Rafael Campo

Rafael Campo

Rafael Campo is an acclaimed American poet, essayist, and literary critic. His work is multifaceted, addressing complex themes such as cultural identity, sexuality, faith, illness, and the intersection of art and medicine. As a physician and poet, Campo brings a unique and profound perspective to his reflections on the human condition.

Born in New York to Cuban parents, Campo often explores the nuances of his heritage and the experience of being a gay man in the United States in his poetry and prose. His medical training, with a specialization in internal medicine, has significantly informed his writing, allowing him to address the realities of illness, care, and vulnerability with rare sensitivity and deep knowledge.

Campo's poetry collections include What the Body Told, The Other Poet, and Landscape With Figures, which have earned him numerous awards and recognition. His essays, collected in volumes such as The Grandest Blitz and Antigone's Daughters, explore literature, art, and culture with sharp intelligence and engaging prose. Campo is a professor of literature and medicine at Harvard Medical School and in the English Department at Tufts University, where he continues to inspire students and readers with his authentic voice and profound humanity.