Christopher Kennedy is writing in the tragi-comic vein of Bill Knott, Russell Edson, and Charles Simic. He tackles sensitive issues (death, family, the break-up of a marriage, etc) with a self-effacing humor that makes you chuckle, then reflect. He has taught in the Syracuse University MFA Program since 1994 and been the program's Director since 2001. That job includes organizing their prestigious Carver Reading Series. So Chris has a faithful following among his past students, and is very well-liked among writers. His two previous full-length collections with micro-presses were well-received and have sold roughly 1600 copies, however the small reach of the presses has kept him from gaining a wider readership. We view Encouragement as a way to expose this talented poet to the wider audience he deserves.