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Robert Bridges

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Poet

The Resume

    (October 23, 1844-April 21, 1930)
    Born in Walmer, Kent, England, United Kingdom
    Doctor and poet
    Poetry collections include ‘Shorter Poems’ (two volumes, 1890-94), ‘New Poems’ (1899), ‘October and Other Poems’ (1920), ‘The Tapestry: Poems’ (1925), and ‘The Testament of Beauty’ (1929)
    Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom (1913-30)

Why he might be annoying:

    He initially failed his medical exams (1873).
    He was considered an unusually obscure writer to be named Poet Laureate.
    He found it difficult to write poetry to order and was accused in Parliament of failing to fulfill his duties as Poet Laureate.
    To try to prevent anyone from writing his biography, he asked his friends to return his correspondence with them, then destroyed the letters.

Why he might not be annoying:

    He was named a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians (1900).
    He befriended Gerard Manley Hopkins when they were students at Oxford and arranged for the posthumous publication of Hopkins’ poems.
    He wrote and translated a number of hymns, with his translations of ‘Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desiring’ and ‘All My Hope on God Is Founded’ still in widespread use.
    W.B. Yeats wrote that he gave lyric poetry ‘a new cadence.’

Credit: C. Fishel


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Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying