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SOME OF THE POETS WHO HAVE DIED IN 2014

Below, sadly, are the names of some of the poets - writing in all languages, living around the world - who died in 2014.

Most are widely-published, and were beloved figures; a few were more "obscure"; one or two were best known as performance poets. One is a quasi-fictional figure (Mayall).  All were linked to poetry in their obituaries this year.  A few I counted as friends.

Every death is terrible; the death of a poet no more or less than another's, except in how it closes the conversation that poet had with life and the world - from then on, all we have is what they were able to say, to write, to compose, to edit, to erase, to publish, while alive.

Poets are not always the easiest people to love while living - but once they become their words, their books, they become loveable.  Larkin is the best example.

But there are many others.  I wish these poets posthumous readers.  And to their family and friends, students and colleagues, peers and readers, I offer condolences. I also welcome additional entries (though I do not wish for more dead poets) and any information you wish to send me; and of course, corrections.


ALLAN KORNBLUM

ALLEN GROSSMAN

AMIRI BARAKA

ANNE ARDOLINO


BILL KNOTT

CAROLYN KIZER

CLAUDIA EMERSON

DANNIE ABSE


DOUGLAS ISAAC

EMMA LOU THAYNE


FELIX DENNIS

GALWAY KINNELL


GERARD BENSON


IGOR ISAKOVSKI


JOHN ASFOUR

 
JOHN HARTLEY WILLIAMS

JON STALLWORTHY

JUAN GELMAN

KENT MAYNARD

KESHAV CHAND

LILLIAN MORRISON

MAGGIE ESTEP

MAMA BRENDA

MARK STRAND

MAXINE KUMIN

MAYA ANGELOU


NIK BEAT
 
PHYLISS JANOWITZ

RENE RICARD

RIK MAYALL (THE PEOPLE’S POET)

RYOR BARADULIN

SAID AKL

SAMIH AL-QASIM

SEBASTIAN BARKER

Simin Behbahani

SUSAN GRINDLEY


TADEUSZ ROZEWICZ


Tomaž Šalamun
 wENDELL BROWN

ZACCHEUS JACKSON
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