Born in 1913 in Cardiff, Welsh poet and fervent nationalist, R. S. Thomas wrote about his ideal of Wales and the role of the English in stripping it of its wild and natural essence. When Thomas was just 5, his family moved north to Holyhead where his father was stationed as a merchant seaman. In 1932 he studied at the ...
Robert Hayden was an American poet who rose from humble beginnings to the very pinnacle of his craft when, in 1976, he was appointed to the position of consultant in poetry to the Library of Congress. This appointment was later called Poet Laureate and, of particular note, Hayden was the first black American to achieve this honour. It was richly deserved though ...
Pulitzer Prize-winning American poet James Wright came to prominence in 1956 with The Green Wall, a volume of poems which was awarded the Yale Younger Poets Prize. He has been called: “a craftsman who can put to use the traditional elements of his art while at the same time exploring new means of expression.” Wright was born December 13th 1927 in Martins Ferry, Ohio, ...
Nobel Prize winner Hermann Hesse was born July 2nd 1877 in Calw, Southern Germany. He was raised in a pietist family; pietism having its origins in the Lutheran Church of Germany and its philosophy was utter devotion to God above all others and respect for family. Throughout his life he tried to rebel against his religious upbringing but did not abandon ...
Not much is known about the life of the 4th Century Sanskrit dramatist and poet Kalidasa although he was profoundly influenced by Ashvaghoshha who was writing three hundred years earlier. His name is linked to many legends including that he was known for his great beauty which attracted the attention of a princess who decided to marry him. It is said that he ...
