Dunstan Thompson (1918 – 75) was a Harvard-educated poet and author who was considered a rising star in the Anglo-American literary scene during World War II after the publication of two critically acclaimed collections. Shortly thereafter he disappeared from public life, to the surprise of many admirers. Now, forty years after his death, the publication of his selected poems reveals a deep inner conflict about his Catholic and gay identities that led to a personal crisis after the war. The next phase of Thompson’s career took place out of public view, in part because the changes in his poetic style and subject matter were out of step with the fashions of the time. This volume makes it possible for readers and critics to recognize Thompson’s place in the annals of twentieth-century literature.
