Nick Virgilio
1928–1989 (age 61)
Poet
Biography
Nick Virgilio shaped modern American haiku by bringing to the sparing form the weight of his own experiences and the grit of Philadelphia streets. He turned to haiku because it allowed him to distill grief and wonder into a single breath, capturing dew-soaked mornings and wartime memories with equal clarity.
He shared his craft with peers and students through readings and gatherings, leaving a heritage of precise yet tender verse now honored near Harleigh Cemetery.