Peter Russell (poet)

Peter Russell
Irwin Peter Russell
Born	16 September 1921 Bristol, England
Died	22 January 2003(2003-01-22) (aged 81) San Giovanni Valdarno, Italy
Occupation	Poet
Spouse	Marjorie Keeling-Bloxam (1951–1963) Lana Sue Long

Irwin Peter Russell (16 September 1921 – 22 January 2003) was a British poet, translator and critic. He spent the first half of his life—apart from war service—based in Kent and London, being the proprietor of a series of bookshops, editing the influential literary magazine Nine and being part of the literary scene. Bankruptcy and divorce led to several years of travel which took him to Berlin, Venice, British Columbia and Iran, amongst other places. After the Iranian Revolution he settled permanently in Italy, where he spent the rest of his life. He lived in considerable financial hardship and throughout all he lived a life dedicated to poetry. His work never became mainstream, but it is highly regarded in some circles.