Birth date: 
1503
Death date: 
1542
Birth town: 
Kent
Country: 
England

Thomas Wyatt was born at Allington Castle in Kent, and educated at St John's College, Cambridge. While travelling as a diplomat for Henry VIII he developed his interest in Continental poetry; he was the first English poet to use the Italian forms of the sonnet and terza rima, and the French rondeau. His translation of the Penitential Psalms is based on a version by the Italian poet Pietro Aretino.

In the course of his career Wyatt served his King Henry in a variety of offices, including those of Marshal of Calais, Sheriff of Kent and Ambassador to Spain, and he was also jailed several times. His first imprisonment, in 1534, was for brawling; two years later his relationship with the disgraced Anne Boleyn resulted in a short spell in the Tower of London. Thomas and Anne had been lovers before her marriage to Henry, and his sense of loss at their separation forms the subject of the famous sonnet 'Whoso List To Hunt'.

Wyatt was restored to favour and knighted in 1537, and spent the next two years on his embassy to the court of Charles V of Spain. In 1540 however, his trusted patron Thomas Cromwell was executed, leaving him without an ally at court. The following year Wyatt was accused of treason by his enemies and imprisoned in the Tower once more. He managed to secure his own release but died of a fever soon afterwards.

Poems by this Poet

Displaying 61 - 70 of 291
Poem Post datesort descending Rating Comments
What Once I Was 29 November 2013
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To His Heart 29 November 2013
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Fortune doth frown 29 November 2013
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The Loss is small to lose such one 29 November 2013
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What wourde is that that chaungeth not 29 November 2013
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When first mine eyes did view and mark 29 November 2013
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Average: 3 (1 vote)
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To wish and want and not obtain 29 November 2013
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In faith I not what to say 29 November 2013
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Some tyme I fled the fyre that me brent 29 November 2013
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Desire to sorrow doth me constrain 29 November 2013
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