Alan Dugan

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Alan Dugan (February 12, 1923 – September 3, 2003) was an American poet. His poetry is known for its plain and direct language, though it is supported by technical skill; it is generally trenchant and ironic in its criticism of American life and received ideas, and in its frank sensuality alike. His fist volume Poems published in 1961 was a chosen by the Yale Series of Younger Poets and went on to win the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize in Poetry. His last volume, entitled Poems Seven: New and Complete Poetry, was published in 2001 by Seven Stories Press in New York and won Dugan a second National Book Award. Since his death in 2003, a complete volume of collected poetry has yet to appear.

Life
Dugan grew up in Jamaica, Queens in New York City and served in World War II, experiences which entered his poetry though he avoided simple autobiography or confession. He later lived in Truro on Cape Cod in Massachusetts, where he directed the Fine Arts Work Center and was a mentor and teacher to younger poets for decades.

Dugan's work was published in successive numbered collections under the simple title Poems.

Alan Dugan was married to the artist Judith Shahn. He died on September 3, 2003, of pneumonia at age 80.

Recognition
Dugan received many awards and fellowships for his poetry, including:
 * Poems (1961): Yale Series of Younger Poets, National Book Award, Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.
 * Poems Seven: New and Complete Poetry (2001): National Book Award.
 * Awarded the Prix De Rome by the National Institute of Arts and Letters(1962)
 * The Shelley Memorial Award: Poetry Society of America (1982)
 * The Award in Literature: American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters(1985)
 * Awarded the Lannan Literary Award for Poetry in 2002.

Publications

 * Poems (1961)
 * Poems 2 (1963)
 * Poems 3 (1967)
 * Poems 4 (1974)
 * Poems Five: New and Collected Poems (1983)
 * Poems Six (1989)
 * Poems Seven: New and Complete Poetry (2001)