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An Approach to the Western Poetry of Thomas Hornsby Ferril

Thomas Hornsby Ferril has accumulated an impressive list of awards for his poetry. These include the Yale Competition for Younger Poets, the Nation’s poetry prize, the Oscar Blumenthal prize, the Robert Frost award, the Mitchell Kennerley award, a Forum award, and an award from the Academy of American Poets. In addition, four universities have given Mr. Ferril honorary de­ grees. Quite obviously, he has produced a substantial body of dis­ tinguished poetry; but in spite of these accolades, Thomas Hornsby Ferril remains an unknown or, at best, an obscure American poet. This is lamentable because he has something important to say about America to Americans. The primary purpose of this essay is to call attention to a poet whose works deserve a much larger audience than they have had. If the reader also finds that the essay offers a meaningful approach to Ferril’s western poetry, then so much the better.