Nick Virgilio
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Anthony Virgilio (June 28, 1928–January 3, 1989) was an internationally recognized haiku
poet who is credited with helping to popularize the Japan
ese style of poetry
in the United States
.
Virgilio was born in Camden, New Jersey
on June 28, 1928, the first of three sons of Anthony Virgilio, an accomplished violinist, and Rose Alemi, a seamstress, and grew up in that city's Fairwiew
section, where he lived much of his life.
He graduated from Camden High School, served in the Navy
during World War II
, received a bachelor of arts degree from Temple University
in Philadelphia, and began his career as a radio announcer and, as "Nickaphonic Nick", worked as a disc jockey
with Philadelphia's Jerry Blavat
. He moved to Texas
in the late 1950s to become a sports broadcaster.
Virgilio moved back to Camden following a devastating love affair in Texas and discovered haiku in 1962 in a book at the library at the Camden campus of Rutgers University
. His first published haiku appeared in The American Haiku magazine in 1963, and he wrote thousands, many unpublished, during his 20-plus-year career. The death of his youngest brother Larry in the Vietnam War
inspired some poignant and powerful haiku, and made his reputation as a haiku elegist
. He is quoted by haiku author and book editor Cor van den Heuvel
as saying he wrote haiku "to get in touch with the real".
Virgilio experimented with the haiku form, trying several innovations that were adopted by many other American haiku poets, including dropping the traditional 5-7-5 syllable count in favor of shorter forms. He included rhyme in his haiku along with the gritty reality of urban America. A collection of his selected haiku was published in 1985. The second (expanded) edition appeared just months before his death and has been called one of the most influential single-author books in English-language haiku.
Virgilio became well known after a review on National Public Radio, and appeared often on that network as a guest commentator. He was a member of Camden's Sacred Heart Church and helped to found the Walt Whitman Center for the Arts and Humanities (now the Walt Whitman Arts Center), where he also served as its artistic director and poet-in-residence. Virgilio was a long-standing member of the Haiku Society of America
and was the co-director of the First International Haiku Festival, held in 1971 in Philadelphia.
Until his death, Virgilio had a program on WKDN-FM, a radio station in Camden, NJ.
He died on January 3, 1989 of a heart attack while taping an interview about haiku for the CBS News Nightwatch
television program. He is buried at Harleigh Cemetery
in Camden. His well-known "Lily" haiku is engraved upon his gravestone:
Haiku in English
Haiku in English is a development of the Japanese haiku poetic form in the English language.Contemporary haiku are written in many languages, but most poets outside of Japan are concentrated in the English-speaking countries....
poet who is credited with helping to popularize the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese style of poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
Virgilio was born in Camden, New Jersey
Camden, New Jersey
The city of Camden is the county seat of Camden County, New Jersey. It is located across the Delaware River from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 77,344...
on June 28, 1928, the first of three sons of Anthony Virgilio, an accomplished violinist, and Rose Alemi, a seamstress, and grew up in that city's Fairwiew
Yorkship Village
Yorkship Village was a Federally funded World War I planned community of approximately 1000 homes located near New York Shipbuilding of Camden, New Jersey, and intended to provide housing for the shipyard's workers and their families...
section, where he lived much of his life.
He graduated from Camden High School, served in the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, received a bachelor of arts degree from Temple University
Temple University
Temple University is a comprehensive public research university in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Originally founded in 1884 by Dr. Russell Conwell, Temple University is among the nation's largest providers of professional education and prepares the largest body of professional...
in Philadelphia, and began his career as a radio announcer and, as "Nickaphonic Nick", worked as a disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
with Philadelphia's Jerry Blavat
Jerry Blavat
Jerry Blavat , also known as "The Geator with The Heator", is an American disc jockey who is known for promoting oldies music on the radio in the Philadelphia area. Blavat was born in South Philadelphia to a Jewish father and Italian mother....
. He moved to Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
in the late 1950s to become a sports broadcaster.
Virgilio moved back to Camden following a devastating love affair in Texas and discovered haiku in 1962 in a book at the library at the Camden campus of Rutgers University
Rutgers University
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey , is the largest institution for higher education in New Jersey, United States. It was originally chartered as Queen's College in 1766. It is the eighth-oldest college in the United States and one of the nine Colonial colleges founded before the American...
. His first published haiku appeared in The American Haiku magazine in 1963, and he wrote thousands, many unpublished, during his 20-plus-year career. The death of his youngest brother Larry in the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
inspired some poignant and powerful haiku, and made his reputation as a haiku elegist
Elegy
In literature, an elegy is a mournful, melancholic or plaintive poem, especially a funeral song or a lament for the dead.-History:The Greek term elegeia originally referred to any verse written in elegiac couplets and covering a wide range of subject matter, including epitaphs for tombs...
. He is quoted by haiku author and book editor Cor van den Heuvel
Cor Van Den Heuvel
Cor van den Heuvel is an American haiku poet, editor, commentator and archivist.-Biography:Van den Heuvel was born in Biddeford, Maine, and grew up in Maine and New Hampshire. He lives in New York City with his wife Leonia Leigh Larrecq....
as saying he wrote haiku "to get in touch with the real".
| my dead brother... |
| hearing his laugh |
| in my laughter |
Virgilio experimented with the haiku form, trying several innovations that were adopted by many other American haiku poets, including dropping the traditional 5-7-5 syllable count in favor of shorter forms. He included rhyme in his haiku along with the gritty reality of urban America. A collection of his selected haiku was published in 1985. The second (expanded) edition appeared just months before his death and has been called one of the most influential single-author books in English-language haiku.
Virgilio became well known after a review on National Public Radio, and appeared often on that network as a guest commentator. He was a member of Camden's Sacred Heart Church and helped to found the Walt Whitman Center for the Arts and Humanities (now the Walt Whitman Arts Center), where he also served as its artistic director and poet-in-residence. Virgilio was a long-standing member of the Haiku Society of America
Haiku Society of America
The Haiku Society of America is a non-profit organization composed of haiku poets, editors, critics, publishers and enthusiasts that promotes the composition and appreciation of haiku in English. It was founded in 1968 and sponsors meetings, lectures, workshops, readings and contests...
and was the co-director of the First International Haiku Festival, held in 1971 in Philadelphia.
Until his death, Virgilio had a program on WKDN-FM, a radio station in Camden, NJ.
He died on January 3, 1989 of a heart attack while taping an interview about haiku for the CBS News Nightwatch
Up to the Minute
Up to the Minute is a CBS overnight broadcast which offers hard news, features, interviews, weather, sports, business and commentary. Up to the Minute draws from the full resources of CBS News, including the CBS Evening News, Newspath, affiliate stations, the CBS Radio Network and Reuters Television...
television program. He is buried at Harleigh Cemetery
Harleigh Cemetery, Camden
Harleigh Cemetery is a historic cemetery located in both Collingswood and Camden, New Jersey. Harleigh Cemetery and Crematorium is one of the oldest cemeteries in New Jersey. Named Camden County Veterans Cemetery in 2007, the current President is Louis Cicalese. Harleigh cemetery is over of lush...
in Camden. His well-known "Lily" haiku is engraved upon his gravestone:
| lily: |
| out of the water . . . |
| out of itself |