Columbia's Dean Young leaves legacy of enigmatic poetry, inspiration

Dean Young’s work was humorous, heartbreaking, and deeply influential in the field of contemporary poetry, and it continues to inspire people even after his death.

Young was an award-winning poet, mentor, and close friend to many who he inspired with his decades of written work. A former Iowa Writers’ Workshop faculty member, his connection to the University of Iowa and surrounding literary community is unmeasurable. On Aug. 23, Young died at the age of 67 due to complications from COVID-19.

Born in 1955 in Columbia, Pennsylvania, Young earned his Master’s of Fine Arts from Indiana University. He taught for many years at the University of Texas at Austin, where he held the William Livingston Chair of Poetry. He was also chosen as Texas Poet Laureate in 2014. 

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