Edwin Arlington Robinson

Edwin Arlington Robinson, (1869 — 1935) was born in Maine and died in New York. His poetry concerns life in small-town America; the dramas and misfortunes that afflict ordinary people.

It is thought that much of the tragedy about which he wrote was based in his own family experiences.
He cut short his studies at Harvard University and returned to his small town to support his family , which was embroiled in financial problems. His two brothers died young after failing at their respective ventures. Hence his poetry concerns the tragic complexities of life. Robinson also personally struggled in poverty for years until he achieved recognition for his work.

After several false starts his poetry collection ‘The Man Against the Sky’ (1916) brought him critical acclaim. Robinson’s work is characterised by contrasting tragedy and hope. His poetry is based on precise stanzas, neat rhyming patterns and clear and accessible language. His most popular and well-known poem from this period is ‘Richard Cory’, which typifies his approach and style.

Latterly, Robinson wrote longer narrative poems involve more subtle psychological portraits; ‘Merlin’ (1917), is a long blank-verse narrative poem based on the King Arthur legend, followed by Lancelot (1920) and Tristram (1927). Robinson’s Collected Poems appeared in 1921.