Roethke, Theodore (rĕt`kə), 1908–63, American poet, b. Saginaw, Mich., educated at the Univ. of Michigan and Harvard. A poet of the Midwest, Roethke combined a love of the land with his vision of the development of the individual. The moods of his poetry range from acid wit to simple feeling, his poetic technique from straightforward language and meters to free forms that approach the surreal. Among his volumes of poetry are Open House (1941), The Lost Son and Other Poems (1948), The Waking (1953, Pulitzer Prize), Words for the Wind (1957), I Am! Says the Lamb (1961), and The Far Field (1964). On the Poet and His Craft (1965) contains essays and lectures.

Bibliography

See his notebooks, ed. by D. Wagoner (1980); letters, ed. by R. J. Mills, Jr. (1968); biography by A. Seager (1968); studies by J. Parini (1979) and R. Stiffler (1986).

Roethke, Theodore

(born May 25, 1908, Saginaw, Mich., U.S.—died Aug. 1, 1963, Bainbridge Island, Wash.) U.S. poet. He was educated at the University of Michigan and Harvard University. He later taught at several colleges and universities, notably the University of Washington (1947–63). His verse, characterized by introspection and intense lyricism, is collected in volumes such as Open House (1941), The Waking (1953, Pulitzer Prize), Words for the Wind (1957, Bollingen Prize, National Book Award), and The Far Field (1964, National Book Award). His later career was interrupted by hospitalizations for manic depression.

Roethke, Theodore (Huebner) (1908–63) poet; born in Saginaw, Mich. He studied at the University of Michigan (B.A. 1924; M.A. 1936) and Harvard (1930–31). He taught at many institutions, notably the University of Washington: Seattle (1947–63). He is known for lyrical poetry of growth and decay, as seen in his posthumous collection, The Far Field (1964).