Everson, William

Everson, William (Oliver) (Brother Antonius, pen name)

(1912–  ) poet; born in Sacramento, Calif. He studied at Fresno State, Calif. (1931, 1934–35), and was a conscientious objector during World War II. He became a Dominican lay brother (1951–71), left the order, and settled in Davenport, Calif. Associated with the Beat poets, he wrote erotic and mystical poetry.

The Cambridge Dictionary of American Biography, by John S. Bowman. Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1995. Reproduced with permission.