Voting Station

Joaquin Miller

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Poet

The Resume

    (September 8, 1837-February 17, 1913)
    Born in Fulton County, Indiana
    Birth name was Cincinnatus Hiner Miller
    Wrote ‘Songs of the Sierra’ (1871), ‘Memorie and Rime’ (1884) and ‘Light: A Narrative Poem’ (1907)
    Nicknamed ‘the Poet of the Sierras’ and ‘the Byron of the Rockies’

Why he might be annoying:

    He participated in William Walker’s campaign to conquer Nicaragua.
    He was arrested for stealing a horse (1859).
    He abandoned his wife, leaving the note, ‘Literary men never get along well with their wives. Lord Byron separated from his wife and some of my friends think I am a second Lord Byron. Farewell!’
    He heavily romanticized his background, prompting Ambrose Bierce to call him ‘the greatest liar this country ever produced. He cannot or will not tell the truth.’
    He wrote a poem rhyming ‘Goethe’ with ‘teeth.’

Why he might not be annoying:

    His best poems convey a sense of the majesty of the American West.
    His flamboyant behavior and Western costume made him a favorite of the literati – especially the pre-Raphaelites – during his visit to England (1871).
    He lost two toes to frostbite while reporting on the Yukon gold rush (1897).
    His home in Oakland, California, was designated a National Historic Landmark (1962).

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    In 2023, Out of 4 Votes: 25.00% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 17 Votes: 47.06% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 5 Votes: 40.0% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 1 Votes: 100% Annoying