Norman MacCaig

Norman MacCaig (born Nov. 14, 1910, Edinburgh, Scot.—died Jan. 23, 1996, Edinburgh) was one of the most important Scottish poets of the 20th century.

After graduation from the University of Edinburgh, MacCaig held various teaching positions, mostly in Edinburgh. His early published works, which he later disavowed, were Far Cry (1943) and The Inward Eye (1946). In Riding Lights (1955), his characteristic poetic voice—recalling the polished Metaphysical elegance of John Donne—was first revealed. Many of his images were taken from the natural world, and his poetry was noted for its wit, humour, apt observation, and command of metaphor. He considered life on a small scale in a number of volumes of verse, including The Sinai Sort (1957), A Common Grace (1960), A Round of Applause (1962), Measures (1965), Rings on a Tree (1968), and A Man in My Position (1969). A volume of his collected poems was published in 1985.