“April is the cruelest month” begins “The Waste Land,” T.S.
“April is the cruelest month” begins “The Waste Land,” T.S. Eliot’s most famous poem. Published in the post-World War I era, it explores themes of loss and sacrifice. While he had plenty of other successes, the Harvard-educated Eliot’s career was defined by this insightful, at times satirical look at life.