World Literary Awards

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Bruce Smith

ブルース・スミス

Burūsu Sumisu

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1946-01-01 （Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.）
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
Philadelphia (birth and early life) → Tuscaloosa, Alabama (taught at University of Alabama) → Andover, Massachusetts (Phillips Academy) → Syracuse, New York (teaches at Syracuse University)

Career

Occupations
Poet, Professor, Teacher
Active Years
1970-
Affiliations
University of Alabama, Phillips Academy, Andover, Syracuse University, Graham House Review (editorial), Born Magazine (contributing editor)

Awards

Discovery/The Nation Award
Organization: The Nation
Result: winner
Guggenheim Fellowship
2000
Organization: John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation
Result: fellowship
National Endowment for the Arts grant
Organization: National Endowment for the Arts
Result: grant
Massachusetts Foundation for the Arts grant
Organization: Massachusetts Foundation for the Arts
Result: grant
National Poetry Series Selection
1984
Work: Silver and Information
Organization: National Poetry Series
Result: selection
National Book Award (finalist)
2000
Work: The Other Lover
Organization: National Book Foundation
Result: finalist
Pulitzer Prize (finalist)
Work: The Other Lover
Organization: Pulitzer Prize Board
Result: finalist
National Book Award (finalist)
2011
Work: Devotions
Organization: National Book Foundation
Result: finalist
William Carlos Williams Award
2012
Work: Devotions
Organization: Poetry Society of America
Result: winner

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

The Common Wages

1983 Poetry

Early collection of poems touching on urban life and personal experience.

urban lifepersonal history

Silver and Information

1985 Poetry

Selected by the National Poetry Series; noted for precise language and strong imagery.

linguistic experimentationimagery

Mercy Seat

1994 Poetry

Collection that explores religious motifs and moral questions, mixing lyricism and reflection.

religionmorality

The Other Lover

2000 Poetry

A finely wrought book of poems about relationships and desire; was a finalist for major American awards.

lovedesirerelationships

Songs for Two Voices

2005 Poetry

Collection emphasizing dual voices and dialogic poetics.

dialoguevoice

Devotions

2011 Poetry

A book of poems engaging religious and spiritual questions; was a National Book Award finalist and won the William Carlos Williams Award.

religionspiritualityintrospection

Spill

2018 Poetry

Recent collection reflecting linguistic sensibility and contemporary concerns.

contemporary lifelanguage

Bibliography

  • The Common Wages
  • Silver and Information
  • Mercy Seat
  • The Other Lover
  • Songs for Two Voices
  • Devotions
  • Spill

Style & Themes

Literary Style
lyrical and linguistically inventivedense, image-driven diction
Recurring Motifs
urban landscapesreligious imagerylove and loss

Legacy

Regarded as an important contemporary American poet; recipient of grants and fellowships and a finalist for major awards, with a long career in university teaching.

Trivia

  • Born in Philadelphia in 1946.
  • Has taught at University of Alabama, Phillips Academy (Andover), and Syracuse University.
  • 'Devotions' was a National Book Award finalist and won the William Carlos Williams Award in 2012.