Now here is a curious mixture – a writer of predominantly children’s stories, some leaning towards adult readers; a writer of songs for famous recording artists; a writer of musical scores for movies; and finally a writer of plays for adults. What an interesting life Sheldon Allan Silverstein must have led! He was born in 1932 in Chicago, USA and passed through his ...
Some of the most iconic 20th century poets were young men killed in the First World War. Whilst Rupert Brooke was not killed in action, he was quickly celebrated as the fallen ‘golden warrior’, a vision of patriotic beauty and talent. Born in 1887 to a respectable, academic family, Rupert received a good education from two independent schools in Rugby. Before ...
The librarian poet, Philip Larkin (1922-1985) is a poet whose work has helped to shape the literary world. A strong follower of Thomas Hardy, Philip Larkin mimicked his style. The abandonment of the style of neo-Romanticism was typical of poets of his time. However, his deeply rich poems of the life and love have made him to be considered in the ...
Poet and mystic Kabir lived between 1440 and 1518 in India and has had a great influence on Indian society, and beyond, ever since. He was an intensely spiritual man, taking concepts from both Hinduism and Islam to present a world view that reduces man’s place in the universe to its simplest components. His poetry feeds from this well of simplicity and ...
Born into the hustle and bustle of Manhattan in 1941, Billy Collins grew up to become one of America’s most prominent modern day poets. A professor at New York’s Lehman College, Collins was crowned Poet Laureate for the United States between 2001 and 2003. He has produced a number of poetry works including The Best Cigarette which became a bestseller in ...
Born in New York in 1940, Jack Prelutsky describes himself as a sensitive kid who had a bit of a rough time growing up in a poor neighbourhood. He had no inkling during his school days that he would grow up to be a successful children’s poet and seemed to have received little encouragement to do so at that time. Poetry bored ...
Throughout the history of poetry writing, it is fair to say, there have been so many poets who were genuinely unpleasant people. Perhaps being a famous, even revered, writer can lead someone into self-centredness at best. At worst they become so obsessed with getting it right, with producing the next “great work”, that they can easily forget that they are a ...
Frederic Ogden Nash ( 1902-1971) known as Ogden Nash to readers of his work is known for his children’s poems. His works have entertained children and adults alike since the creation of each work. In an era where such individuals as Will Eisner and Walt Disney were common names, Ogden Nash was the poetic voice to the child narrative. Comparative Style When looking ...
Khalil Gibran (1883-1931) was an American Immigrant poet. Born in a time when poverty prevailed in a majority of the populace, so was the family of Khalil Gibran. His mother was the daughter of a priest, which played a critical part in his life. As Gibran was a member of the poverty class, his education was non-formal. The education ...
When observing the poetry of Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) one cannot separate the political views and rebellious nature of the man from his works. Ever in opposition to the English government and to the religious orders of his time (see his work The Necessity of Atheism), Percy Bysshe Shelley’s works come across as blunt statements regarding our existence, our political views, and ...
