Frank Bidart

Frank Bidart is an acclaimed American poet known for his introspective and psychologically probing verse. He has published several notable collections, including "Metaphysical Dog," "Watching the Spring Festival," "Star Dust," and "Desire," all released by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. His work "In the Western Night: Collected Poems 1965-90" compiles decades of his poetic output. Bidart's contributions to literature have earned him prestigious honors such as the Wallace Stevens Award, the Bollingen Prize for American Poetry, and the National Book Critics Circle Award.

Bidart's poetry often explores themes of desire, identity, and the human condition through a distinctive blend of narrative and lyrical forms. His teaching career at Wellesley College has further solidified his influence in contemporary American poetry. Residing in Cambridge, Massachusetts, he continues to be a significant voice in the literary world, recognized for his meticulous craftsmanship and emotional depth.
Collections
# Title Year
1 In the Western Night: Collected Poems, 1965-1990 1990
2 Collected Poems (With: Robert Lowell, David Gewanter) 2003
3 Half-light: Collected Poems 1965-2016 2017
Poetry
# Title Year
1 Golden State 1973
2 The Book of the Body 1979
3 The Sacrifice 1983
4 Desire: Poems 1997
5 Music Like Dirt: A Chapbook 2002
6 Star Dust 2005
7 Watching the Spring Festival 2008
8 Metaphysical Dog 2013
9 Against Silence: Poems 2021
Frank Bidart Anthologies
# Title Year
1 Ploughshares Fall 1975 1975
2 Ploughshares Winter 2006-07 2006
3 Tin House: Summer Issue 2008 2008
4 Poetry in Person: Twenty-five Years of Conversation with America's Poets 2010
5 The Contenders: Excerpts from the 2013 National Book Award Poetry Finalists 2013
6 Ploughshares Summer 1979 2013
7 Ploughshares Summer 1980 2013
8 Ploughshares Spring 1982 2013
9 Afflict the Comfortable 2015
10 Reel Verse 2019