PULITZER POET KUNITZ DIES

Last updated: Tuesday, May 16, 2006

PULITZER POET KUNITZ DIES

Former US poet laureate and Pulitzer Prize winner STANLEY KUNITZ has died aged 100.

His publisher reveals the literary genius passed away in his sleep on Sunday (14MAY06) at his Manhattan home.

Kunitz, who enjoyed a one-year spell as poet laureate in 2000, was famed as much for his lyricism as his outspoken pacifism. Most recently he was an impassioned objector to the Iraq conflict, but also famously condemned the Vietnam war.

His poetic career spanned 70 years, often inspired by nature and wildlife such as in THE SNAKES OF SEPTEMBER. He also helped found two writing centres.

GALWAY KINNELL, a fellow poet, yesterday (15MAY06) paid tribute to Kunitz insisting, "You could say that most of the American poets younger than he was tended to look up to him as their guide, their leader, their surrogate father."

Kunitz is survived by a daughter and stepdaughter.

| Tuesday, May 16, 2006

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