John Berryman

Born in 1914 in McAlester, Oklahoma, John Berryman became one of the major American poets of his generation. His work is often linked to the confessional movement, but it also stands apart for its formal daring, dark comedy, and emotional intensity.

He studied at Columbia University and later at the University of Cambridge, then taught for many years, including at the University of Minnesota. His early books included Homage to Mistress Bradstreet, but his reputation was firmly made by 77 Dream Songs and His Toy, His Dream, His Rest, later gathered as The Dream Songs, a sequence centered on the troubled, shape-shifting figure Henry.

Berryman won major honors including the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. His poetry is remembered for the way it mixes wit, sorrow, performance, and raw feeling, creating a voice that still feels urgent and alive.