Witter Bynner

Born in Brooklyn in 1881, Witter Bynner studied at Harvard and went on to work in journalism and magazine editing before building his reputation as a poet. He published many poetry collections over the course of his career, and he was also known for his gift as a translator, especially of Chinese poetry.

Bynner had a mischievous side as well: with Arthur Davison Ficke, he created the fake "Spectra" movement to parody poetic fashions of the day, a literary hoax that became famous in its own right. That mix of craft, humor, and curiosity helped make him a distinctive figure in early 20th-century American letters.

He later became closely associated with Santa Fe, New Mexico, where he lived for many years and moved in a wide circle of writers and artists. He died in 1968, but his name lived on through the Witter Bynner Foundation for Poetry, created from his bequest to support the art of poetry.