Christopher Buckley (poet)

Christopher Buckley (1948-2023) was an American poet known for his accessible yet deeply lyrical style, often exploring themes of Southern California landscapes, memory, loss, music (particularly jazz), and mortality. He published over twenty books of poetry, including Backbone, Sky Hooks, Sleepwalking with Orpheus, Rolling the Bones, Modern History, and Blossoms and Bones: New and Selected Poems.

Buckley earned a BA from St. Mary's College of California, an MFA from Bowling Green State University, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Irvine. He taught at several universities, most notably at the University of California, Riverside, where he served as a professor of creative writing for many years.

His work is characterized by its vivid imagery, evocative language, and a strong sense of place. While rooted in the personal, his poems often resonate with universal experiences and emotions. Buckley’s poetry has been praised for its musicality and its ability to blend narrative and lyric elements seamlessly. He received numerous awards and honors for his work, including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Guggenheim Foundation. His poems have appeared in a wide range of journals and anthologies. Christopher Buckley died on February 17, 2023.