A great American poet.
Upon publication of his first volume of poetry, entitled In Dreams Begin Responsibilities, Delmore Schwartz instatly became an innovative force in modern American poetry. His work immediately drew comparisons to (and praise from) great men of letters like T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound.
His brilliant command of the language and biting wit made him a favorite in the thirties and forties. He was the basis of the title character (Von Humbolt Fleisher) in Saul Bellow's "Humboldt's Gift".
Sadly he fell out of the limelight in his later years as his career grew uneven. He died at age 52 in a New York hotel room.