author
Louis Untermeyer
1885–1977
Best known for bringing poetry to generations of readers, this lively American writer helped make verse feel welcoming rather than remote. Alongside his own poems and essays, he edited hugely influential anthologies that shaped how modern poetry was taught and enjoyed.
1 Audiobook
Challenge
by Louis Untermeyer
About the author
Born in New York City on October 1, 1885, he left high school to work in his family's jewelry business, but kept writing and educating himself through reading. That unusual path helped give his work a direct, accessible tone that appealed to general readers as much as to literary audiences.
He built a remarkably wide career as a poet, critic, editor, and anthologist. His collections of modern American and British poetry became especially important, introducing many students to contemporary verse, and over the years he wrote, edited, translated, or compiled more than 100 books.
His literary life stretched across much of the 20th century, and in 1961 he was appointed Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, a role now known as U.S. Poet Laureate. He died on December 18, 1977, remembered not only for his own writing but for helping countless readers discover poetry in the first place.