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Roland Flint

ローランド・フリント

Rōrando Furinto

Profile

Gender
Male
Born
1934-02-27 （Park River, North Dakota, United States）
Died
2001-01-02 age 66
Nationality
United States
Languages
English
Residence History
North Dakota (birth and early education) → Minnesota (graduate study) → Washington, D.C./Maryland (Georgetown University employment; Poet Laureate of Maryland)

Career

Occupations
Poet, Professor of English
Active Years
1960-2001
Influenced By
Theodore Roethke, William Stafford

Education

University of North Dakota
English
Degree: B.A.
Country: United States
Attended, then joined the U.S. Marine Corps, later returned and graduated
Marquette University
English
Degree: M.A.
Country: United States
Earned an M.A. in English
University of Minnesota
English / Comparative Literature
Degree: Ph.D.
Country: United States
Wrote a dissertation on the early work of Theodore Roethke

Awards

Poet Laureate of Maryland
1995
Organization: State of Maryland
Result: 任命
MacDowell Colony residency
1976
Organization: MacDowell
Result: 受賞
MacDowell Colony residency
1983
Organization: MacDowell
Result: 受賞
MacDowell Colony residency
1985
Organization: MacDowell
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Easy

1999 Poetry

A late collection of poems featuring lyrical and reflective pieces.

memoryagingnature

Pigeon

1991 Poetry

A collection exploring human feelings through observations of birds and everyday life.

natureobservationsolitude

Hearing Voices (with William Stafford)

1991 Poetry

Co-authored with William Stafford; poems centered on voice and narration.

voicenarrationdialogue

Stubborn

1990 Poetry

Contains poems dealing with stubbornness and singular perspectives.

individualityresistanceself

Sicily

1987 Poetry

An imagistic collection themed around Sicily.

nostalgiaplacelandscape

Resuming Green

1982 Poetry

Poems focusing on nature and renewal.

naturerenewalseasons

Say It

1979 Poetry

A collection emphasizing frank language and emotional expression.

truthexpressionvoice

The Honey and Other Poems for Rosalind

1976 Poetry

A set of poems devoted to Rosalind; noted for Paul W. Whear's hand typesetting and letterpress printing for its publication.

dedicationaffectionhandcraft (printing)

And Morning

1975 Poetry

A poetry collection with morning and awakening motifs.

morningawakeninghope

Bibliography

  • And Morning (1975)
  • The Honey and Other Poems for Rosalind (1976)
  • Say It (1979)
  • Resuming Green (1982)
  • Sicily (1987)
  • Stubborn (1990)
  • Hearing Voices (with William Stafford, 1991)
  • Pigeon (1991)
  • Easy (1999)

Adaptations

  • Composer Paul W. Whear's piece 'A Poem of Roland' was inspired by one of Flint's poems.

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Lyrical, memory-focused voiceMoves between traditional meter and free verse
Recurring Motifs
memorynaturemorning (awakening)birds

Health

  • Pancreatic cancer
    1999-2001
    Health declined leading to resignation as Maryland Poet Laureate in 2000; died in 2001

Legacy

Longtime English professor at Georgetown University and Poet Laureate of Maryland (1995–2000). Known for his prodigious memory for poetry; his papers are held at the University of Maryland.

Archives

  • University of Maryland Archives (Roland Flint papers)

In Popular Culture

  • Subject of the eponymous poem 'Roland Flint' by Robert Farrell; an excerpt appeared in The Brooklyn Review (2016) and the full poem in The Revenant Quarterly (2023)

Quotes

  • He had a phenomenal memory for poetry and could recite thousands of poems by heart.
    Source: Beltway Poetry Quarterly (article by Grace Cavalieri) (2006)

Trivia

  • Composer Paul W. Whear was inspired by Flint's poetry and wrote 'A Poem of Roland'.
  • Served as Poet Laureate of Maryland from 1995 to 2000, resigning due to poor health.
  • His papers (manuscripts, correspondence, lecture notes) are held at the University of Maryland.