Masefield, John (1878-1967), was an English poet, novelist, critic, and playwright. He was appointed poet laureate of England in 1930 (see Poet laureate ). His 37-year term as poet laureate is among the longest and most distinguished in English literature.
Masefield was born on June 1, 1878, at Ledbury in Herefordshire. He was apprenticed as a seaman when he was 13 and spent four years at sea. His experiences influenced his poetry and his fiction. Masefield is most celebrated as a sea poet and as one who sings of “the dust and scum of the earth” and of “the maimed, of the halt and the blind in the rain and the cold.” Many of his works tell tales of love and tragedy among the people of Shropshire and among vagabonds and men of the sea.
Masefield wrote more than 100 books. He first won recognition for his collection of poetry Salt-Water Ballads (1902). His best-known works are the long narrative poems The Everlasting Mercy (1911), The Widow in the Bye Street (1912), Dauber (1913), and Reynard the Fox (1919). His individual poems include “A Consecration,” “On Growing Old,” and “Sea Fever.” His popular novels include the adventure tales Sard Harker (1924) and The Bird of Dawning (1933). Masefield also wrote an autobiography, So Long to Learn (1952). He died on May 12, 1967.
