Ed Note: I knew Ethan almost from the time I moved here. He introduced me to the poetry groups. He encouraged me when I started doing the crier as part of the Charles Town/ Ranson Business association. We acted together in a short play called “Joe’s Shorts." Whenever we bumped into each other we took time to break bread together. I loved his Jonny Dime. Like him I loved old radio shows. I will miss him. Thanks for letting me be part of your wonderful world.
James P. Whipple
West Virginia Writers and the world lost one of its brightest stars Fridaywhen Ethan Fischer succumbed after a long battle with cancer. He wrotemysteries for radio and poems for posterity. He produced The Rumsey RadioHour where Ethan made famous his "Johnny Dime the Poet of Crime" routines. His work has appeared in the following places among others: Potomac Review; Dickinsonian; WPFW Anthology (next to Ferlinghetti); Antietam Review; APublic Hanging; POETRY; Free State; WV Magazine; Works on Walls; VirginiaCountry; The Muse Apprentice; The Pembroke Magazine; Mountain Pathways; Tuscarora Review; Ruby. In 2009 when Grace Cavalieri hosted the series, “The Poet and The Poem”from the Library of Congress featuring U.S. Poet Laureate Kay Ryan andseveral other noted poets, F. Ethan Fischer was included and aptly so. Theradio series is available to all public radio stations via the Public RadioSatellite System’s ContentDepot.His book Beached in the Hourglass was published by The Bunny and CrocodilePress and his work may also be found in “Wild Sweet Notes: 50 Years of WestVirginia Poetry. He was senior editor of Antietam Review and he broadcastnews over WRNR. He taught English & Creative Writing at Shepherd Universitywhere he found among his students, stars of the fertile void, but there wasso much more to this man.
Ethan Fischer was a lawyer, a writer, an actor, a poet and a broadcastjournalist. Topping his personal joy list, however, is his life, and work,as a teacher.As an adjunct professor at Shepherd University, Ethan taught Englishliterature, creative writing and poetry."It's such a privilege," he said. "I love my students. They're a scrappybunch with a good attitude."His work also took him to Frederick Community College where he taught onthe graduate level; and to the parks in the summer where he taught "YoungPoets in the Park" for years. As Ed Zahniser said, “He taught them from 8or 9 to 80 or 90.”"I get to work with true genius before it gets stepped on. It's perfect,” said Ethan.He also established an ongoing independent poetry program for Shepherdstownstudents.
James P. Whipple
West Virginia Writers and the world lost one of its brightest stars Fridaywhen Ethan Fischer succumbed after a long battle with cancer. He wrotemysteries for radio and poems for posterity. He produced The Rumsey RadioHour where Ethan made famous his "Johnny Dime the Poet of Crime" routines. His work has appeared in the following places among others: Potomac Review; Dickinsonian; WPFW Anthology (next to Ferlinghetti); Antietam Review; APublic Hanging; POETRY; Free State; WV Magazine; Works on Walls; VirginiaCountry; The Muse Apprentice; The Pembroke Magazine; Mountain Pathways; Tuscarora Review; Ruby. In 2009 when Grace Cavalieri hosted the series, “The Poet and The Poem”from the Library of Congress featuring U.S. Poet Laureate Kay Ryan andseveral other noted poets, F. Ethan Fischer was included and aptly so. Theradio series is available to all public radio stations via the Public RadioSatellite System’s ContentDepot.His book Beached in the Hourglass was published by The Bunny and CrocodilePress and his work may also be found in “Wild Sweet Notes: 50 Years of WestVirginia Poetry. He was senior editor of Antietam Review and he broadcastnews over WRNR. He taught English & Creative Writing at Shepherd Universitywhere he found among his students, stars of the fertile void, but there wasso much more to this man.
Ethan Fischer was a lawyer, a writer, an actor, a poet and a broadcastjournalist. Topping his personal joy list, however, is his life, and work,as a teacher.As an adjunct professor at Shepherd University, Ethan taught Englishliterature, creative writing and poetry."It's such a privilege," he said. "I love my students. They're a scrappybunch with a good attitude."His work also took him to Frederick Community College where he taught onthe graduate level; and to the parks in the summer where he taught "YoungPoets in the Park" for years. As Ed Zahniser said, “He taught them from 8or 9 to 80 or 90.”"I get to work with true genius before it gets stepped on. It's perfect,” said Ethan.He also established an ongoing independent poetry program for Shepherdstownstudents.
Ethan was a contributing senior editor for the Antietam Review for years.He was the visiting poet/teacher/editor to Bluefield College, and conductedwriting lecture-workshops for the West Virginia Writers, Inc. - of which hewas elected vice president - the Sotto Voce Poetry Festival, the Arts &Humanities Alliance, Veterans Administration Hospital programs, AntietamReview, Hagerstown Community College Writer's Day and the Arts Center.He chaired the annual New Writers Fiction Award, as the faculty adviser toSans Merci and writes for the famous, infamous and widely broadcast RumseyRadio Hour. His work has been published in the Potomac Review,Dickinsonian: WV Magazine; Virginia Country; WPFW Anthology; AntietamReview and the list goes on.Ethan is married to Ursula Nottnagel and they have made their home inHarpers Ferry for years with their three children.He might live in Harpers Ferry but finding Shepherdstown he recalls, "Youlove finding the community you've been looking for." He loves the fact thatthis town supports so many arts events.Seems like when you arrived in Shepherdstown you could find him at hisfavorite venue. He loved the Blue Moon for giving poets and musicians,young and old, ongoing opportunities to perform. To quote the devotedpatron, "This is where it's at."Ethan Fisher was a writer and a poet but above all else, he was a teacher.Among his students are, as he says, "stars of the fertile void to come if we are not careful. Yet poetry forever stays 'a night train ticket out oftime."
Each Day Living
These are living days,
Being gods of unreason
But reason for being ways
Each Day Living
These are living days,
Being gods of unreason
But reason for being ways
Of tuning as keys turning in
Locks of the body or the face to fall in with grace,
to walk at my own pace,
to speak daily in praise~
Ethan FischerJanuary 2009
Shalom, my friend.
Ed Zahniser and the West Virginia Writers, Inc
Shalom, my friend.
Ed Zahniser and the West Virginia Writers, Inc
