Martie Odell-Ingebretsen was born in Pasadena, California. At an early age, she fell in love with books and reading and has continued that love throughout her life. She received her AA degree in Pasadena, attended the University of California at Berkeley and several California State College campuses with a major in English Literature. She is a child-development specialist who taught young children for over thirty years. She and her husband owned a flower shop for twenty years, where she spent many holidays delivering flowers. During that time, she also wrote, and took many classes in creative writing, poetry and fiction. She has two novels in the making, a number of short stories, and over two thousand poems, currently. Some have been published. The first poem that she ever submitted, captivated her sociology teacher in high school enough to give her an A plus. She continued to write, after that, and found poetry to be a way to express her deepest feelings. She is a keen observer, and finds imagery in all things and in so doing learns to appreciate the beauty and wisdom that surrounds her. She looks forward to publishing her first book of poetry soon.  

Martie is a member and a moderator at Passions in Poetry

Publishing credits

A Small Death, published in Bitterroot International Poetry Quarterly, Summer, 1978

This Inevitable Morning, published in Western Poetry Quarterly, Summer, 1977

Grandmother, published in Who’s Who In Poetry In American Colleges and Universities, 1975

You Leave Me With Permanence, Still and Always Love, February 21, Every Year, Paper Memories, published in ABC’s of Grief by Christine A. Adams, 2003

A Love Story, I Talk to the Woods Denuded, published in Reflections on the Web

To Still the Hand of the Muse, February 21, Every Year, published in Voices on the Web

Passions in Poetry
Archived and current poetry

Seeking Wing
some of my poetry, photos and prose