Poet Biography

Lawrence Ferlinghetti

A poet, painter and novelist, LAWRENCE FERLINGHETTI celebrated his 90th birthday this year. He has read and/or exhibited his artwork in countries including Mexico, France, Italy and Nicaragua. Known also as the first to revolutionize the publishing of poetry for the masses, he was San Francisco’s first Poet Laureate. His most recent book is Poetry as Insurgent Art. In honor of his birth-year, The Friends of the San Francisco Public Library has asked Lawrence to inaugurate the San Francisco International Poetry Festival of 2009 with a poem written especially for this occasion.