Lee Upton

Lee Upton (born 1953) is an American poet, essayist, and fiction writer. She is known for her lyric poetry, which often explores themes of art, nature, and the human condition with a distinctive blend of wit and emotional depth.

Upton has published numerous books of poetry, including The Tao of Humiliation (2009), Undid in the Land of Undone (2007), Approximately Paradise (2005), and No Mercy (1999), winner of the National Poetry Series Open Competition. Her book of literary criticism, Mad Blood Stirring: Vendetta and Factions in Shakespeare, was published in 1993. She has also written short fiction and essays, often appearing in literary journals and anthologies.

Her work is characterized by its formal experimentation, its engagement with historical and cultural references, and its exploration of philosophical questions. She frequently employs innovative forms and structures within her poems, while also maintaining a strong connection to traditional poetic techniques.

Upton has received several awards and honors for her writing, including fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Ohio Arts Council, and the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference.

She currently teaches at Lafayette College in Easton, Pennsylvania, where she is the Francis A. March Professor of English.