Biography
Howard Nemerov was born into a Russian Jewish family who lived in New York City who owned Russek's, which was a famous Fifth Avenue store. ("Howard Nemerov"). His younger sister, Diane Arbus, who was a photographer and his father who was an art connoisseur and interested in painting, philanthropy and photography surely influenced and inspired the young Nemerov into poetry ("Howard Nemerov"). The young, ambitious Howard attended Society for Ethical Culture's Fieldston School where the school championed values to pursue social justice, racial equality and intellectual freedom ("Howard Nemerov"). Graduating as an outstanding student and second string team football fullback in 1937, Nemerov commenced his studies at Harvard University in 1940 ("Howard Nemerov"). There he received his bachelor's degree and was awarded the title of Bowdoin Essayist, which is considered the highest academic commendation Harvard can bestow upon a student ("Howard Nemerov").
Nemerov served as a pilot during World War II in the Royal Canadian Air Force and later in the U.S. Army Air Forces("Howard Nemerov"). After the war, the first rank lieutenant returned to New York where he married Margaret Russell and had one son, David ("Howard Nemerov"). Nemerov began the rest of his life as a teacher at Hamilton College, then Bennington College, Brandeis University and finally Washington University in St. Louis where he was deemed a Distinguised Poet in Residence from 1969 to his death in 1991 of cancer ("Howard Nemerov"). The poet's most notorious work is "A Primer of the Daily Round" ("Howard Nemerov"). It is an archetypal Elizabethan sonnet which champions his creative style ("Howard Nemerov")."The War in the Air" is another widely appreciated poem which draws on the experience of his days when he was a pilot ("Howard Nemerov").
Nemerov's poetry has been commended for his display of irony and wit and easily engages the audience "without becoming academic" ("Storm Windows"). However witty and satiric his prose exudes, Nemerov is known for having "opposing elements", which often leads to a pessimistic undertone ("Storm Windows"). His poetry explores the process of thinking and ideas themselves which reflect a broad spectrum of emotion ("Storm Windows"). Throughout his career, Nemerov has been awarded US Poet Laureate (1987 - 88) , National Book Award for Poetry & Pulitzer Prize for Poetry (1978 for Collected Poems) , National Medal of Arts (1987), and is in the St. Louis Walk of Fame. ("Storm Windows").
Howard Nemerov was born into a Russian Jewish family who lived in New York City who owned Russek's, which was a famous Fifth Avenue store. ("Howard Nemerov"). His younger sister, Diane Arbus, who was a photographer and his father who was an art connoisseur and interested in painting, philanthropy and photography surely influenced and inspired the young Nemerov into poetry ("Howard Nemerov"). The young, ambitious Howard attended Society for Ethical Culture's Fieldston School where the school championed values to pursue social justice, racial equality and intellectual freedom ("Howard Nemerov"). Graduating as an outstanding student and second string team football fullback in 1937, Nemerov commenced his studies at Harvard University in 1940 ("Howard Nemerov"). There he received his bachelor's degree and was awarded the title of Bowdoin Essayist, which is considered the highest academic commendation Harvard can bestow upon a student ("Howard Nemerov").
Nemerov served as a pilot during World War II in the Royal Canadian Air Force and later in the U.S. Army Air Forces("Howard Nemerov"). After the war, the first rank lieutenant returned to New York where he married Margaret Russell and had one son, David ("Howard Nemerov"). Nemerov began the rest of his life as a teacher at Hamilton College, then Bennington College, Brandeis University and finally Washington University in St. Louis where he was deemed a Distinguised Poet in Residence from 1969 to his death in 1991 of cancer ("Howard Nemerov"). The poet's most notorious work is "A Primer of the Daily Round" ("Howard Nemerov"). It is an archetypal Elizabethan sonnet which champions his creative style ("Howard Nemerov")."The War in the Air" is another widely appreciated poem which draws on the experience of his days when he was a pilot ("Howard Nemerov").
Nemerov's poetry has been commended for his display of irony and wit and easily engages the audience "without becoming academic" ("Storm Windows"). However witty and satiric his prose exudes, Nemerov is known for having "opposing elements", which often leads to a pessimistic undertone ("Storm Windows"). His poetry explores the process of thinking and ideas themselves which reflect a broad spectrum of emotion ("Storm Windows"). Throughout his career, Nemerov has been awarded US Poet Laureate (1987 - 88) , National Book Award for Poetry & Pulitzer Prize for Poetry (1978 for Collected Poems) , National Medal of Arts (1987), and is in the St. Louis Walk of Fame. ("Storm Windows").