Delmore Schwartz

On this Thursday morning, we note the birth date of Delmore Schwartz (December 8, 1913 – July 11, 1966), American poet and short story writer born in Brooklyn, New York.

Much of his work is notable for its philosophical and deeply meditative nature, often emphasizing the large divide that existed between his generation, which came of age during the Depression, and his parents' generation, who had often come to the United States as first-generation immigrants and whose idealistic view of America differed greatly from his own.

Here's one of his poems for your consideration:

In The Morning, When It Was Raining

In the morning, when it was raining,
Then the birds were hectic and loudy;
Through all the reign is fall's entertaining;
Their singing was erratic and full of disorder:
They did not remember the summer blue
Or the orange of June. They did not think at all
Of the great red and bursting ball
Of the kingly sun's terror and tempest, blazing,
Once the slanting rain threw over all
The colorless curtains of the ceaseless spontaneous fall.
--Delmore Schwartz