Bio

Ravenna Cole grew up in a trailer in rural Pennsylvania and moved to the Arizona desert when she was in high school. Raised in non-denominational churches, she left her faith behind while studying philosophy in college. It was during her preparation for a PhD dissertation on Kierkegaard that she started to take Christianity seriously again, which ultimately led to her reception into the Catholic Church.

Cole is cast in the mold of ancient philosophers, for whom thinking is done while walking and talking and ideas are tried in the fires of life. After her conversion, she adopted a nomadic life in search of a more poetic way to dwell, living most of the last decade on a small sailboat with her husband and four children. Cole began writing poetry seriously after the birth of her first child and studied for a time in a creative writing MFA program but left it to pursue a poetic vision outside of the academy. She currently divides her time between Florida and Alaska.

Bio Video

Press and Promotional Resources

Short MUSIC bio:

Ravenna Cole began setting her poetry to music in 2025, combining hip-hop beats and rap with pop- and new music-influenced vocals to transform her searching, experimental poetry into dance-worthy prayers, philosophical meditations, and love songs. Her debut album, The Bountiful Dream, is based on her poems in The Alchemy of Grace and will be released in Spring 2026.

Short POETRY bio:

Ravenna Cole is the author of seven books of poetry set to be released over the next several years. Her first book, The Alchemy of Grace, is available now through In the Wind Press. Individual poems from this volume have appeared in different forms under pseudonyms in Evangelization & Culture, Dappled Things, Convivium, The Windhover, Amethyst Review, Catholic Poetry Room @ Integrated Catholic Life, and elsewhere.

More about Ravenna:

For a deeper dive into Ravenna's story, why she studied philosophy, her conversion, how and why she started writing poetry, and writing and performing music, watch her introductory podcast or download the transcript.

Have more questions? Want to write a story or collaborate? Looking for other resources? Want to schedule a performance, reading, or virtual interview? Contact Ravenna through her contact page and we'll respond as quickly as we can.

To get news about shows, music, books, & podcasts, as well as access to exclusive merch, join for free on Patreon. Become a member to gain access to exclusive content, discounts, previews, and more.
Sign up on Patreon