Charles Simic facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Charles Simic
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Simic in 2015
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| Born | Dušan Simić May 9, 1938 Belgrade, Kingdom of Yugoslavia |
| Died | January 9, 2023 (aged 84) Dover, New Hampshire, U.S. |
| Occupation | Poet |
| Notable awards |
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Charles Simic (born Dušan Simić) was a famous poet. He was born on May 9, 1938, and passed away on January 9, 2023. He was from Serbia and America. He was also a poetry editor for The Paris Review. He won the important Pulitzer Prize for Poetry in 1990. He was also a finalist for this award two other times. In 2007, he became the Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. This is a special honor for a poet in the United States.
Contents
About Charles Simic
His Early Life
Charles Simic was born in Belgrade, a city in what was then Yugoslavia. When he was a young child, World War II was happening. His family had to leave their home many times. This was because Belgrade was bombed a lot during the war. Growing up during this difficult time really shaped how Simic saw the world.
He once said that being a "displaced person" made a big impact on him. He heard many sad stories from others. He was amazed by the bad things and foolishness he saw.
In 1954, when he was sixteen, Simic moved to the United States. He came with his brother and mother to join his father. They lived in New York for a year. Then, his family moved to Oak Park, Illinois. He finished high school there. In 1961, he joined the U.S. Army. Later, in 1966, he earned his college degree from New York University. He worked at night to pay for his classes.
His Career as a Poet
Charles Simic started to become well-known in the 1970s. He was known for writing short, clear poems. These poems used strong images. Some people described his poems as being like "tightly constructed Chinese puzzle boxes." This means they were clever and well-made.
In 1973, he became a professor at the University of New Hampshire. He taught American literature and creative writing. He lived in Strafford, New Hampshire. Simic wrote about many different things. These included jazz music, art, and ideas about life. He was inspired by other famous writers like Emily Dickinson and Pablo Neruda. He also liked the musician Fats Waller.
Simic was also a translator, meaning he changed texts from one language to another. He wrote essays and shared his thoughts on poetry. He was the poetry editor for The Paris Review for a time. In 1995, he was chosen to be part of the American Academy of Arts and Letters. This is a group that honors great artists. He also became a chancellor for the Academy of American Poets in 2000.
In 2007, Simic was one of the judges for the Griffin Poetry Prize. He also wrote poems and essays for The New York Review of Books. That same year, he received the Wallace Stevens Award. This award gave him US$100,000 for his poetry.
The Librarian of Congress, James Billington, chose Simic to be the fifteenth Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress. This is a very important role for a poet in the U.S. Billington said Simic's poetry had a "stunning and original quality."
In 2011, Simic received the Frost Medal. This award is given each year to a poet for their lifetime achievements. Simic's writings, notes, and other materials are kept at the University of New Hampshire Library.
His Family Life
Charles Simic married Helene Dubin, who was a fashion designer, in 1964. They had two children together. In 1971, he became an American citizen. Charles Simic passed away on January 9, 2023. He was 84 years old.
Awards and Honors
Charles Simic received many awards for his amazing work:
- PEN Translation Prize (1980)
- Ingram Merrill Foundation Fellowship (1983)
- MacArthur Fellowship (1984–1989)
- Pulitzer Prize finalist (1986)
- Pulitzer Prize finalist (1987)
- Pulitzer Prize for Poetry (1990)
- Wallace Stevens Award (2007)
- Frost Medal (2011)
- Vilcek Prize in Literature (2011)
- Zbigniew Herbert International Literary Award (2014)
- Golden Wreath of the Struga Poetry Evenings (2017)
See also
In Spanish: Charles Simic para niños
