Poets

While visiting in the mid-1960s, gay poet Allen Ginsberg saw gays rounded up and sent to work camps. He quickly, and publicly, became a government critic.

To mark the 10th anniversary since Massachusetts because the first U.S. state to legalize same-sex marriage, advocacy group Freedom to Marry commissioned Richard Blanco, the poet for Barack Obama’s second inauguration in 2012, to write a poem commemorating the decade.

MIAMI — The Miami neighborhood where inaugural poet Richard Blanco grew up, in many ways, resembles Cuba his family left behind. Down the street, a man sells avocados from a small table. His favorite bakery, a few blocks north, serves guava pastries and cafe con leche.

Marlon Riggs was a filmmaker, educator, poet and gay rights activist. He examined race and sexuality in his documentaries for which he received an Emmy Award and a Peabody Award.

Patrick Califia is a transgender author of fiction, nonfiction and poetry. His writings explore sexuality and gender identity, and have included lesbian erotica and works about BDSM subculture.

Reinaldo Arenas was a Cuban poet, novelist and essayist whose work focused on political and social injustices. He was born into poverty in the Cuban countryside. He wrote his first poems by carving words into tree trunks.

Poet Richard Blanco delivers his an inaugural poem “One Today” on Monday at President Barack Obama’s second term inauguration. In addition to being the youngest ever inaugural poet, Blanco, 44, is the first Hispanic and the first openly gay person to serve in the role. Watch: More on Richard Blanco is here. The text of […]

WASHINGTON — Poet Richard Blanco has delivered an inaugural poem paying homage to the American experience. Blanco, at age 44 the youngest ever inaugural poet, recited a poem that painted vivid scenes about America and included reflections on his experience growing up as Cuban exile in New York City and Miami. His poem, “One Today,” […]

The Presidential Inaugural Committee announced Wednesday that openly gay poet Richard Blanco will be one of five people selected to read an original poem at a President Barack Obama’s second-term inauguration. Blanco, 44, will be the first Latino, first gay man, and youngest person to serve the role.

Katharine Lee Bates was a songwriter, poet and educator. She is best known for writing “America the Beautiful.”

A celebrated poet and novelist, Langston Hughes is one of the most significant voices to emerge from the Harlem Renaissance. A major contributor to American literature, his legacy includes 25 published works.

John Ashbery is one of the most successful 20th century poets. He has won almost every major American literary award, including the 1975 Pulitzer Prize for poetry.