Louise Bogan

Date of Birth: August 11, 1897

Zodiac Sign: Leo

Date of Death: February 4, 1970

Biography

Louise Bogan was a renowned American poet and literary critic, born in Livermore Falls, Maine. Her poetry is known for its formal precision, emotional intensity, and deep introspection. Bogan’s work often explores themes of love, loss, and the passage of time, and she is considered one of the most accomplished lyric poets of her generation. She served as the poetry editor of The New Yorker from 1931 to 1969, significantly influencing the literary landscape of her time. Bogan’s collections, such as “Body of This Death,” “Dark Summer,” and “The Blue Estuaries,” showcase her mastery of language and her ability to capture complex human emotions. Despite facing personal challenges, including mental health struggles and a tumultuous personal life, Bogan’s contributions to American poetry remain profound and enduring.

5 Interesting Facts about Louise Bogan

1. Louise Bogan was the fourth Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, serving from 1945 to 1946.

2. She was one of the first female poetry editors at The New Yorker, a position she held for 38 years.

3. Bogan was awarded the Bollingen Prize in 1955, a prestigious award for American poets.

4. Despite her acclaim, Bogan published only four volumes of poetry during her lifetime.

5. She was posthumously inducted into the National Women’s Hall of Fame in 1980.

5 Most Interesting Quotes from Louise Bogan

1. “Innocence of heart and violence of feeling are necessary in any kind of superior achievement: The arts cannot exist without them.”

2. “The art of one period cannot be approached through the attitudes (emotional or intellectual) of another.”

3. “I cannot believe that the inscrutable universe turns on an axis of suffering; surely the strange beauty of the world must somewhere rest on pure joy!”

4. “I have lost faith in universal panaceas – work, prayer, patience, and philosophy.”

5. “O remember / In your narrowing dark hours / That more things move / Than blood in the heart.”

Highest Net Worth Achieved

Louise Bogan did not achieve significant financial wealth from her poetry. Her highest net worth was modest, likely less than $100,000, reflecting the financial realities many poets face despite their literary success.