John Ciardi

American poet, translator and etymologist (June 24, 1916 - Boston, Massachusetts - March 30, 1986 - Metuchen, New Jersey). Known for his prolific output as a poet and his translation of Dante's Divine Comedy, as well as children's poetry and a book on how to read, write and teach poetry, How Does a Poem Mean?. He was educated at Bates College, Tufts College and the University of Michigan. He taught at Harvard and Rutgers University and the Salzburg Seminar. He was director of the Bread Loaf Writer's Conference and Poetry Editor of the Saturday Review from 1956. He appeared often on television and had his own program on CBS, Accent. He lived in New Jersey and is survived by the three children he had with his wife, Judith.