John Nims
John Frederick Nims (1913–1999), born in Muskegon, Michigan, received a BA from DePaul University, an MA from the University of Notre Dame, and a PhD from the University of Chicago. He wrote eight books of poetry including Knowledge of the Evening, which was nominated for a National Book Award. In addition to writing great poetry, Nims was well-known for his exquisite translations. He made a name for himself through his contributions to Five Young American Poets and through his reviews of Robert Lowell and W.S. Merton. Nims was the editor of Poetry Magazine from 1978 to 1984 and was incredibly influential in this position. He also taught at various institutions, including Harvard University, the University of Florence, the University of Toronto, and Williams College. Nims won several awards including the American Academy of Arts and Letters Award, a National Foundation for the Arts and Humanities grant, and fellowships from the Academy of American Poets, The Guggenheim Foundation, and The Institute of the Humanities. He passed away in 1999 in Chicago, Illinois.