Alan Seeger | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 22 June 1888 New York City, New York |
| Died | 4 July 1916 (aged 28) Belloy-en-Santerre, France |
| Cause of death | Died of wounds |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Military career | |
| Allegiance |  France |
| Service | French Army |
| Years of service | 1914–1916 |
| Battles / wars | First World War |
Alan Seeger (22 June 1888 – 4 July 1916) was an American war poet who fought and died in World War I during the Battle of the Somme, serving in the French Foreign Legion. Seeger was the brother of Elizabeth Seeger, a children's author and educator, and Charles Seeger, a noted American pacifist and musicologist; he was also the uncle of folk musicians Pete Seeger, Peggy Seeger, and Mike Seeger. He is lauded for the poem "I Have a Rendezvous with Death", a favorite of President John F. Kennedy.[1] A statue representing him is on the monument in the Place des États-Unis, Paris, honoring those American citizens who volunteered to fight for the Third French Republic while their country was still neutral and lost their lives during the war. Seeger is sometimes called the "American Rupert Brooke".[2]
- ^ Robertson, Nan (28 August 1964). "Mrs. Kennedy Greets Thousands at Reception". The New York Times. p. 13. Retrieved 1 June 2021.
- ^ "An American Rupert Brooke". Vassar Miscellany News. 20 February 1917. Retrieved 2 June 2023.