B.A. English, German
Post-Graduate Major Theatre Arts
M.A. German, minor English
M.A. Theatre Arts, minor psychology
M.Ed. Guidance and Counseling
Licensed School Counselor
Licensed Professional Counselor
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Certified Poetry Therapist -
(see National Association of Poetry Therapy)

• Worked in education for 42 years as teacher, counselor, instructor, and adjunct professor. Taught kindergarten through graduate school.
• Lived and worked in Germany for ten years.
• Fluent in English, German and Spanish.
• Studied philosophy in German College for one year.
• Lived and studied in Spain past four summers.
• Has read his poetry in several states and in foreign countries, including Puerto Rico, Mexico, France, Germany and Spain.

Senior Editor and Magazine Poetry Therapist , "The Poet Magazine" a bi-monthly magazine produced by Salome Salter. More information can be found at the website. The first edition features an interview by James Brandenburg with Mo Saidi, who just received his M.A. in British and American Literature and Language from Harvard University. Also, James contributed a Poet's Corner, The Early History of Poetry and a poem. You can view the first edition by clicking here. (Note: this is a 4.13 MB download)

Published Two Books of Poetry, "In pursuit of the Butterfly" 1996, and co-authored Somewhere Everywhere Irgendwo Überall" 2003 with Hejo Müller, a Berlin poet. Half of the poems were written by James Brandenburg in English and translated into German by Hejo Müller and the other half were written by Hejo Muller in German and translated into English by James Brandenburg. sold all copies (1300 copies printed) of "In Pursuit of the Butterfly" and has sold almost 500 copies (first printing 500 copies) of "Somewhere Everywhere Irgendwo Überall". Published in anthologies and magazines. Hosts longest running poetry venue in San Antonio at Fiesta Trails Barnes and Noble and hosts a second Saturday Open Mike Venue at Gallista Art Gallery. Twice Poet Laureate with San Antonio Poets' Association. Working on two new books of poetry and has a publisher to publish a book about integrating poetry into support groups for international students.

Currently High School Counselor at Tom C. Clark High School and Adjunct Professor at San Antonio College. Mr. Brandenburg has run international support groups for 18 years at Clark High School and last year integrated poetry therapy into his sessions. Clark has a large international population from all over the world, including such countries as Kosovo, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, China, Uzbekistan, Africa, The Philippines, Afghanistan, Spain, Germany, France, and various countries in Latin America.

Major Influences: Romance poets (Blake, Wordsworth, Shelly, Byron, Keats, and Coleridge), e.e. cummings, Pablo Neruda, Samuel Beckett, Tennessee Williams, Ray Bradbury, the psychology of Carl Jung, and the philosophy of Martin Heidegger. Writes free verse - lyrical poetry. Many of his poems deal with a commercialized, dehumanized society, lacking spiritual values. He finds that modern man is destroying and ignoring nature, the true source of our inspiration. Often seen as a nature poet.