Gary Snyder

1930 (San Francisco) –

A leading poet of the West Coast scene, Snyder’s verse has been deeply influenced by Chinese and Japanese thought and by an ecological concern for the land. He notably announced himself at an event presided over by his early influence Rexroth, with Ginsberg and McClure also reading. Kerouac fictionalised him (they lived in a cabin together for six months). He introduced Ginsberg to buddhism and shared a plot of land with him — their deep friendship was marked by 850 letters across 40 years, and led to Snyder also meeting the East coasters Koch, Creeley, Waldman and Rothenberg.