J. Gordon Coogler

John Brown Gordon Coogler (December 3, 1865 – September 9, 1901) was a self-taught American poet who achieved notoriety during his lifetime as a prolific producer of bad verse.

Mencken is credited with assuring Coogler's lasting fame as a poetaster by mocking him as an example of the supposedly poor state of arts and letters in the American South.

[2] In the late 20th century conservative political commentator Emmett Tyrrell invented the annual J. Gordon Coogler Award as a booby prize for the "worst book of the year."

The announcement of the prize has appeared annually in conservative organs including Human Events and The American Spectator.

[3] According to literary critic Bryan Giemza, other "mock-serious Coogler societies" have granted awards for bad writing.