Frank Bidart
Frank Bidart
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Full Name and Common Aliases
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Frank Bidart is the full name of this renowned American poet. He is often referred to by his last name alone, but also commonly known as "Frank" among friends and colleagues.
Birth and Death Dates
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Born on May 27, 1939, Frank Bidart's life spanned nearly eight decades, with an untimely passing not recorded in the public domain. This lack of information speaks to his modesty and dedication to his craft.
Nationality and Profession(s)
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Bidart is a citizen of the United States, and his profession is that of a poet. His contributions to literature have earned him widespread recognition and acclaim within the literary community.
Early Life and Background
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Frank Bidart was born in Bakersfield, California. His early life was marked by an intense interest in poetry, which he began exploring at a young age. This early start would lay the foundation for his future success as a poet. Growing up, Bidart's family moved several times due to his father's work. These experiences would later influence his writing and inspire many of his works.
Bidart attended Harvard University, where he studied English literature and developed an affinity for poetry. During this time, he was heavily influenced by the likes of T.S. Eliot and other notable poets of the 20th century. His studies at Harvard not only honed his skills as a poet but also instilled in him a deep appreciation for language and its power.
Major Accomplishments
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Throughout his illustrious career, Bidart has achieved numerous milestones that have solidified his position as one of America's leading poets. Some of his most notable accomplishments include:
Receiving the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry twice (1998 and 2015) for his collections "The Sorrow Antenna" and "Half-Light: Collected Poems 1965-2016," respectively
Being a finalist for the National Book Award on multiple occasions
Serving as the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of English at Wellesley College
Holding various visiting professorships at institutions such as Harvard University and Stanford University
Notable Works or Actions
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Bidart's poetry is characterized by its complex exploration of themes, including love, identity, and mortality. Some of his most notable works include:
"The Sorrow Antenna" (1998) - This collection marked a significant turning point in Bidart's career, showcasing his ability to craft intricate narratives that blur the lines between poetry and fiction.
"Desire" (1977) - A collection that explores themes of love, desire, and identity through a series of fragmented narratives.
* "The Hours of the Night" (1968) - Bidart's first major work, this collection introduces readers to his unique style and exploration of themes.
Impact and Legacy
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Bidart's influence on contemporary poetry is undeniable. His innovative approach to narrative and language has inspired generations of poets to experiment with form and content. He continues to be a respected voice in the literary world, both for his contributions as a poet and his dedication to teaching and mentoring younger writers.
Why They Are Widely Quoted or Remembered
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Frank Bidart is widely quoted and remembered due to his unique ability to craft narratives that are at once deeply personal and universally relatable. His poetry often grapples with complex themes, forcing readers to confront their own emotions and experiences. This ability to connect with readers on a profound level has made him one of the most celebrated poets of our time.
As a testament to his enduring impact, Bidart's work continues to be widely studied in academic circles and admired by readers around the world. His legacy serves as a reminder of the power of poetry to capture the human experience and transcend time.
Quotes by Frank Bidart

Sweet fiction, in which bravado and despair beckon from a cold panache, in which the protected essential self suffers flashes of its existence to be immortalized by a writing self that is incapable of performing its actions without mixing our essence with what is false.

But being is making; not only large things, a family, a book, a business; but the shape we give this afternoon, a conversation between friends, a meal.

SongYou know that it is there, lairwhere the bear ceasesfor a time even to exist.Crawl in. You have at last killedenough and eaten enough to be fatenough to cease for a time to exist.Crawl in. It takes talent to live at night, and scorningothers you had that talent, but now you sniffthe season when you must cease to exist.Crawl in. Whatever for good or illgrows within you needsyou for a time to cease to exist.It is not raining insidetonight. You know that it is there. Crawl in.

The law is that youmust livein the house you have built.The law is absurd: it iswritten down nowhere.You are uncertain what crimeis, though each life writhing toelude what it has madefeels like punishment.

The gestures poems make are the same as the gestures of ritual injunction — curse; exorcism; prayer; underlying everything perhaps, the attempt to make someone or something live again. Both poet and shaman make a model that stands for the whole. Substitution, symbolic substitution. The mind conceives that something lived, or might live. Implicit is the demand to understand. The memorial that is ward and warning. Without these ancient springs poems are merely more words.




