Louise Glück, born on April 22, 1943, in New York City, was an American poet whose work is characterized by insight and a severe lyricism. In 2020, she was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature for her unmistakable poetic voice that, with austere beauty, makes individual existence universal. Glück grew up on Long Island and attended Sarah Lawrence College and Columbia University. Although she did not obtain a degree, her literary journey was marked by teaching poetry at various institutions, including Harvard and Yale . Her debut collection of poetry, “Firstborn” (1968), showcased a variety of first-person personae, all disaffected or angry, and despite its grim outlook, it revealed her exquisitely controlled language and imaginative use of rhyme and meter. Subsequent volumes, such as “The House on Marshland” (1975) and “The Triumph of Achilles” (1985), further demonstrated her mastery of voice and exploration of archetypal subjects from classic myth, fairy tales, and the Bible. Glück’s Pulitzer Prize-winning collection “The Wild Iris” (1992) remains a testament to her poetic brilliance. Throughout her career, she delved into themes of loneliness, family relationships, divorce, and death, leaving an indelible mark on contemporary poetry.

She passed away on October 7, 2020.