Digital Victorian Periodical Poetry

Prolific poet, novelist, editor, and illustrator, known for his wit and humor. Born in Boston to Thomas Harvey Burgess, a painting contractor, and Caroline Matilda Brooks. Earned a B.S. from MIT in 1887 before working as a draftsman and instructor in California. His dismissal from the University of California, Berkeley, for toppling a statue marked the beginning of his literary career. Co-founded The Lark (1895–1897), a San Francisco magazine showcasing avant-garde poetry and art. His most famous poem, The Purple Cow, gained widespread recognition. He also created the Goops, whimsical characters used to humorously teach children manners. Some of his publications include Burgess Unabridged: A New Dictionary of Words You Have Always Needed (1914), a wordplay collection in which he introduced the word blurb and Goop books series (1900-1951). Biographical information: ANB. (NM)