Walter Benton

Who was Walter Benton?

Walter Benton was an American poet and writer. Benton was born to Russian immigrant parents living in Austria. The family left Europe in 1913 to relocate to the United States during World War I. During the Great Depression, Benton worked various odd jobs enabling him to attend Ohio University, where he graduated in 1934. Afterwards, he was employed as a social investigator by New York City and then served in the United States Army during World War II. After the war he returned to his job in New York City while pursuing a career as a writer. His work was published in Yale Review, Saturday Review of Literature, Esquire, The New Republic and several other publications.

His two books of poetry are his best known works. This is My Beloved was published in 1943 and has become one of the best selling books of poetry. This volume was followed by another book of love poems entitled Never a Greater Need that was published in 1948.

Benton suffered a massive stroke c. 1965 and was cared for by his niece Jeannette until he had to be placed in a nursing home, where he died in 1976.

American poet and singer, Rod McKuen has said that his most romantic poetry was influenced by Benton's two books of poems.