisdom Publications (https://wisdomexperience.org/donations/donate/), or another favorite press, Fonograph Editions (https://fonografeditions.com/donations/2026-10-year-anniversary).