RIP James Tate

This morning we heard the very sad news that poet and UMass professor James Tate has died at the age of 71. Gazettenet reports:

Acclaimed poet James Tate, a distinguished professor in the English department at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, died Wednesday evening, according to a university spokesman. He was 71.

Tate is the author of more than 20 books of poetry, including “Worshipful Company of Fletchers,” which won the 1994 National Book Award. His 1991 collection “Selected Poems” won the Pulitzer Prize for poetry and the William Carlos Williams award.

Tate was a long-time contributor to Poetry, with his first appearance reaching back to the July 1967 issue with "The Whole World's Sadly Talking to Itself —W. B. Yeats" and "Pity Ascending with the Fog." His last appearance in the magazine occurred in the January 2005 issue with "Spiderwebs." Throughout his career Tate's poetry was championed for its character-driven surrealism, while his teaching was foundational for a variety of poets who attended UMass Amherst.

Head here to read a selection of Tate's poetry. And to hear Tate reading his work, tune in to this Essential American Poets podcast featuring a reading at the Library of Congress in 1976.

For his legions of readers and students, he'll be missed.