what is a biography poem

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How to Write a Biopoem

Last Updated: September 5, 2023 Fact Checked

This article was reviewed by Annaliese Dunne . Annaliese Dunne is a Middle School English Teacher. With over 10 years of teaching experience, her areas of expertise include writing and grammar instruction, as well as teaching reading comprehension. She is also an experienced freelance writer. She received her Bachelor's degree in English. There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 73,154 times.

A biopoem is a poem with a very specific formula. It describes a person, and it is 10 lines long. You can write a biopoem about yourself or about someone else; the formula works either way.

Constructing a Biopoem

• Fierce unyielding brave tall
• Son of Thomas Lincoln and Nancy Hanks Lincoln, husband of Mary Lincoln
• Lover of freedom, tall hats, and good speeches
• Who felt patriotism for his country and who felt grief at a divided nation
• Who feared what would become of a divided country, feared the south would win, feared the costs of war
• Who issued the Emancipation Proclamation and who won the Civil War
• Who wanted to see the nation whole again
• Born in Kentucky, died at Ford’s Theater in Washington, DC

Writing and Formatting a Biopoem

Sample Biopoem

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• ↑ https://www.readwritethink.org/sites/default/files/resources/lesson_images/lesson398/biopoem.pdf
• ↑ https://www.canteach.ca/resources/english-language-arts/poetry/how-to-write-a-bio-poem/
• ↑ https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/bio-poem-connecting-identity-and-poetry
• ↑ https://www.dyslexiasupportservices.com.au/pdf_files/BioPoem.pdf
• ↑ https://www.pebblego.com/sites/default/files/files/Bio%20Poem.pdf

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by-og-ruh-fe

A biography is an account or description of a person’s life, literary, fictional, historical, or popular in nature, written by a biographer.

E.g. In the poignant biography of Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson, the author delves into the complex life of the Apple co-founder, unraveling the intricacies of his visionary mind and creative genius.

Related terms: Dialogue , first person point of view , irony , critique

Depending on the biography, it can consist of simple, direct facts such as those anyone can get access to. This would include information about a person’s birth, family, and family history. There would also be information about a person’s education, friendships, and defining life events and relationships. Other biographies focus on one period of a person’s life, usually one that was particularly important in the wider history of their life.

If a writer has special access to the person they’re writing about, information about that person, or contacts that knew that person, one biography might be more personal and intimate than another.

All the information in a biography is usually conveyed in chronological order. Although it is not unusual for the book to start with an important moment and then go back in time, tracing the person’s important life events.

Types of Biographies

There are several different kinds of biographies that fall under the larger category of “biography”. These include historical biography, fictional, literary, reference, and popular. Fictional biography is one of the most creative. It tells the story of a fictional character as if they were a real person. Examples include  The Real Life of Sebastian Knight  by Vladimir Nabokov and  Nate Tate  by William Boyd.

Examples of Biographies

Example #1 orlando  by virginia woolf.

This book is one of the best examples of fictional biography. It was published in October of 1928 and tells the story of a poet who changes sex from a man to a woman and lives a lifetime over centuries.

Example #2 Alice Walker: A Life by Evelyn C. White

Alice Walker: A Life  is a wonderful example of a traditional literary biography. It traces the life and accomplishments of the activist and author of The Color Purple  Alice Walker.

Autobiography

An autobiography is the largest of the categories. This is is the story of someone’s life written by the person who lived it. Sometimes the writer will need assistance from a  ghostwriter, or a professional writer who helps them get the writing in order while they provide the information. There are many different kinds of autobiographies . Some, such as  David Copperfield  by Charles Dickens are semi-autobiographical or include characters and events that closely mirror the events of a writer’s life.

Example of an Autobiography

The diary of a young girls by anne frank.

This slightly unusual autobiography is a compilation of personal writings from the young Anne Frank in Dutch. It was written during the period that Anne and her family were in hiding for two years during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands. While she died in 1945 in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, her diary was retried and published. It has since been translated into more than 60 languages.

Example of a Semi-Autobiographical Novel:  Burmese Days by George Orwell

In this book, Orwell takes a look at his life through the story of a fictional character in a very real place that the writer knew well. It is set in 1920s British Burma and follows John Flory. The novel was inspired by the time that Orwell spent in the Indian Imperial Police in the same region, between 1922 and 1927.

A memoir is similar to an autobiography as it is written by the person whose life it is about. But, a memoir focuses on memories rather than life facts. it might take a narrower view, focusing only on one period of time with a particular intent.

Example of a Memoir

Dreams from my father by barack obama.

This famous memoir was published in 1995 long before Obama became president of the United Staes or even before he was elected to the Illinois senate. He recounts his upbringing and how it set him apart from his contemporaries.

Home » Genre » Biography

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• Expressing Identity Through Bio Poems

Poetry is a powerful tool for self-expression and reflection. One captivating form of poetry that allows individuals to share their unique stories is the bio poem. A bio poem is a structured poem that provides a glimpse into a person's life, thoughts, and experiences. By capturing key aspects of their identity, bio poems become a canvas for personal expression. In this article, we will explore the beauty of bio poems by providing examples that showcase the diverse ways in which individuals can tell their stories.

Example 1: A Bio Poem Celebrating Strength

Example 2: a bio poem reflecting on life's journey, example 3: a bio poem celebrating creativity.

Miranda Courageous, determined, and resilient Lover of adventure, seeker of the unknown Who feels exhilaration in the face of challenge Who fears conformity and mediocrity Who would like to see a world united in compassion Resident of a heart filled with wanderlust Smith

In this example, Miranda presents herself as a person filled with strength and determination. She embraces her love for adventure and seeks to push her boundaries. Miranda's poem also reveals her desire for a more empathetic world, emphasizing her longing for unity and compassion.

Liam Dreamer, philosopher, eternal student Lover of books, melodies, and starry nights Who feels the weight of time's passing moments Who fears the regrets of an unlived life Who would like to see a world connected by empathy Resident of a mind always seeking knowledge Johnson

Liam's bio poem reflects his introspective nature and thirst for knowledge. The poem suggests that he cherishes the beauty of literature, music, and the cosmos. By highlighting his fear of an unlived life, Liam emphasizes the importance of seizing opportunities and making the most of each passing moment.

Amelia Imaginative, artistic, free-spirited soul Lover of colors, melodies, and blank canvases Who feels joy in each stroke of a paintbrush Who fears the silence of a creative block Who would like to see a world where art is valued Resident of a heart that beats to a creative rhythm Anderson

Amelia's bio poem celebrates her creative spirit and passion for artistic expression. The poem suggests that she finds immense joy and fulfillment in the act of painting. Her fear of a creative block highlights the vulnerability and sensitivity that often accompanies the artistic process.

Bio poems offer a beautiful and concise way to express one's identity, aspirations, and fears. Through carefully chosen words and structured lines, individuals can create poetic snapshots of their lives. Whether celebrating strengths, reflecting on life's journey, or honoring creativity, bio poems provide an opportunity for self-reflection and connection. So why not give it a try? Write your own bio poem and embrace the power of poetry to tell your unique story.

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How to Write a Biog

So you’re going to have your first poem published, or you’ve been accepted onto a writing programme, or you’re going to perform somewhere, or maybe you’re even setting up your own website… and you need a biog..

What on earth is a biog?

A biog (or bio, or ‘short biographical statement’) briefly introduces you as a writer. The idea is to give a flavour of the person behind the poem, and where else the reader might find your work. As you gain more experience, your biog will grow and change. It’s a bit like a mini, informal poetry CV.

The best way to understand what a biog is is to read some examples. Google some of your favourite poets’ names + biog, flick through a poetry magazine, or look at the end of Young Poets Network features and challenges . Here are a few made-up examples:

Noah is a seventeen-year-old poet from Bangor. In 2020, he was the second-prize winner in the Made-Up Challenge on The Poetry Society’s Young Poets Network, and performed at the Senedd Cymru as a result. Ray James is a Jamaican-British poet who writes about football, cats, and cats playing football. They tweet @PussInFootballBoots Zara is studying Physics at the University of Birmingham. She was a Foyle Young Poet in 2017, is a member of Young Identity, and has performed at the Hippodrome, Birmingham. Her poems have appeared in Really Excellent Poetry Magazine, Wow So Impressive Poetry Journal and An Anthology of Brilliant New Poets (2020). Her favourite poet is Mary Jean Chan. Mohammed Abidal is a sixth former at a local school. He was born in France and grew up in Aberdeen. This is the first time he has ever performed his poetry.

You can see that, depending on the context, you might want to give different information. Mohammed’s biog sounds like it’ll be read out before he goes on stage – so the audience will have some geographical context for ‘a local school’. It’s usually best practice not to name your school or a place more specific than your city or county, to protect your own identity.

What do I write about?

First of all – shorter biogs are usually preferable, so you don’t need to answer everything we’re about to cover. And if you do have an answer, cherry-pick the most interesting or important details. But here are some ideas…

Include all your writing accolades if you’ve got any – have you won or been a runner-up in any competitions? Have you been published anywhere? Have you performed anywhere?

Include any writing activities you get up to: do you edit a magazine? Do you run a poetry society/club or a night? Are you part of a poetry collective or mentoring programme?

And, if you have space, the more general stuff: what are your interests (poetry and otherwise)? What kind of writing do you do? Are you studying? Are you working? Again – read some other people’s biogs. What do you find it interesting to hear about when poets are introduced?

But I’ve never been published/performed anywhere!

That’s okay! You can still give the audience an idea of who you are – go for the more general stuff. You’ll be able to update it as you go.

How do I present it?

It depends!

Is someone else asking you for a biog? If so, have they specified how they want it to be presented (e.g. is there a maximum word count? Have they specified that they want it written in the first or third person*)? Follow their instructions if so.

If they haven’t given you any instructions, it’s probably best practice to write it in the third person and write around 30-60 words , like the examples above. They’re usually not long at all.

If you’re writing a biog for your own website or blog, it can be as long as you like, and you can include a wider range of details. You can write it in the first or third person. Again, look at your favourite poets’ websites for ideas.

And in terms of structure… well, you’re a poet! As long as it makes sense, flows nicely and sounds as impressive and interesting as you can make it, you’ll have done a great job.

Final pro tip – have a document where you keep versions of your biog of different lengths. Some people might want a one-sentence biog; some people might ask you for 50 or 100 words or want the full works. Having all these to hand in advance just makes your life much easier!

*First person = “ I am a poet from Newcastle, my favourite writer is…” Third person = “ Jasmine is a poet from Newcastle, her favourite writer is…”

Still got questions leave your queries (and your own tips and biogs) in the comments below..

Published June 2021

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How to Teach Your Students to Write Biography Poems

Students can tell their stories in a playful way

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Biography poems, or Bio poems, are a quick and easy way for young students to learn poetry . They allow students to express their personality and introduce themselves to others, making them a perfect activity for the first day of school. Bio poems can also be used to describe someone else, making them perfect for history lessons or other subjects where students might be studying key historical figures. You will see in the examples below that students can research someone like Rosa Parks , then create a Bio poem on her.

What Are Bio Poems?

Below, you can read three examples of Bio Poems. One is about a teacher, one is about a student, and one is about a famous person that students researched.

Sample Bio Poem of a Teacher

Kind, funny, hard-working, loving

Sister of Amy

Lover of Computers, Friends, and Harry Potter books

Who feels excited on the first day of school, sad when she watches the news, and happy to open a new book

Who needs people, books, and computers

Who gives help to students, smiles to her husband, and letters to family and friends

Who fears war, hunger, and bad days

Who would like to visit the pyramids in Egypt , teach the world’s greatest third graders, and read on the beach in Hawaii

Resident of California

Sample Bio Poem of a Student

Athletic, strong, determined, fast

Son of Janelle and Nathan and brother to Reesa

Loves the Diary of a Wimpy Kid books, sports, and Baked Beans

Who feels happy when playing with friends, and happy when playing sports and being with his family

Who needs books, family, and Legos to by happy in life

Who makes people laugh when someone is sad, who likes to gives smiles, and loves hugging

Fears the dark, spiders, clowns

Would like to visit Paris, France

Resident of Buffalo

Sample Bio Poem of a Person Researched

Determined, Brave, Strong, Caring

Wife of Raymond Parks, and mother of her children

Who loved freedom, education, and equality

Who loved to stand up for her beliefs, loved to help others, disliked discrimination

Who feared racism would never end, who feared she wouldn't be able to make a difference, who feared she wouldn't have enough courage to fight

Who changed history by standing up to others and making a difference in equality

Who wanted to see an end to discrimination, a world that was equal, and respect was given to all

Born in Alabama, and resident in Detroit

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AI Generator

Poetry has long been a captivating form of self-expression, allowing individuals to communicate emotions, ideas, and experiences in a unique and artistic manner. One fascinating variation of poetry is the bio poem, a distinctive form that offers a creative approach to introspection and character exploration. In this article, we delve into the world of bio poems, understanding their essence, learning how to write them step by step, and exploring some intriguing examples.

1. Bio Poems Made Easy

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2. How to Write a Bio Poem

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3. Simple Bio Poem Example

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4. Basic Bio Poem Template

5. Example Bio Poem Template

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6. Auto Bio Poem Example

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8. Sample Bio Poem Example

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11. Printable Bio Poem Example

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What is a Bio Poem?

A bio poem is a distinct type of poem that provides a snapshot of a person’s life, personality, or essence within a structured format. Unlike traditional poems, which may focus on a particular theme , tone , or element, a bio poem aims to capture the various facets of an individual’s identity in a concise and artistic manner. This form of poetry often combines elements like alliteration , metaphors, and literary devices to convey the subject’s characteristics and experiences. Each bio poem is a personal journey, presenting a contextualized portrayal of the person it is dedicated to.

How to Write a Bio Poem

Crafting a bio poem is an engaging process that encourages introspection and creativity. This step-by-step guide will lead you through the process, helping you unearth the essence of the subject and express it eloquently through verse.

Step 1: Choose Your Subject

Begin by selecting the individual for whom you’re crafting the bio poem. This could be yourself, a friend, a family member, or even a historical figure. Consider the context and purpose of the poem – are you celebrating their achievements, conveying their struggles, or exploring their personality?

Step 2: Brainstorm Characteristics

List down the various characteristics, qualities, and experiences that define the subject. These could include personality traits, accomplishments, challenges they’ve overcome, and pivotal life events. This brainstorming session will serve as the foundation for your poem’s content.

Step 3: Organize Your Thoughts

Divide the characteristics you’ve listed into different categories or stanzas. Each stanza will focus on a particular aspect of the subject’s life or personality. This organization will give your poem a structured flow, allowing readers to navigate through the subject’s identity seamlessly.

Step 4: Craft the Poem

Now, it’s time to mold your thoughts into poetic form. Use literary devices like metaphors and alliteration to enhance your verses. Choose a tone that aligns with the subject’s essence – whether it’s reflective, celebratory, or contemplative. Remember to avoid clichés , as your goal is to present a unique and genuine portrayal.

What’s the difference between a bio poem and a traditional biography?

While both capture aspects of a person’s life, a bio poem distills these elements into a poetic form that focuses on emotions, experiences, and characteristics. It offers a creative and artistic approach to self-expression.

Can a bio poem be written about fictional characters?

Absolutely! Bio poems can be crafted for both real and fictional individuals. They’re an excellent tool for understanding and developing characters in literature.

Are there specific rules about the length of a bio poem?

Bio poems don’t have strict length requirements. However, they are usually concise and focused, conveying the essence of the subject within a few stanzas.

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• Bio Poems Examples: A Creative Way to Introduce Yourself

Bio poems are a popular form of poetry that allows individuals to introduce themselves in a unique and creative way. These poems are typically structured with a specific format, making them easy to follow and understand. In this article, we will explore various bio poems examples to showcase the versatility and creativity of this form of poetry.

What is a Bio Poem?

A bio poem is a type of poetry that provides a snapshot of a person's life, personality, and interests. These poems are usually written in the first person and follow a specific format that includes various aspects of the individual's life. Bio poems are typically short and concise, making them perfect for introductions or self-reflection.

Father, husband, friend

Who loves spending time outdoors

Who feels at peace near the ocean

Who fears failure

Who dreams of traveling the world

Artist, dreamer, adventurer

Who loves painting colorful landscapes

Who feels inspired by nature

Who fears losing her passion

Who dreams of creating a masterpiece

Why Write a Bio Poem?

Writing a bio poem is a great way to explore and express your identity, values, and aspirations. It allows you to reflect on your life experiences and share them with others in a creative and engaging way. Bio poems can be used for self-discovery, introspection, or as an introduction to a larger body of work.

Teacher, mentor, storyteller

Who loves inspiring young minds

Who feels fulfilled when a student succeeds

Who fears losing his passion for teaching

Who dreams of writing a best-selling novel

Bookworm, writer, daydreamer

Who loves getting lost in fictional worlds

Who feels a sense of freedom when writing

Who fears writer's block

Who dreams of publishing her own book

Bio poems are a fun and creative way to introduce yourself to others or explore your own identity. By following a specific format and including details about your life, interests, and aspirations, you can create a unique and personalized poem that reflects who you are. Whether you are a seasoned poet or a beginner, bio poems examples can inspire you to try your hand at this versatile form of poetry.

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How to Write a Poetry Bio for Beginners

“ At one point I had no idea what to put in my writer’s bio when I was first published and I had to scramble to find out the best way to go about it.”  – dimitrireyespoet.com

One of the most satisfying things that come out of working with my Patreon poets are the ways in which they improve each time we speak to each other. They’re proof that as long as the writer is always looking forward and working on themselves— whether that’s by reading, writing, or creating in a myriad of different ways — there is incremental improvement in their work. Emerging poet, Cathlin Noonan is a great example. 

Quite recently, Cathlin has received her first publication acceptance (yay!) and reached out to me seeking counsel on how to create a bio and this brought me BACK! At one point I had NO IDEA what to put in my writer’s bio when I was first published and I had to scramble to find out the best way to go about it. Admittedly, my first few publications went through different versions of my bio until I finally found a template I was comfortable with so I wanted to make sure to cut out the awkward and prepare Cathlin a bio that she’d be able to build upon in time.

Because of technology, I was also able to record our conversation where (of course!) I drop several golden nuggets (which are quite possibly secrets!) about how to navigate a bio and even how to build relationships with publishers. Please watch the full video that shows a bit of the process and thinking behind a well-structured bio. By the end, you’ll know How to Write a Poetry Bio for Beginners.

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Bio-Poem Examples

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Share these bio-poem examples with students to use as a guide when they write their own bio-poems . Jackson Friendly, silly, athletic, tall Son of John and Brenda Who loves chocolate chip ice cream, the Grizzlies, and Saturdays Who feels happy, tired, and lucky And who is scared of tests, thunderstorms, and failure Who learned how to shoot a three-point shot and won a basketball trophy Who hopes to see an NBA game and make his parents proud Lives in Memphis, Tennessee Tillman Emily Loud, short, gymnast, smiley, responsible Friend of Lila, Carly, and Grace Loves to do cartwheels, eat raw cookie dough, and write poetry Who feels excited on weekends and embarrassed at school Who learned how to do a handstand when she was three years old Who hopes that everyone could get along Resident of Tennessee Garner Martin Proud, courageous, eloquent, wise Leader to millions Who loved nonviolence, god, and humanity Who felt outraged by hate and prejudice And who was inspired by acts of kindness Who gained greater dignity for his people And hoped everyone could leave in peace He lives in our hearts Luther King, Jr.

How to Cite This Handout

Facing History & Ourselves, “ Bio-Poem Examples ”, last updated February 17, 2023.

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A Book That Puts the Life Back Into Biography

To capture the spirit of the poet Audre Lorde, Alexis Pauline Gumbs decided to break all the rules.

When the critic Janet Malcolm set aside a biography of Sylvia Plath and began reading a memoir about the author instead, she felt as if she “had been freed from prison.” The writing in the biography, Bitter Fame , by Anne Stevenson, had been “by far the most intelligent” of the published Plath biographies at the time, but the conventions of the form, its “hushed cautiousness, the solemn weighing of ‘evidence,’” could stifle even the most effervescent talent. Stevenson’s pursuit of objectivity had required a sacrifice of style and of feeling.

It was 1994 when Malcolm published those words in The Silent Woman , her book-length investigation of Plath’s reputation, her work, and the people who tried to write about her. Since then, the number of biographical projects on Plath has more than doubled. Her short life and death by suicide provoke an unrelenting fascination . So does her writing, which trembles with feminine rage and aliveness. Some argue that Plath has been eulogized enough, but who’s to say when a subject has been exhausted? More than 30 biographies of Sigmund Freud exist; 50-plus on Winston Churchill. As the scholar Emily Van Duyne, the author of a new biography on Plath , wrote in 2020 , “No one ever asks when we will be ‘done’ with the Beatles.”

A new biography of Audre Lorde by the poet and scholar Alexis Pauline Gumbs is only the second full-length text treatment of the author, who was born in 1934, 16 months after Plath, in Harlem. Taking its title from a passage in a draft of Lorde’s 1984 essay “Eye to Eye: Black Women, Hatred, and Anger,” Gumbs’s layered and original Survival Is a Promise deeply engages with Lorde’s poetry and prose. It also takes a full accounting of her life, including aspects that another biographer might consider ephemeral. Major figures and events are held up for analysis alongside false starts, mistakes, words stricken from typewritten manuscripts. Gumbs finds meaning in the locks of shorn hair she discovers in Lorde’s archive and in the fauna of St. Croix, where the author drew her final breaths. Foregrounding the often-difficult conditions that shaped her, Gumbs’s book revels in Lorde’s lush multiplicity, moving through the ebbs and flows of her life with both precision and lyricism and expanding the limits of what a biography can be and hold and feel like.

Lorde was a prolific creator. In her 58 years, she wrote enough poetry to fill a dozen collections, many essays and speeches, and a memoir she called a biomythography ; she also co-founded the historic feminist press Kitchen Table to promote women writers of color. She held a central belief in the liberatory possibility of language, which had been instilled in her early on by her Bajan book-collecting father and a Black librarian at the 135th Street branch of the New York Public Library. (That branch is now the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.)

Read: The brilliance in James Baldwin’s letters

Lorde was an outcast in her family (because she was the darker-skinned daughter of a woman who sometimes passed for white) and at her elite high school (because she was Black). Perhaps to soothe these cuts to her soul, she pursued connections with chosen family, and equipped herself with knowledge of ancestors, spirits, nature, and the stars. Other poets were a guiding force. At Hunter College High School, Lorde worked on the literary magazine alongside the future Beat poet Diane di Prima. With a group of other outcast girls, the two held séances on the floor of a schoolroom, where they conjured the ghosts of dead Romantics such as Lord Byron and John Keats and called themselves “the Branded.” “The poetic lineage Lorde and the Branded claimed was compelling and visionary and bleak,” Gumbs writes. “They identified with the fallen.”

Gumbs calls Survival a “cosmic biography” because it accounts for the ways in which “the dynamic of the planet and the universe are never separate from the life of any being.” Natural wonders were deeply intertwined with Lorde’s life: The biographer devotes lyrical passages to eclipses, volcanoes, and especially hurricanes. In 1989, Lorde survived Hugo in St. Croix, a U.S. territory, and documented the government's militarized response. Her father had been an infant in 1898 when the Windward Islands hurricane killed more than 300 people in the eastern Caribbean. It displaced some 45,000 in Barbados alone, and destroyed its lucrative sugarcane crop, then the country’s chief export. Gumbs speculates that his eventual migration to Panama and then Grenada, where he met the woman who would become Lorde’s mother, could be traced to the storm’s many upheavals.

This episode also illustrates Gumbs’s remarkable approach to time. “Read this book in any order you want,” she instructs. Rather than a typical biography “linearly dragging you from a cradle to a grave,” Survival Is a Promise is constructed out of 58 short, lyrical, often essayistic chapters, one for each year of Lorde’s life, that can also be read “like a collection of poems.”

The book begins with what would be a conventional ending. More than 20 years after her subject’s death, Gumbs sits with a trove of Lorde’s own hurricane-worn copies of her books. The next chapter evokes the dedication ceremony of the Audre Lorde Women’s Poetry Center at Hunter College in 1985. (At this point, Lorde knew that her cancer, first diagnosed in 1977, had returned, and she and her community treated this event as something of a first funeral.) Only then do we propel backwards, to the circumstances of Lorde’s birth, her childhood, her teenage years, and beyond. Like a hurricane, the book rapidly covers enormous ground while also moving in multiple directions at once. The effect is associative and discursive.

Ultimately, Gumbs seems to want her undulating biography to feel like truth. Because Lorde’s words remain in the zeitgeist, her afterlife is detailed with just as much care. In the years since the publication of Alexis De Veaux’s Warrior Poet , the first full-length biography of Lorde, popular movements for social justice have taken excerpts from the poet’s essays and speeches. “The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House,” the title of a 1979 talk on feminist organizing, became a slogan for a host of causes, including reimagining the role of the police . “Caring for myself is not self-indulgence” has been used in social-media captions trumpeting spa days and vacations. Lorde wrote that sentence in the context of her struggle with breast cancer, which she’d learned had metastasized to her liver three years before.

Gumbs implores readers to dig beneath the shallow appropriations. “We need her survival poetics beyond the iconic version of her that has become useful for diversity-center walls and grant applications,” she writes. “We need the center of her life.” The book returns flesh to Lorde’s memory, painstakingly describing her lost school friends; her first crush; the honeybees she kept with her partner, Gloria Joseph; and her garden; it grounds her legacy in the stuff of her life.

A comprehensive biography accounts for a subject’s shortcomings, and Gumbs does not discuss Lorde’s in any depth. But she does acknowledge conflict. In a searching, tender timbre, she traces the rift between Lorde and the poet June Jordan. Also born in Harlem in the 1930s, Jordan met Lorde when they were instructors for the SEEK program at the City University of New York, which helped students from under-resourced backgrounds prepare for college. Their relationship became strained when Jordan refused to identify as a lesbian. Lorde believed that visibility could combat queer people’s marginalization; Jordan believed identity politics could devolve, creating community for some while excluding others.

Later, Jordan became furious when her and Lorde’s mutual friend, the poet Adrienne Rich, publicly avowed her Zionism following Israel’s 1982 invasion of Lebanon. When Jordan wrote an open letter for the feminist newspaper WomaNews decrying Rich’s stance, a group of other feminists, including Lorde, signed a letter criticizing Jordan, whose letter was never published. Though the two continued to teach each other’s work, there is no record of a resolution.

Read: The many lives of Adrienne Rich

Gumbs lets her own musings fill in the blanks, imagining that the women still held each other in fondness, inquiring after each other through friends and colleagues. “There is no documentation, but that doesn’t mean I can’t imagine it,” she writes. This is just one of several unconventional choices that seem to address Janet Malcolm’s quibbles with biography. “The ideal of unmediated reporting is regularly achieved only in fiction, where the writer faithfully reports on what is going on in his imagination,” Malcolm wrote.

Gumbs has reported both the reality of her own imagination and the facts according to the available record. The result is a prismatic work of art that invites more questions. I hope it may also bring about more inventive considerations of other artists. For many of Lorde’s generation of esteemed sister-poets, major biographies have yet to be published. June Jordan is one of them. The still-living poet Sonia Sanchez is another; she was the last speaker at the podium of Lorde’s 1993 memorial at the Cathedral of Saint John the Divine.

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September 4, 2024 4:15 PM | Updated: September 5, 2024 4:55 AM

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In every office she's ever had, Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson has kept a copy of   Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, " The Ladder of Saint Augustine ." There's one stanza in particular that she likes:

The heights by great men reached and kept Were not attained by sudden flight, But they, while their companions slept, Were toiling upward in the night.

"I love the idea that in order to be successful, it takes hard work," Jackson says. "You can't always control whether you're the smartest person in the room, for example, but you [can] commit to being the hardest worker."

Jackson traces her interest in studying law back to her childhood. When she was 4, her father enrolled in law school at the University of Miami. She remembers sitting at the kitchen table with her coloring books, across from her father and his stack of law journals.

"We would work together and he'd ask me questions," she says. "It was really a bonding moment for me."

Jackson went on to attend Harvard for both undergrad and law school. As a young lawyer, she says, she was often at the office before anyone else — and then she'd stay until everyone else had gone home. Working as a public defender helped shape the type of judge she would become.

"One of the things I discovered very early on was how few of my clients really understood what had happened to them in the trial process," Jackson says. "And so when I became a judge, I really focused on being clear."

In 2022, Jackson became the first Black woman appointed to the United States Supreme Court. During her first year on the bench, she spoke more than any other justice in that same term — a marked departure from past justices who sometimes take years before becoming vocal. Now Jackson is sharing her story in a new memoir, Lovely One. (The title of the book derives from a translation of Jackson's West African name, “Ketanji Onyika.")

Interview highlights

On learning about Constance Baker Motley , the first Black woman to argue a case before the Supreme Court

Judge Motley was appointed to the court in the ‘60s, I believe. And this is the court in the Southern District of New York. And I was born in 1970. And when I was in late elementary school, early middle school, I came across an article about her in Essence or Ebony , one of the Black magazines that my parents subscribed to. And, gosh, I mean, it was such an eye opener for me, in part because I learned that we share a birthday, September 14th. We were born on exactly the same day, 49 years apart. ...

And so here we had this woman who was a lawyer and who had gone on to be a judge, and the thought of being a judge just kind of planted in my mind. And it was something I guess I'd always wanted to do. And this was also around the time when Justice O'Connor had been appointed to the Supreme Court. So now we had a woman judge on the Supreme Court. I just remember those things being very motivational for me, early on.

On growing up in D.C. with parents from the South, who wanted her to be proud of being Black

I was born at this very, very pivotal time in American history. I was a first inheritor of Dr. Martin Luther King's dream ... if Dr. Martin Luther King presented America with a metaphorical check come due, my generation reaped the first installment. So what it meant for my parents, who were now young people with a baby coming of age in this really, sort of time of opportunity after being so limited in their upbringing, they wanted me to do all of the activities that they had been restricted in doing. But they also felt pretty strongly that it was important to shore up my own self-esteem. Having grown up in a society in which there was so much negative imagery and messaging about African Americans, they were worried that that would undermine my ability to perform in white spaces. And so they carefully monitored what I watched and worked on the inputs.

On what she was like in high school

It was a predominantly white school. ... I was popular. I was the student body president three years in a row. So I had a lot of friends and people who liked me, but no dates, which got to be a little bit of an issue my senior year because the student body president, one of the things you're responsible for is planning the prom. And I wasn't going to go until a friend of mine who was a junior said, "Who are you going to go to prom with?" And I was like, "No one." And he was like, "Well, why don't I take you? Why don't we go together?" So I went with him, just so I could go and not be totally left out of an activity that I was planning. But it was not easy to be a high school student and feeling like everybody else is dating and people have crushes, and not being a part of the culture was a little challenging.

On how she met her husband at Harvard

So I am in this class, and he's cute. He's sitting behind me. He's chatting with me and tapping on my shoulder and doing silly things. And afterwards we start to develop a friendship, talking about the material. And he would walk me to my next class on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and then on Tuesday and Thursday, I thought I saw him in our government class, and I would lean down the row and wave and he would, like, roll his eyes like, "Who is this lady?" And I thought, this is kind of weird. Like, why would this guy be so nice to be on some days and not on the others? And I told my roommates about it and they were like, "Leave him alone. He's crazy. You don't want to be with a crazy person!" One of the nice days … I went up to him and I said, "Why don't you speak to me in our government class?" And he said, "I'm not taking a government class." And I said, "Yes, you are." And then it dawned on him that I must be talking about his twin brother.

On how she had her husband have both balanced career and family

I think very early on we kind of decided to take turns. We could see how there would be different points in each of our careers where the other person's professional needs would have to take precedence. It's like we could have it all, but not at the same time. And so there were periods when he was in his surgical residency, for example, he couldn't do anything more than the 20 hours of service that they required in the hospital, sleeping overnight, doing [it] all. And so then I took a lot of the home responsibilities. And when I was clerking for the Supreme Court, it was flipped. He took time out of his residency to do research in Washington, came down and supported me. He brought me dinner at the Court.

Sam Briger and Susan Nyakundi produced and edited this interview for broadcast. Bridget Bentz, Molly Seavy-Nesper and Krishnadev Calamur adapted it for the web.

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Lifestyle | Beat poet’s ‘Song Mount Tamalpais Sings’…

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Lifestyle | beat poet’s ‘song mount tamalpais sings’ gets new life thanks to marin resident, it will be shown as part of the bolinas film festival.

That poem is such an emotional touchstone for him that he actually sings it to himself as he shoots his acclaimed videos of the mountain, sometimes bringing himself to tears over how fortunate he feels to find himself in such a magical place.

“I was born in New Jersey, so I’m just so grateful,” says Yost, noting that his wife, Sondra, introduced him to the mountain in 1978. “What the poet is saying is that we are the ones who are lucky enough to be here.”

Through his many videos over the past dozen years, Yost has become a prominent advocate for the appreciation, preservation and protection of Mt. Tam. It all started in 2012, when his video about his experience as a fire lookout on the mountain went viral. Highlighted by stunning time-lapse photography, it was screened at film festivals around the world and won a Vimeo staff pick award.

In 2016, the 65-year-old outdoorsman premiered  “Song of the Last Place,” the third in his “West Peak Trilogy,” an elegiac video shot among the ruins of an abandoned Air Force station on Mt. Tam’s West Peak that featured music by guitarist Jimmy Dillon and cellist Katy Boyd. It was a musical follow-up to “The Invisible Peak,” his award-winning 22-minute documentary about the ghostly base.

Citing his “inspirational and visually stunning” video, the Marin Municipal Water District awarded him with a commendation in 2014, declaring him “a friend of the water district.” It came with a leather-bound certificate and an honorary ranger’s badge.

Throughout all of his body of work, Yost’s “north star” has been Welch’s poem, first published in 1969, two years before his death. Yost is clearly touched by the poet’s deep spiritual and personal connection to the mountain and to Marin County, as evidenced by such poems as “Olema Satori,” “Sausalito Trash Prayer” and “Song of the Turkey Buzzard,” which name-checks Mt. Tam.

At one time, Welch lived with Magda Cregg, the mother of rocker Huey Lewis, who would return from prep school in the East Cost when he was a teenager to spend summers with his mom and Welch when they lived in Marin City.

Lewis remembers that Welch and other poets were often opening acts on rock ‘n’ roll bills in those days, that they were like rock stars and that Welch was particularly good at it because of his “great pipes.”

”The thing about Lew is that he was such a great reader of poetry, such an orator,” says Lewis, speaking by phone one evening this week. “All those Beat guys believed that poetry is to be spoken, that street speech is poetry, so they would write like people speak. They also believed that poems needed to be read aloud. And that was Lew’s specialty.”

A college roommate of poet Gary Snyder, Welch was once described as “one of the great enigmas of the Beat generation.” While working for an advertising agency after college, he is credited with the classic product slogan “Raid Kills Bugs Dead.” In Jack Kerouac’s novel “Big Sur,” Welch — who had a history of mental health and emotional problems — was the model for the hopeless drunk Dave Wain.

In 1971, while visiting Snyder’s house in the Sierra Nevada mountains, Welch left a suicide note in his truck before tramping into the wilderness. He never came back, and search parties have failed to find his body. He was 43.

Fascinated by Welch’s poetry, his life and mysterious death, Yost memorized “The Song Mount Tamalpais Sings” years ago, but he hadn’t been able to find a recording of the poet reading it, thinking that one may not exist. That changed three months ago when, in a last-ditch effort, he came upon a poor-quality recording of Welch doing a dramatic reading of it on the University of Pennsylvania’s website.

“The recording was really bad,” he recalls one warm afternoon in his Mill Valley home studio. “It sounded like it was recorded on someone’s cassette recorder in what would have been 1970 or ’71. I spent days getting it in the shape it’s in.”

A self-described computer geek, Yost developed software for Atari in the 1980s and created a bestselling 3-D animation program that he sold to Autodesk in 1999, so he knows his way around the world of digital technology. After restoring Welch’s sonorous voice, he added wind sounds and raven cries over video he shot that captures the many moods of Mt. Tam in sun and fog. As the poet speaks, the poem — about the natural Western movement of humankind — appears on the screen. Like a hook in a hit song, each stanza is punctuated with the mantra:

“This is the last place. There is nowhere else to go.”

“The Song Mount Tamalpais Sings” is the first in a new series of 38 music videos Yost calls “Songs from the Last Place,” the title a take on a line from the poem. They feature him playing his original compositions on a handpan, a steel drum-type instrument, over videos he shot of scenic places on Mt. Tam and environs, among them Cascade Falls, Cataract Creek and Rock Springs.

Fourteen videos in the series incorporate what Yost calls his “magic window.” They show him playing a handpan in front of a window in his studio that appears to be looking out on some of the rustic scenes he shot in nature, beginning with his “Muir Woods Trilogy.” Of course, it’s an illusion. Using green screen and other technology, it’s all done digitally.

“Like magic,” Yost says and winks.

The only video that doesn’t have music behind it, other than the lyrical voice of the poet, is Welch’s poem. And that voice and Yost’s stunning images of the mountain are music enough.

“Gary Yost has embodied the spirit of Mount Tamalpais for some time,” says actor Peter Coyote, who knew Welch and narrated one of Yost’s videos. “His latest film (video), where Lew Welch recites his famous poem from ‘the other side,’ is simultaneously thrilling and chilling.”

“The Song Mount Tamalpais Sings” will screen at the Bolinas Film Festival at 2 p.m. Sept. 22 at the Starlight / Calvary Theater at 5 Brighton Ave. in Bolinas. Admission is free. For more details and to get tickets for the festival’s other events, go to bolinasfilmfestival.com .

Contact Paul Liberatore at [email protected]

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