Archibald MacLeish (1892-1982) In his lifetime, Archibald MacLeish received the Pulitzer Prize three times for his poetic works:  the first in 1932 for Conquistador, his epic poem about the conquest of Mexico by the Spanish; the second in 1952 for his volume Collected Poems, and a third in 1958 for J.B., a drama depicting a contemporary treatment of the story of Job. Before he was known as a poet, however, he was a lawyer, an editor, assistant secretary of state and Harvard professor.   He received his B.A. at Yale and an L.L.B. from Harvard in 1919, practicing law for a few years in Boston.   He then traveled to Europe, wanting to wanting to focus on the possibilities of a writing career, and there came under the influence of T.S. Eliot and Ezra Pound. When he returned to the States served as editor of Fortune magazine from 1928-1938 and Librarian of Congress from 1939-1944.   His early poetry reflected a concern with national and social issues and he became known as "the poet laureate of the New Deal." [Ars Poetica] [Home]   [Poetry]   [Short Stories] [Quotes]   [Philosophy]   [Biographies] [Links]   [Copyright]   [Contact]    [Site Index] <top>