author
David Wright
A South African-born British poet, critic, and translator, he wrote with unusual musicality and insight despite losing his hearing as a child. His work often blends lyric grace, sharp wit, and a deep interest in literature across languages.
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About the author
Born in Johannesburg in 1920, he became deaf at age seven after scarlet fever and later moved to England as a teenager. He studied at Northampton School for the Deaf and then at Oriel College, Oxford, graduating during the Second World War.
He went on to build a wide-ranging literary career as a poet, critic, editor, and translator. His poetry is known for moving between lyrical, satirical, and narrative modes, and he also became respected for translations and for championing other writers through his editorial work.
Wright spent most of his life in Britain and remained an important presence in postwar literary circles. He died in 1994, leaving behind work remembered for its intelligence, formal control, and the distinctive perspective he brought to language and sound.