Despite being one of the most renowned writers in the world, the life of the poet Kahlil Gibran is somewhat shrouded in mystery. Who was the real man behind some of the most captivating poetry of the early 20th century? In this article, we will explore his humble beginnings and the extraordinary events that led him to become a legendary figure in literature - the third best-selling poet of all time. Gibran was born in Bsharri, in a mountainous village in what is now modern-day Lebanon on January 6th, 1883. He was one of four children. When he was eight years old, he father was imprisoned for embezzlement, so his mother decided  to move Kahlil and his siblings to...

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  Rossetti wrote wild, romantic and imaginative poetry that leaps off the page. Whether it’s her weird and wonderful epic poem, “The Goblin Market” or her beautiful, mysterious sonnets like “Remember”.  While her poetry still looms large in anthologies and collections of British poets, her own life was quieter, more retiring, especially in comparison to her bohemian and drug-addled artist brother and his artist pals, the Pre-Raphaelites. But her own life reveals some clues as to her inspiration for her lyrical masterpieces.   Papà - Gabriele Rossetti                    Mamma - Frances Polidori   She was born in London’s Italian quarter. One of three children, Christina was the youngest child. Their father, a Dante scholar...

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If you asked most people who the best-selling poet in the United States is, not many would think it was a Muslim scholar born over 800 years ago. And yet, Rumi's timeless poetry is beloved by so many the world over. But who is this mysterious poet, who writes such moving and lyrical words that speak directly to the reader. Read on for my short bio of the most romantic poet who has ever lived...   A portrait of Rumi - poet, mystic, teacher, scholar   Rumi had an itinerant childhood. His father was a prominent preacher and jurist. Rumi was born in Wakhsh, now modern-day Tajikistan. The family moved from Rumi's birthplace at the arrival of the invading Mongols...

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E. E. Cummings is one of America’s most beloved and widely read poets. His poems are strange and beautiful, with a cadence and rhythm entirely their own. His words are read in wedding vows and many Valentine cards. Cummings could capture in just a few simple words the magic of what it is to love and be loved.   In a world of internet sound-bites and shortened attention spans, his sometimes terse and awkward delivery forces the reader to pause and listen, and let Cummings words sink deeply into our hearts.   But who was this singular and unique poet? Where did he come from, and how did he come to write so many masterful poems?   Read my short bio...

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  Historians have said you can’t really have America without Walt Whitman. His works still speaks to the soul of the country, of freedom and self-determination. He himself lived a varied and unconventional life that no doubt shaped his writings.   Read our short biography on the man behind some of America’s greatest poetry.     He was born in 1819 in West Hills, Long Island, the second of nine children. At age four, the family moved to Brooklyn. Whitman remembered his childhood as marred with financial difficulties, and the family would have to move often.   Despite being the focus of many a high school English class, Whitman himself left school at age 11. He worked a variety of...

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Nowadays, poetry is mainly read in school, studied in textbooks and analysed in exams. Not many read poetry for pure enjoyment anymore, and therefore a lot of the lustre of these poets has gone out. But not very long ago, poetry was once alive, vibrant and widely read. Poets were celebrities and people would clamour to get ahold of their latest works. One such poet now relegated to the “classics” is W. B. Yeats. His poems are still being quoted in wedding speeches and anniversary cards today. But who was Yeats? Where did he come from, and how did he come to write such moving words?   Read my short bio for the story behind this poet’s life. The Cloths...

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