Clarence Hawkes

Born in Goshen, Massachusetts, in 1869, Clarence Hawkes became blind as a boy after a hunting accident; he had also lost part of a leg in childhood. He went on to study at the Perkins Institution in Boston and built a career as both an author and lecturer.

Hawkes was best known for writing about nature, animals, and country life in a warm, observant style. His work included poetry, stories, and memoir, and one of his most noted books was The Darkened Path: A Story of Blindness and Its Triumphs, an autobiography about losing his sight and making a life in spite of it.

Remembered as the "Blind Poet of New England," he published widely and spent decades sharing his love of the natural world with readers and audiences. His life story gives his books an added depth: they are not only about nature, but also about resilience, attention, and delight in ordinary things.