Saint-John Perse (1887-1975)

Awarded the Prize “for the soaring flight and the evocative imagery of his poetry which in a visionary fashion reflects the conditions of our time.”

French poet and diplomat. Perse was born in French Guadeloupe on May 31, 1887. He studied at the University of Bordeaux, graduating in 1908, when his first collection of poems appeared. Later he entered diplomatic service. From 1916 to 1921 he worked in China. He went to the United States in 1940 and became Literary Adviser to the Library of Congress in 1941. Perse died on September 20, 1975 in Giens.
Major Works:
Anabasis (1924); Winds (1946); Seamarks (1957)