Above the Clouds
Lie turbulent lands. Go dwell in the…
Joaquin Miller, born Cincinnatus Heine (or Hiner) Miller on September 8, 1837, in Liberty, Indiana, emerged as a notable American poet and frontiersman known as the "Poet of the Sierras." His family moved to Oregon in 1852, where Miller encountered the rugged lifestyle that would greatly influence his work. After spending time among the miners and Native Americans during the California Gold Rush, he adopted the pen name Joaquin Miller after the famous Mexican outlaw Joaquin Murrieta.
Miller’s career was as eclectic as his life; he worked as a Pony Express rider, journalist, judge, and lawyer. His travels took him to South America, the Far East, and Europe, where he met prominent literary figures of his time. His most renowned work, "Songs of the Sierras" (1871), earned him acclaim for its vivid, romantic depictions of the American West.
In his later years, Miller settled in the hills of Oakland, California, where he created "The Hights" (now Joaquin Miller Park), a wooded retreat for writers and artists. Despite receiving mixed critical reception during his lifetime, Miller's adventurous spirit and evocative poetry left an enduring mark on American literature. He died on February 17, 1913, in Oakland, California.