1892-1982. US poet. He made his name with the
long narrative poem `Conquistador' 1932,
which describes Cortes' march to the Aztec
capital, but his later plays in verse, Panic
1935 and Air Raid 1938, deal with
contemporary problems. He was born in
Illinois, was assistant secretary of state
1944-45, and helped to draft the constitution
of UNESCO. From 1949 to 1962 he was Boylston
Professor of Rhetoric at Harvard, and his
essays in Poetry and Opinion 1950 reflect his
feeling that a poet should be `committed',
expressing his outlook in his verse. Born in
Illinois, he went to France in 1923, and
during his expatriate years there published
his most personal poetry, including `Ars
Poetica' 1926. He was assistant secretary of
state 1944-45, and helped to draft the
constitution of UNESCO. From 1949 to 1962 he
was Boylston Professor of Rhetoric at
Harvard, and his essays in Poetry and Opinion
1950 reflect his feeling that a poet should
be `committed', expressing his outlook in his
verse.