Clark Ashton Smith (January 13, 1893 – August 14, 1961) was a self-educated American poet, sculptor, painter and author of
fantasy,
horror and science fiction
short stories. He achieved early local recognition, largely through the enthusiasm of
George Sterling, for traditional verse in the vein of
Swinburne. As a poet, Smith is grouped with the West Coast Romantics alongside
Ambrose Bierce,
Joaquin Miller, Sterling,
Nora May French, and remembered as "The Last of the Great Romantics" and "The Bard of Auburn".