Lally brennan biography of michael

American poet

Michael Lally (born May 25, 1942) is an American-born poet and the author of more than 30 books of poetry. He is considered part of the New York School of poetry, which began in the early 1950s and is acknowledged as one of the most influential movements of American poetry.

He counts among his major influences the poets Frank O'Hara and William Carlos Williams, as well as writer William Saroyan.^[1][2][3]

Biography

Early years

Lally was born in Orange, New Jersey, the youngest of seven in an Irish-American family of policemen, priests, and politicians, and raised in South Orange, New Jersey.^[4] His autobiographical style of poetry and prose reflects on American culture from the 1950s forward: civil rights, gay rights, women's rights and anti-war movements and his active participation in each.

Lally started out playing piano and reading his poetry in coffeehouses and bars in 1959. In 1962 he join