Frederick Seidel

Frederick Seidel (born February 19, 1936) is an American poet born in St. Louis, Missouri, known for his provocative and controversial style that often shocks readers with themes of sex, violence, politics, and luxury. Foundation. His debut collection Final Solutions (1963) sparked scandal when it was rejected for a prize due to alleged libel and offensiveness, yet launched his career; notable later works include Sunrise (1979, Lamont Poetry Selection and National Book Critics Circle Award), Going Fast (1998, Pulitzer finalist), Ooga-Booga (2006, NBCC finalist), and recent volumes like So What (2024). Poets.org. Major achievements encompass the PEN/Voelcker Award (2002), Hadada Award (2016), and commissions such as The Cosmos Poems for the Hayden Planetarium.