Yvor Winters once remarked that "poetry is not a career. One will make one's living elsewhere." But the prolific writer George Barker has defied that notion for the past fifty years, aspiring toward the life of the true poet. Barker has traveled from continent to continent, writing poetry and prose. In 1973, Barker's neglected career was honored by tributes from friends in Homage to George Barker on His 60th Birthday, a collection of essays acknowledging the achievements of this humorous and often puzzling man. Previously overshadowed by Dylan Thomas in the 1930s and considered merely one of W. H. Auden's followers, Barker has become recognized for his satirical nature, vivid images, and religious concerns.

George Granville Barker was born in Loughton, Essex, the son of George Barker, a constable, whom he refers to as "a little low / In the social register" in his autobiographical poem The True Confession of...