Michael S. Harper | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 18, 1938 Brooklyn, New York, U.S. |
| Died | May 7, 2016 (aged 78) Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. |
| Occupation | Poet, Professor |
| Language | English |
| Citizenship | U.S. |
| Alma mater | California State University, Los Angeles, Iowa Writer's Workshop |
| Genres | modern poetry, jazz poetry |
| Subjects | Jazz musicians |
| Years active | 1968–2016 |
| Notable works | Dear John, Dear Coltrane |
| Notable awards | The Frost Medal for lifetime achievement in poetry (2008), Robert Hayden Poetry Award (1990), Melville-Cane Award (1978), Black Academy of Arts and Letters Award (1972), Guggenheim Award (1976) and NEA Fellowships (1977). |
| Spouse | (divorced) |
| Children | Roland, Patrice, and Rachel Harper |
Michael Steven Harper (March 18, 1938 – May 7, 2016) was an American poet and English professor at Brown University, who was the Poet Laureate of Rhode Island from 1988 to 1993. His poetry was influenced by jazz and history.[1]
Among the influences which shaped his writing, he said that the most important lesson he learned from musicians was phrasing, the authenticity of phrasing, and the transcendence and spiritual mastery. He published ten books of poetry, two of which—Dear John, Dear Coltrane (1970) and Images of Kin (1977)—were nominated for the National Book Award. Many of his poems have been included as examples of African-American literature and jazz poetry in various anthologies.