Gaius Valerius Catullus (84–54 BCE) was the first Roman poet with a supple mastery of Greek prosody in Latin. Celebrated for his singular combination of cosmopolitan poise and seemingly offhand vernacular, he wrote in a variety of meters and forms and touched upon a broad range of subjects, though some of his most famous poems chronicle his relationship with a woman to whom he gave the pseudonym “Lesbia.”
Brooks Haxton has published thirteen books of poetry, translation, and nonfiction. His most recent original book, Fading Hearts on the River, tells the story of his son’s early career in high-stakes poker, and his most recent translation is My Blue Piano, a selection of poems by Else Lasker-Schüler. He teaches in the MFA programs of Syracuse University and Warren Wilson College. (updated 10/2018)