TWA Poet: James Wright

1927 - 1980

It's the birthday of poet James (Arlington) Wright, born in Martin's Ferry, Ohio (1927). Wright's whole youth was aimed at leaving his small hometown. His father worked at the same glass factory for 50 years, and his mother left school at 14 to work in a laundry. Neither went to school past the eighth grade. He was the middle of three sons.

He started wr…