Robert Frost was an American poet born in 1874 in San Francisco, California. He is renowned for his depictions of rural New England life and use of colloquial language. Frost had a difficult childhood, as his father struggled with alcoholism. He had various jobs as a teacher, editor, and farmer before dedicating himself fully to poetry. Frost won numerous honors over his career, including four Pulitzer Prizes and being named U.S. Poet Laureate. He died in 1963 after complications from prostate surgery at the age of 88.