James Dickey (1923-1997), with his unique vision, often violent imagery, and eccentric style, created for himself a place as an important American poet in the last half of the twentieth century. Although he drew much from his life experience, Dickey avoided the classification as a confessional poet because he wrote verse that touched at the heart of all human experience.

Dickey was born on February 2, 1923, in Buckhead, Georgia, an affluent suburb of Atlanta. He was the second son of Eugene Dickey, a lawyer, and Maibelle Swift Dickey. The Dickeys' first-born son, Eugene Jr., had died of meningitis. Dickey attended North Fulton High School, where he was involved in football and track. After graduating in 1941, he attended Darlington School in Rome, Georgia, for one year. In the fall of 1942, he enrolled at Clemson A & M (now Clemson University) and played tailback on the freshmen football team. After just one...