David Ignatow, an influential poet born on February 7, 1914, in Brooklyn, New York, tackled the tumultuous economic and social landscapes of his time. Raised by Russian immigrant parents, Max and Yetta (Reinbach) Ignatow, he faced the harsh realities of the Great Depression upon graduating from New Utrecht High School in 1932. Seeking to forge his own path, Ignatow immersed himself in self-study, shaping a literary life filled with both triumphs and challenges.

Early Life and Self-Education

Graduating into an era of economic despair, Ignatow's brief stint at Brooklyn College ended after just half a semester. Instead, he educated himself through extensive reading, diving into the works of literary giants such as Ernest Hemingway, Walt Whitman, and Friedrich Nietzsche. He also explored the realms of Russian novelists, French poets, and the Bible. Amidst this self-directed learning, Ignatow joined his father's pamphlet bindery business, balancing manual work with his passion for writing stories and poems. His work environment was grueling, and his relationship with his father was often contentious, fueling his desire to escape into the world of literature. Thanks to his mother's support, he secured a position with the WPA Newspaper Project as a reporter. By 1933, his short story "I Can’t Stop It" was recognized in The New Talent magazine and included in Edward J. O’Brien’s The Best American Short Stories.

Building a Literary Career

In 1935, Ignatow relocated to Manhattan's East Village, liberating himself from familial constraints and joining a vibrant literary community. There, he met and married artist Rose Graubart in 1937, and together they welcomed their son David. Despite financial challenges, Ignatow juggled various low-paying jobs, from night clerk roles to handyman positions. His perseverance paid off in 1948 when his first poetry collection, Poems, was published, receiving praise from William Carlos Williams. Williams and fellow poet Charles Reznikoff became mentors, significantly shaping Ignatow's poetic voice.

Personal Struggles and Professional Milestones

The year 1955 marked several important developments in Ignatow's life. His work, The Gentle Weight Lifter, was published, showcasing his literary prowess. He also edited the Whitman Centennial issue of the Beloit Poetry Journal. However, 1955 was bittersweet as it was the year his son began to show signs of mental illness. A year later, Ignatow’s daughter Yaedi was born, and he became connected with Chelsea magazine. In 1961, his third collection, Say Pardon, was released to critical acclaim, though financial instability persisted. To support his family, Ignatow worked as a paper salesman and messenger while also engaging in literary pursuits as a poetry editor and workshop leader.

Recognition and Influence

Ignatow’s contributions to literature were acknowledged in 1964 when he received an award from the National Institute of Arts and Letters. This accolade was soon followed by a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1965 and the Shelley Memorial Award in 1966, affirming his standing in the literary world. He also shared his expertise through academic roles, lecturing at institutions like the University of Kentucky and Vassar College. His commitment to poetry led him to editorial roles with the Beloit Poetry Journal and Chelsea, and he contributed to the founding of the American Poetry Review in 1972. However, Ignatow and several colleagues later resigned due to disagreements over the magazine’s editorial biases.

Legacy and Later Years

In 1973, Ignatow was awarded a second Guggenheim Fellowship, but the Bollingen Prize in 1977 truly broadened his audience. Despite his hopes, the release of The Notebooks of David Ignatow did not significantly increase his readership but did highlight the personal and professional costs of his career. The work revealed the challenges of consistently translating personal experiences into universal truths. Ignatow's dedication to his craft and his role as an anti-establishment voice were ultimately recognized when he was elected president of the Poetry Society of America in 1980. He left an indelible mark on American poetry until his death on November 17, 1997.