An English poet and children's writer, generally ranked as one of the best poets of his generation. He was Poet Laureate from 1984 until his death.

He was married to American poet Sylvia Plath from 1956 until her suicide in 1963 at the age of 30. His part in the relationship became controversial to some feminists and (particularly) American admirers of Plath. His last poetic work, Birthday Letters (1998) explored their complex relationship. These poems make reference to Plath's suicide, but none of them addresses directly the circumstances of her death. A poem discovered in October 2010, Last Letter, describes what happened during the 3 days leading up to her suicide.