William Bliss Carman (1861 - 1929) was a Canadian poet whose standing and success rose and fell throughout his lifetime, though he was eventually named as his country's poet laureate. Distantly related to Ralph Waldo Emerson, Bliss spent most of his adult life in Boston, pursuing whatever literary career he could. Though his poetry was respected, it wasn't especially popular until he published Songs of Vagabondia, a rollicking, free-spirited collection that people connected with immediately. His other most notable work was serving as editor for the World's Best Poetry book series.