Ron Spoelman is a minister, educator, and poet who has lived in Harlan County for almost four decades where he first worked as a pastor to three small Presbyterian churches in Cawood, Cranks, and Smith, Kentucky. His poetry reflects his ministry within the still-vibrant culture of Appalachia. These poems are stories of his congregations, often told in the language of their subjects. Spoelman has degrees from the University of Michigan and Calvin College.