Capricorn Poets

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 1 
Edgar Allan Poe
(Writer and Poet - Widely Regarded as a Central Figure of Romanticism in the United States)
Edgar Allan Poe
78
Birthdate: January 19, 1809
Birthplace: Boston, Massachusetts, United States
Died: October 7, 1849

American writer Edgar Allan Poe is regarded as the architect of modern short story, the inventor of the detective-fiction genre and a major contributor towards science fiction genre. The influential writer is recognised for his tales of mystery and macabre. His notable works include The Raven (poem), The Tell-Tale Heart and The Fall of the House of Usher (short stories).

 2 
Rudyard Kipling
(Journalist, Poet & Novelist)
Rudyard Kipling
27
Birthdate: December 30, 1865
Birthplace: Mumbai, India
Died: January 18, 1936

English journalist, short-story writer, poet, and novelist Rudyard Kipling is best remembered for his fiction work The Jungle Book. He was born in India and many of his works are inspired by his life in the country. He was one of the most popular English writers in the late 19th and early 20th century.

 3 
Matthew Arnold
6
Birthdate: December 24, 1822
Birthplace: Laleham, United Kingdom
Died: April 15, 1888

Iconic Victorian poet and literary critic Matthew Arnold is best remembered for his classic essay Culture and Anarchy, which was a social critique of the Victorian era. He also penned poems such as Dover Beach and Sohrab and Rustum. He had also been a school inspector for over 3 decades.

 4 
Carl Sandburg
(Writer & Editor)
Carl Sandburg
7
Birthdate: January 6, 1878
Birthplace: Galesburg, Illinois, United States
Died: July 22, 1967

Carl Sandburg had begun working since age 11 and been employed in various odd jobs, such as a truck driver, a harvester, and a brickyard hand, before being part of the Illinois Infantry. The two-time Pulitzer-winning poet and biographer late also won a Grammy for his recording of Lincoln Portrait.

 5 
Thomas Gray
(Poet, Writer, Literary critic)
Thomas Gray
9
Birthdate: December 26, 1716
Birthplace: London
Died: July 30, 1771
 6 
J. R. R. Tolkien
(Author of 'The Hobbit' & 'The Lord of the Rings')
J. R. R. Tolkien
19
Birthdate: January 3, 1892
Birthplace: Bloemfontein, South Africa
Died: September 2, 1973

Considered one of the greatest authors, JRR Tolkien is popularly called the father of the modern fantasy literature. He is best known for his high fantasy classic works The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings, which is set in a conceived world called the Middle-Earth. Many years after his death, Tolkien continues to be one of the best-selling writers.

 7 
A. A. Milne
(Best Known for His Books About the Teddy Bear ‘Winnie-the-Pooh’ and Children's Poetry)
A. A. Milne
8
Birthdate: January 18, 1882
Birthplace: London, England
Died: January 31, 1956

A. A. Milne was an English author best known for his books about the teddy bear Winnie-the-Pooh. He joined the British Army as a young man and served in both World War I and World War II. In his career as a writer, he wrote several novels, non-fiction pieces, articles, poems, screenplays, and children’s stories.

 8 
Carol Ann Duffy
10
Birthdate: December 23, 1955
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
 9 
Betty Aberlin
(Actress)
Betty Aberlin
6
Birthdate: December 30, 1942
Birthplace: New York, New York, United States
Height: 5'2" (157 cm)
 10 
Mihai Eminescu
(The National Poet of Romania and a Major Figure of Romanticism)
Mihai Eminescu
5
Birthdate: January 15, 1850
Birthplace: Botoșani, Romania
Died: June 15, 1889

Considered the national poet of Romania, Mihai Eminescu was a major figure of Romanticism in Romanian literature. Starting as an editor for the paper Timpul, he later penned iconic poems such as Luceafărul, or The Evening Star, and stories such as Sărmanul Dionis and Cezara. He, unfortunately, died in a mental asylum.

 11 
Mirza Ghalib
(Indian Urdu and Persian Poet)
Mirza Ghalib
8
Birthdate: December 27, 1797
Birthplace: Agra, India
Died: February 15, 1869

Mirza Ghalib was an Indian poet whose works give a detailed description of the beginning of British rule and the subsequent events in India. A respected poet, who wrote in Urdu and Persian languages, Ghalib remains popular among the Hindustani diaspora across the world. Several films and TV shows have been made in his honor.

 12 
Adam Mickiewicz
(Best Known as One of Poland's 'Three Bards' & A Primary Figure in European Romanticism)
Adam Mickiewicz
7
Birthdate: December 24, 1798
Birthplace: Zavosse, Belarus
Died: November 26, 1855

Adam Mickiewicz was a Polish poet, dramatist, essayist, and political activist. He was a major figure in Polish Romanticism and considered one of Poland's "Three Bards." He has long been regarded as Poland's national poet and is often compared to Byron and Goethe. The vast majority of his work is available only in Polish and has been reprinted numerous times. 

 13 
Kuvempu
(Novelist)
Kuvempu
5
Birthdate: December 29, 1904
Birthplace: Chikkamagaluru district
Died: November 11, 1994

One of the greatest Kannada literary figures to have ever lived, Jnanpith Award- and Padma Vibhushan-winning author Kuvempu had written the state anthem of Karnataka, Jaya Bharata Jananiya Tanujate. He was also an academic who had served as the Mysore University vice-chancellor and often voiced his concerns on social issues.

 14 
Jean Racine
(Dramatist)
Jean Racine
5
Birthdate: December 22, 1639
Birthplace: La Ferté-Milon, Kingdom of France
Died: April 21, 1699
 15 
Rubén Darío
(Nicaraguan Poet Who Initiated the Spanish-Language Literary Movement Known as "Modernismo")
Rubén Darío
6
Birthdate: January 18, 1867
Birthplace: Ciudad Darío, Nicaragua
Died: February 6, 1916

The leader of the 19th-century Spanish-American Modernismo movement, Nicaraguan poet Rubén Darío had been a prodigy who had started writing poems at age 14. Best remembered for his works such as Azul, he earned the tag of the Prince of Castilian Letters. He had also held various diplomatic posts.

 16 
Filippo Tommaso Marinetti
(Italian Poet, Founder of the 'Futurist Movement' and Author of the First 'Futurist Manifesto')
Filippo Tommaso Marinetti
4
Birthdate: December 22, 1876
Birthplace: Alexandria, Egypt
Died: December 2, 1944

Filippo Tommaso Marinetti was an Italian poet, art theorist, and editor. He is credited with founding the Futurist movement and is remembered for his work Manifesto of Futurism. In 1918, he founded a political party called Futurist Political Party as an extension of the social and futurist artistic movement. The party merged with the Italian Fasces of Combat in 1919.

 17 
Paul Bowles
(Writer, Music Composer)
Paul Bowles
5
Birthdate: December 30, 1910
Birthplace: Jamaica, New York, United States
Died: November 18, 1999
 18 
Robert W. Service
(Poet & Writer)
Robert W. Service
10
Birthdate: January 16, 1874
Birthplace: Preston, Lancashire, England
Died: September 11, 1958

Robert W. Service was a British-Canadian poet and writer. Popularly called "the Bard of the Yukon," he wrote some of the most commercially successful poetry of his era. A bank clerk by profession, he often wrote while traveling for work. Besides poetry, he also wrote fiction and non-fiction. He was often compared to English writer and novelist Rudyard Kipling. 

 19 
Mary Karr
(Poet)
Mary Karr
5
Birthdate: January 16, 1955
Birthplace: East Texas
 20 
Jonas Mekas
(Lithuanian-American Poet, Artist, and Filmmaker Who is Known as the 'Godfather of American Avant-Garde Cinema')
Jonas Mekas
3
Birthdate: December 24, 1922
Birthplace: Semeniškiai, Lithuania
Died: January 23, 2019

Jonas Mekas was a Lithuanian-American poet, artist, and filmmaker. Referred to as the godfather of American avant-garde cinema, Mekas is credited with mentoring many important American artists and filmmakers, such as Peter Bogdanovich, Ken Jacobs, and Martin Scorsese among others. Jonas Mekas' work has been displayed in museums. He is the recipient of many prestigious awards, including Lithuanian National Prize.

 21 
Su Shi
(Chinese Poet, Essayist, Politician, Calligrapher and Painter)
Su Shi
4
Birthdate: January 8, 1037
Birthplace: Meishan, China
Died: August 24, 1101

Su Shi was a Chinese writer, calligrapher, poet, painter, gastronome, pharmacologist, and politician who lived during the Song dynasty. He played a major role in the political affairs of the Song dynasty. He is credited with producing some of the best-known poems, prose, and essays and is considered one of the most decorated personalities in classical Chinese literature.

 22 
Rahat Indori
(Poet)
Rahat Indori
5
Birthdate: January 1, 1950
Birthplace: Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India
Died: August 11, 2020

Urdu poet Rahat Indori had an illustrious and versatile career as a painter, a Bollywood lyricist, and a professor. A regular at poetry events such as Kavi Sammelan, he was known for his captivating couplets such as Kisi Ke Baap Ka Hindustan Thodi Hai. He died of COVID-19 in 2020.

 23 
Mahasweta Devi
(Human rights activist, Writer, Poet, Novelist, Educator, Short story writer)
Mahasweta Devi
5
Birthdate: January 14, 1926
Birthplace: Dhaka
Died: July 28, 2016

Ramon Magsaysay Award-winning Indian author Mahasweta Devi is regarded as a gem of the Bengali literary world. She had also been a left-wing social activist, and her works such as Hajar Churashir Maa and Rudali have either tribals or people from the marginalized communities as their protagonists.

 24 
Horacio Quiroga
(Uruguayan Playwright, Poet and Short Story Writer)
Horacio Quiroga
3
Birthdate: December 31, 1878
Birthplace: Salto, Uruguay
Died: February 19, 1937

Horacio Quiroga was a Uruguayan poet, playwright, and short story writer. He is best remembered for depicting jungles and characters with mental illnesses in his stories. Horacio Quiroga is credited with influencing the works of Gabriel García Márquez and Julio Cortázar.

 25 
Daisaku Ikeda
(Poet, Writer)
Daisaku Ikeda
4
Birthdate: January 2, 1928
Birthplace: Ōta-ku

Daisaku Ikeda is a Japanese Buddhist educator, author, philosopher, and nuclear disarmament advocate. He is best known for serving as the founding president of the world's largest Buddhist lay organization, Soka Gakkai International (SGI). Daisaku Ikeda has won several international awards like the United Nations Peace Medal, Tagore Peace Award, and Rosa Parks Humanitarian Award.

 26 
Robert Bly
(American Poet & Essayist Best Know for his Prose Book 'Iron John: A Book About Men')
Robert Bly
3
Birthdate: December 23, 1926
Birthplace: Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota, United States

Robert Bly was an American poet, activist, and essayist. He is best remembered for leading the mythopoetic men's movement. He is also remembered for his book Iron John: A Book About Men. Robert Bly is also well-known for his work The Light Around the Body, which earned him the National Book Award for Poetry in 1968.

 27 
Emilia Lanier
6
Birthdate: 1569
Birthplace: Bishopsgate, London, England
Died: March 31, 1645
 28 
Ivor Cutler
(Scottish Poet, Singer-Songwriter , Musician, Artist and Humorist Known for His Regular Performances on 'BBC Radio')
Ivor Cutler
3
Birthdate: January 15, 1923
Birthplace: Glasgow, Scotland
Died: March 3, 2006
Known for his frequent appearances on BBC radio programs and his baritone voice, singer Ivor Cutler had once been a RAF navigator. While he initially studied painting and sculpting, he later took to poetry and songwriting. He had also penned children’s books. Called an eccentric, he mostly traveled by bicycle.
 29 
Fritz Leiber
(Author)
Fritz Leiber
3
Birthdate: December 24, 1910
Birthplace: Chicago, Illinois, United States
Died: September 5, 1992
 30 
Osip Mandelstam
(Poet)
Osip Mandelstam
3
Birthdate: January 14, 1891
Birthplace: Warsaw, Poland
Died: December 27, 1938
 31 
Sándor Petőfi
(Former Hungary’s National Poet, and Was One of the Key Figures of the Hungarian Revolution of 1848)
Sándor Petőfi
3
Birthdate: January 1, 1823
Birthplace: Kiskőrös, Hungary
Died: July 31, 1849

Hungarian poet and revolutionary Sándor Petőfi is remembered as one of the pillars of the 1848 Hungarian Revolution, and his song Talpra Magyar became an anthem of the revolution. While he was initially part of the army, ill health got him dismissed soon. He also penned the epic fairy tale János vitéz.

 32 
Jacob Bronowski
(Mathematician, Poet, Non-fiction writer)
Jacob Bronowski
4
Birthdate: January 18, 1908
Birthplace: Łódź
Died: August 22, 1974
 33 
Ernest J. Gaines
(Author, Educator)
Ernest J. Gaines
3
Birthdate: January 15, 1933
Birthplace: Oscar, Louisiana, United States
 34 
Hristo Botev
(One of the Heroes of the Bulgarian National Revolution and Poet)
Hristo Botev
3
Birthdate: January 6, 1848
Birthplace: Kalofer, Bulgaria
Died: June 1, 1876

Hristo Botev was a Bulgarian poet and revolutionary. Widely regarded as a national hero by Bulgarians, Botev was thought to be ahead of his peers in his aesthetic, philosophical, and political views. An influential and important figure in the history of Bulgaria, Botev has several monuments, schools, football clubs, and stadiums named after him.

 35 
Hayim Nahman Bialik
(Russian-Jewish Author and a Pioneer of Modern Hebrew Poetry)
Hayim Nahman Bialik
3
Birthdate: January 9, 1873
Birthplace: Ivnytsia, Volhynian, Ukraine
Died: July 4, 1934

Russian-Jewish author and poet Hayim Nahman Bialik was one of the leading figures behind the development of modern Hebrew poetry. He grew up amid poverty and worked briefly as a lumber merchant, before becoming a teacher. Apart from expressing the anguish of the Jewish people through his works, he also translated many classics.

 36 
Robert Service
(Writer, Poet, Novelist)
Robert Service
3
Birthdate: January 16, 1874
Birthplace: City of Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom
Died: September 11, 1958
 37 
Ferenc Molnár
( Hungary’s Most Celebrated and Controversial Novelist and Playwright Known for His Novel 'The Paul Street Boys')
Ferenc Molnár
3
Birthdate: January 12, 1878
Birthplace: Budapest, Hungary
Died: April 1, 1952

Known for his short stories and plays reflecting the life in Budapest, author Ferenc Molnár never identified with any particular literary movement. His best-known works include the short story anthology Muzsika and the novel The Paul Street Boys. Initially an aspiring lawyer, he later worked as a war correspondent.

 38 
Ramón Sampedro
(Writer)
Ramón Sampedro
4
Birthdate: January 5, 1943
Birthplace: Porto do Son, Galicia, Spain
Died: January 12, 1998
 39 
Theodor Fontane
(German Novelist and Poet Who Is Considered the First Master of Modern Realistic Fiction in Germany)
Theodor Fontane
3
Birthdate: December 30, 1819
Birthplace: Neuruppin, Germany
Died: September 20, 1898

The pioneer of German realist fiction, Theodor Fontane started as a journalist before venturing into a writing career at the ripe age of 58. He had also briefly been an apothecary, following in his father’s footsteps. His novels such as Effi Briest talk about the plight of women.

 40 
Nabaneeta Dev Sen
3
Birthdate: January 13, 1938
Birthplace: Kolkata, Bengal Presidency, British India
Died: November 7, 2019

Padma Shri and Sahitya Akademi Award-winning Indian author Nabaneeta Dev Sen is revered as one of the greatest figures of Bengali literature. Born to a poet couple, Nabaneeta was christened by Rabindrananth Tagore. She was also an academic and was married to economist Amartya Sen for almost 2 decades.

 41 
Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy
(Writer Who Specialized in Science Fiction and Historical Novels)
Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy
3
Birthdate: January 10, 1883
Birthplace: Pugachyov, Russia
Died: February 23, 1945

Aleksey Nikolayevich Tolstoy, also known as Comrade Count, initially tasted fame with the novel Nikita’s Childhood and then redefined the science-fiction, thriller, and historical novel genres. As part of the Extraordinary State Commission, he was the first to ascertain that the Nazis had used gas vans during World War II.

 42 
Nâzım Hikmet
(Poet)
Nâzım Hikmet
8
Birthdate: January 15, 1902
Birthplace: Thessaloniki
Died: June 3, 1963

Turkish poet and author Nâzım Hikmet was chiefly known as a Romantic Communist. After being jailed in Turkey for his political activities, he spent the rest of his life in the Soviet Union and eastern Europe. He redefined Turkish literature with his free verse and poems such as Şeyh Bedreddin destanı.

 43 
Stella Gibbons
(Writer)
Stella Gibbons
3
Birthdate: January 5, 1902
Birthplace: London, England, United Kingdom
Died: December 19, 1989
 44 
Xu Zhimo
(Chinese Poet)
Xu Zhimo
3
Birthdate: January 15, 1897
Birthplace: Haining, Zhejiang, China
Died: November 19, 1931
 45 
William Kennedy
(American writer)
William Kennedy
3
Birthdate: January 16, 1928
Birthplace: Albany, New York, United States
 46 
Robinson Jeffers
(Poet, Writer)
Robinson Jeffers
3
Birthdate: January 10, 1887
Birthplace: Pittsburgh
Died: January 20, 1962
 47 
Alexandr Griboyedov
(Author Recognized as 'homo unius libri' for His Work 'Woe from Wit')
Alexandr Griboyedov
4
Birthdate: January 15, 1795
Birthplace: Moscow, Russia
Died: February 11, 1829

Russian playwright Alexandr Griboyedov is best remembered for his comedy Gore ot uma, or Woe from Wit. He participated in the Decembrist revolt and even got arrested once. He was the Russian Ambassador to Iran and died at the hands of an Iranian mob during an attack on the embassy.

 48 
Charles Péguy
(French Poet, Editor, and Essayist)
Charles Péguy
3
Birthdate: January 7, 1873
Birthplace: Orléans, France
Died: September 5, 1914
 49 
Jane Wilde
(Poet)
Jane Wilde
3
Birthdate: December 27, 1821
Birthplace: Wexford, Ireland
Died: February 3, 1896
 50 
Kurt Tucholsky
(German Journalist and Author)
Kurt Tucholsky
3
Birthdate: January 9, 1890
Birthplace: Berlin, German
Died: December 21, 1935

Renowned German author, journalist, and satirist Kurt Tucholsky is best remembered for his cabaret songs. He initially studied law and participated in World War I before moving to France and Sweden. The Nazis revoked his German citizenship for his communist ideals. He committed suicide, though some believe he accidentally overdosed.