Muriel Rukeyser

Muriel Rukeyser (1913–1980) was an American poet, essayist, biographer, playwright, and political activist known for her innovative documentary poetics addressing social justice, war, and American history. She won the Yale Younger Poets Prize for her debut collection Theory of Flight (1935) and covered events like the Scottsboro trial, influencing her commitment to the underdog. Over her five-decade career, she mentored poets including Anne Sexton and Adrienne Rich, blending modernism with leftist activism.