Walter Benton (poet)
Encyclopedia
Walter Benton was an American
poet and writer. Benton was born to Russian
immigrant parents living in Austria
. The family left Europe
in 1913 to relocate to the the United States during World War I
. During the Great Depression
, Benton worked various odd jobs enabling him to attend Ohio University
, where he graduated in 1934. Afterwards, he was employed as a social investigator by New York City
and then served in the United States Army
during World War II
. After the war he returned to his job in New York City while pursuing a career as a writer. His work was published in Yale Review
, Saturday Review of Literature, Esquire
, The New Republic
and several other publications.
His two books of poetry are his best known works. This is My Beloved was published in 1943 and has become one of the best selling books of poetry. This volume was followed by another book of love poems entitled Never a Greater Need that was published in 1948.
Benton suffered a massive stroke
c. 1965 and was cared for by his niece Jeannette until he had to be placed in a nursing home, where he died in 1976.
American poet and singer, Rod McKuen
has said that his most romantic poetry was influenced by Benton's two books of poems.
issued it as the first 33-1/3 rpm long playing album in March 1949 with the poem as narrated by John Dall
and scored for a 28 piece orchestra and 16 voice chorus.
Jazz musician Arthur Prysock
read verses from Benton's book of poems against a jazz instrumental backdrop on his 1968 album, This is My Beloved.
Other recorded versions of the poems from This is My Beloved were a 1956 narration by Alfred Ryder
with a musical score by Vernon Duke
and another in 1962 by Laurence Harvey
accompanied by Herbie Mann
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
poet and writer. Benton was born to Russian
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
immigrant parents living in Austria
Austria
Austria , officially the Republic of Austria , is a landlocked country of roughly 8.4 million people in Central Europe. It is bordered by the Czech Republic and Germany to the north, Slovakia and Hungary to the east, Slovenia and Italy to the south, and Switzerland and Liechtenstein to the...
. The family left Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
in 1913 to relocate to the the United States during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. During the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
, Benton worked various odd jobs enabling him to attend Ohio University
Ohio University
Ohio University is a public university located in the Midwestern United States in Athens, Ohio, situated on an campus...
, where he graduated in 1934. Afterwards, he was employed as a social investigator by New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
and then served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. After the war he returned to his job in New York City while pursuing a career as a writer. His work was published in Yale Review
Yale Review
The Yale Review is the self-proclaimed oldest literary quarterly in the United States. It is published by Yale University.It was founded originally in 1819 as The Christian Spectator. At its origin it was published to support Evangelicalism, but over time began to publish more on history and...
, Saturday Review of Literature, Esquire
Esquire (magazine)
Esquire is a men's magazine, published in the U.S. by the Hearst Corporation. Founded in 1932, it flourished during the Great Depression under the guidance of founder and editor Arnold Gingrich.-History:...
, The New Republic
The New Republic
The magazine has also published two articles concerning income inequality, largely criticizing conservative economists for their attempts to deny the existence or negative effect increasing income inequality is having on the United States...
and several other publications.
His two books of poetry are his best known works. This is My Beloved was published in 1943 and has become one of the best selling books of poetry. This volume was followed by another book of love poems entitled Never a Greater Need that was published in 1948.
Benton suffered a massive stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
c. 1965 and was cared for by his niece Jeannette until he had to be placed in a nursing home, where he died in 1976.
American poet and singer, Rod McKuen
Rod McKuen
Rod McKuen is an American poet, songwriter, composer, and singer. He was one of the best-selling poets in the United States during the late 1960s. Throughout his career, McKuen produced a wide range of recordings, which included popular music, spoken word poetry, film soundtracks, and classical music...
has said that his most romantic poetry was influenced by Benton's two books of poems.
This is My Beloved
His book of poems addressed to "Lillian" was written in diary form. It was described in 1949 as "forthright love poems" and said to be "the best-selling poetry volume of recent years" having sold 350,000 copies at that time. Atlantic RecordsAtlantic Records
Atlantic Records is an American record label best known for its many recordings of rhythm and blues, rock and roll, and jazz...
issued it as the first 33-1/3 rpm long playing album in March 1949 with the poem as narrated by John Dall
John Dall
John Dall was an American actor.Primarily a stage actor, he is best remembered today for two film roles; the cool-minded intellectual killer in Alfred Hitchcock's film Rope, and the trigger-happy lead in the 1950 noir Gun Crazy.He first came to fame as the young prodigy who comes alive under the...
and scored for a 28 piece orchestra and 16 voice chorus.
Jazz musician Arthur Prysock
Arthur Prysock
Arthur Prysock was an American jazz singer best known for his live shows and his baritone influenced by Billy Eckstine....
read verses from Benton's book of poems against a jazz instrumental backdrop on his 1968 album, This is My Beloved.
Other recorded versions of the poems from This is My Beloved were a 1956 narration by Alfred Ryder
Alfred Ryder
Alfred Ryder was an American film, radio and television actor. Ryder may best be remembered for appearing in over one hundred television shows, including the 1959 starring role as a British criminal who could not be killed in Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond episode 'The Devil's Laughter'...
with a musical score by Vernon Duke
Vernon Duke
Vernon Duke was a Russian-American composer/songwriter, who also wrote under his original name Vladimir Dukelsky. He is best known for "Taking a Chance on Love" with lyrics by Ted Fetter and John Latouche, "I Can't Get Started" with lyrics by Ira Gershwin, "April in Paris" with lyrics by E. Y...
and another in 1962 by Laurence Harvey
Laurence Harvey
Laurence Harvey was a Lithuanian-born actor who achieved fame in British and American films.- Early life :Harvey maintained throughout his life that his birth name was Laruschka Mischa Skikne. However, his legal name was Zvi Mosheh Skikne. He was the youngest of three boys born to Ber "Boris" and...
accompanied by Herbie Mann
Herbie Mann
Herbert Jay Solomon , better known as Herbie Mann, was a Jewish American jazz flutist and important early practitioner of world music...
.
Poetry
- This is My Beloved (1943). Random HouseRandom HouseRandom House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
. ISBN 978-039440458-5 - Never a Greater Need (1948). Random HouseRandom HouseRandom House, Inc. is the largest general-interest trade book publisher in the world. It has been owned since 1998 by the German private media corporation Bertelsmann and has become the umbrella brand for Bertelsmann book publishing. Random House also has a movie production arm, Random House Films,...
. ISBN 978-039440392-2
External links
- This is My Beloved by Walter Benton published by OpEdNewsOpEdNewsOpEdNews is a United States-based progressive/liberal news, activism, and opinion website founded in 2003. The site claims 350 to 800,000 unique visitors, around 70 million hits every month, having over 44,000 registered members...