William Alfred (August 16, 1922 – May 20, 1999) was an American playwright, poet, and professor of English literature at Harvard University.
[4] While in the army, he was taught Bulgarian at a language school and then stationed in the South Pacific, where he wrote poems for American Poet.
[6] He began teaching at Harvard the same year he received his doctorate and was appointed full professor in 1963.
[6] Alfred's play Hogan's Goat, a verse drama, helped launch Faye Dunaway's career in the 60's.
[7] Alfred was close friends with fellow poets Elizabeth Bishop[8] and Robert Lowell.