Walter De la MareEnglish poet, novelist, and short story writer Walter de la Mare was born in 1873 and died in 1956. What is commonly known about him is his poetry, which often explores themes of the strange and the inexplicable. De la Mare's work is characterized byits use of powerful atmosphere, melody, and vivid imagery. Beginning in the early 1900s, De la Mare authored a large number of books for youngsters. His first collection of poetry, "Songs of Childhood," was published in 1902 and marked the beginning of his literary career. A sizable corpus of fiction was also generated by De la Mare, including "Memoirs of a Midget," which won the James Tait Black Memorial Prize in 1921. He also wrote a lot of short tales, many of which were included in the collections "The Connoisseur and Other Stories" and "The Riddle and Other Stories." De la Mare's poetry has won praise for its powerful language and imagery. Many of his works explore themes of the supernatural and unknown, and he is regarded as a master of the macabre. His most popular poems are "The Listeners," "Silver," and "Mistletoe." De la Mare was awarded the Order of Merit in 1948 for his contributions to literature. He died in 1956 at the age of 83. Read More Read Less