Kenneth Rexroth is perhaps one of the most accessible writers to have gained prominence during the Beat movement. He was born in South Bend, Indiana in 1905 and died on June 6, 1982 in Montecito, California.

In addition to being a writer, translator, essayist and philosopher, Rexroth also helped found the San Francisco Poetry Center. He received the California Literature Silver Medal Award in 1941 for his book, 'In What Hour'.

Rexroth became a prolific painter and poet by the age of seventeen. He soon gained reputation as a radical by associating with various labor groups and political anarchists. When the second renaissance of the 1920's occurred in Chicago, Rexroth was there. He later became involved in the Beat movement, attempting to elevate common consciousness. In his role as the master of the city's poets, he presided over the introduction of the Beat Generation to the world in the mid-to-late fifties, risking his name and reputation on the unconventional young upstarts, and organizing the Six Gallery poetry reading that caused a literary sensation in 1955. According to some biographical material, Rexroth later grew slightly irritated as the Beats began to reach immense fame, often offending his sensitive poetic ideals with their aggressive hijinks. rexroth was later given the title, "Godfather of the Beats" because of his involvement with the readings and events at the Cellar jazz club.

Rexroth's influence and talents were actually greater than the Beat movement itself. He was perceived by critics as more than just another West Coast anarchist poet.

Rexroth must also be respected not only for his ability to create beautiful diction, but for his ability to translate and convey character through his poetry. Some of his poems were written in the voice of an ancient Japanese woman. This selection of verse exemplifies Rexroth's ability to convey the erotic with a sense of wisdom and beauty.rexroth's verse collections include 'In What Hour' (1940), 'The Phoenix and the Tortoise' (1944), 'In Defense of the Earth' (1956), and 'New Poems' (1974). He also wrote one volume of verse plays, 'Beyond the Mountains' (1951), and several volumes of essays, including 'Bird in the Bush' (1959), 'Alternative Society: Essays from the Other World' (1970), and 'Communalism: From Its Origins to the 20th Century' (1975).