Lew Welch
Lew Welch was a prominent poet associated with the Beat generation, born in 1926 in Phoenix, Arizona. His early life was marked by instability following his parents' divorce, leading to a childhood spent moving between communities in California. This nomadic upbringing fostered a love for reading and poetry, which became his solace. After his service in World War II and subsequent education at several colleges, including Reed College, he began writing poetry but struggled to find recognition. Welch became deeply involved in the Beat movement in San Francisco, facing personal challenges, including multiple bouts of depression and issues with alcohol, which affected both his marriage and career. His work gained attention with the publication of his autobiographical poem "Wobbly Rock" in 1960, but his success was often overshadowed by his struggles. In his later years, despite teaching at Colorado State University, Welch’s battle with alcoholism continued. Tragically, in 1971, he disappeared in the Colorado mountains, leaving behind a complex legacy as a deeply influential yet troubled figure in American literature.
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Lew Welch
Poet
- Born: August 16, 1926
- Birthplace: Phoenix, Arizona
- Died: May 1, 1971
Biography
Lew Welch, a Beat generation poet, was born in Phoenix, Arizona, in 1926. His mother, Dorothy Brownfield Welch, was a wealthy socialite and his father, Lewis Barrett Welch, was a bank teller. The difference in his parent’s social status eventually led to marital problems. In 1929, when Welch was three years old, his parents divorced. After the divorce, his mother moved Welch and his sister to California, where they spent the next fifteen years moving from one community to another. The constant change of schools made it difficult for Welch to make friends. To combat his loneliness, he turned to reading books, immersing himself in adventure stories and poetry.
Welch graduated from high school in 1945 and enlisted in the United States Air Force during World War II. At the end of the war, he left the military and enrolled at Stockton Junior College in Stockton, California. There he was influenced by the works of Gertrude Stein and became interested in becoming a writer. After two years at Stockton Junior College, Welch entered Reed College in Portland, Oregon, where he became friends with aspiring poets Gary Snyder and Philip Whalen. Welch soon began writing his own poems, none of which he was able to publish. In 1951, Welch entered the University of Chicago and studied English. After his first year of studies and still unable to publish any of his writing, Welch experienced a bout of depression and suffered a mental breakdown.
After receiving care from a psychoanalyst, Welch recovered from his breakdown and resumed his studies. At this time he also took a job in the advertising department of Montgomery Ward Merchandise Company and married Mary Gerber. He settled into a routine of marriage, work, and studies. However, the marriage became difficult and Welch became dissatisfied with his life. He sunk into another bout of depression and turned to alcohol.
After several years of unhappiness, Welch sought help from his college friends, Snyder and Whalen, who were living in San Francisco. Upon their encouragement, Welch obtained a transfer to the Montgomery Ward office in Oakland, California. Shortly after arriving in California, Welch became immersed in the California Beat scene and divorced his wife. He was also fired from his job.
In the late 1950’s, Welch, who could not hold a steady job and still had not published any of his written work, moved into a communal home. There he devoted himself to writing and heavy drinking. Eventually, he left San Francisco and moved to Reno, Nevada, to live with his mother. While in Reno, Welch finally experienced success as a writer, and in 1960, Welch’s autobiographical poem, Wobbly Rock, was published. Following this publication, Welch returned to San Francisco and resumed his old lifestyle. Again, he began drinking heavily and relapsed into another mental breakdown. He left the city and lived as a hermit in the mountains of California. At this time, he wrote several poems which were eventually included in his collections Hermit Poems and At Times We’re Almost Able to See. These publications established Welch’s status as a literary poet.
After a long alcohol-laden hermitage, Welch made an effort to straighten out his life and obtained a teaching position at Colorado State University in Greeley. He found success as a teacher but could not stay away from alcohol. After several months of excessive binging, Welch became severely depressed. In 1971, after appointing a literary executor, Welch took a loaded gun and disappeared into the Colorado mountains. He was never seen again.