Witter Bynner, poet, was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1881; at age 7, he moved with his family to Brookline, MA. He graduated from Harvard University in 1902, having served on the editorial board of the Harvard Advocate from 1900-1902. Bynner then spent 4 years as associate editor for McClure's Magazine . Byner quit regular employment and began writing poetry full-time in 1908. Under the pseudonym Emanuel Morgan, he collaborated with Arthur Davidson Ficke in writing Spectra (1917), a book parodying contemporary poetic vogues such as imagism, which was for a time considered a serious work. Bynner was elected President of the Poetry Society of America (1921-1923) and traveled extensively in the Orient, where he became influenced by Chinese poetry. After an extensive tour of the Orient, he moved to Santa Fe, N.M., where he continued to write poetry. Bynner became a central figure in the arts communities of Santa Fe and Taos. He died in Santa Fe in 1968.
From the guide to the Witter Bynner Collection, 1949-1995 (bulk, 1953-1984), (University of New Mexico. Center for Southwest Research.)
