Russell Atkins (February 25, 1926 – August 15, 2024) was an American poet, playwright and composer from Cleveland, Ohio, known primarily for his contributions to avant garde poetry.
He later moved to an assisted living facility and then to a nursing home named Algart Healthcare on the city's west side until his death.
In 2014 the poet Joshua Ware, who teaches at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio wrote that "Atkins creates a singular, Cleveland-based beauty in his language and the sounds it produces."
And "the poet surveys the city, its residents, and surroundings, noting how even traditionally beatific images, such as a sunset, can transform into something less gorgeous in the crumbling urban cityscapes.
"[11] Patrick James Dunagan wrote: "Both prolific and diverse, Russell Atkins’ literary output crosses over traditional divisions of genre, style, and form.