Poetry (eBook)

Howard Phillips Lovecraft, known as H. P. Lovecraft, was an American writer born on August 20, 1890, in Providence, Rhode Island, where he spent most of his life. Lovecraft is posthumously regarded as one of the most significant authors of supernatural horror fiction. He was virtually unknown during his lifetime and published only in pulp magazines before he died in poverty at the age of 46, on March 15, 1937. However, he is now considered one of the most influential figures in the genre. Lovecraft was a prodigy, reciting poetry at the age of three and writing complete poems by six. His early work was largely influenced by Edgar Allan Poe, and he ventured into horror writing with 'The Call of Cthulhu' (1928), which became emblematic of the cosmic horror sub-genre he pioneered. His mythical Cthulhu Mythos has had a profound impact on an entire genre of literature. While known for his prose, Lovecraft also produced a significant body of poetry, albeit less celebrated than his tales of cosmic terror. His poems delve into themes similar to those in his prose, exploring the macabre and fantastic, often with archaic language, reflecting his love for 18th-century literature. Despite a childhood marked by tragedy and a brief formal education, Lovecraft's self-taught erudition is evident in his literary work. Since his death, Lovecraft's reputation has grown tremendously, and his writing has been the subject of intense critical scrutiny in the literary community.