Allen Grossman, Ph.D.’60, received the Bollingen Prize in American Poetry. The judges described Grossman as “a profoundly original American poet whose work embraces the coexistence of comedy and tragedy, exploring the intersection of high poetic style and an often startling vernacular. His most recent book, ‘Descartes’ Loneliness,’ is a bold and haunting late meditation, comparable to Thomas Hardy’s masterpiece, ‘Winter Words.’” Grossman was a Brandeis professor until 1991, when he was named Andrew W. Mellon Professor of the Humanities at Johns Hopkins University. He retired from teaching in 2005. The Bollingen Prize, established by Paul Mellon in 1949, is awarded biennially by the Yale University Library to an American poet for the best book published during the previous two years or for lifetime achievement in poetry. The prize includes a cash award of $100,000.
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