Rukeyser, Muriel, 1913-1980

Muriel Rukeyser was an American poet, playwright, biographer, and writer of children's literature.

American poet.

Poet and biographer.

American poet and political activist.

American poet and political activist Muriel Rukeyser was born December 15, 1913, in New York, New York.

She began her five-decade literary career in 1935 when her book of poetry, Theory of Flight, based on flying lessons she took at Roosevelt Aviation School, was selected for publication and the Yale Younger Poets prize.

Rukeyser's published works include more than a dozen poetry collections that often had themes of social activism or social protest, which reflected her personal involvement with many political causes throughout the world, such as the Spanish Civil War, Vietnam War, and death penalty cases. She died February 12, 1980, in her home city of New York.

American poet David Louis Posner was born August 6, 1921, in New York to Nell and Louis S. Posner. Although his father was born in Britain, he worked as a lawyer on Wall Street and later became Commissioner of Education for New York City. In 1945, Posner received his B.A. from Kenyon College where he majored in French and in 1947 he received his M.A. in English Literature from Harvard. Posner studied at the Sorbonne, worked for French radio, and pursed an interest in archeology. He published seven books of poetry.

"Muriel Rukeyser" in Literature Resource Center. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/LitRC?locID=udel_main (accessed October 2008). "David Posner" in Literature Resource Center. http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/LitRC?locID=udel_main (accessed October 2008).

Biographical Note