Jeffery Renard Allen (born in 1962 in Chicago) is an American poet, essayist, short story writer, and novelist. He is the author of two collections of poetry, Harbors and Spirits and Stellar Places, and three works of fiction, the novel Rails Under My Back, a story collection Holding Pattern and a second novel, Song of the Shank. In writing about his fiction, reviewers often note his lyrical use of language and his playful use of form to write about African-American life. His poems focus on music, mythology, history, film, and other sources rather than narrative or autobiographical experiences.