Frank O'Hara

About the Author

Frank O'Hara was a pivotal figure in the New York School of poetry, blending the rhythms of urban life with spontaneous, confessional verse that captured the immediacy of everyday experiences. Born in Baltimore in 1926 and raised in Massachusetts, he served in the U.S. Navy during World War II before earning degrees from Harvard and studying at the University of Michigan. As a curator at the Museum of Modern Art, O'Hara immersed himself in the vibrant art scene of mid-century New York, forging close ties with painters like Jackson Pollock and Larry Rivers, which profoundly influenced his work. His poetry, often written on lunch breaks amid the city's bustle, eschews traditional forms for a direct, intimate voice that celebrates the fleeting beauty of the mundane. Tragically killed in a dune buggy accident in 1966 at age 40, O'Hara left a legacy of innovation and vitality, with his collection Lunch Poems (City Lights Pocket Poets Series) exemplifying his signature 'I do this I do that' style.