The Spoon River Anthology poet is Edgar Lee Masters. He was an American poet, novelist, and biographer who lived from 1868 to 1950. He is best known for his collection of poems, Spoon River Anthology, which was published in 1915. The poems are set in the fictional town of Spoon River, Illinois, and tell the stories of the lives of its citizens. Masters' work has been praised for its insight into small-town life and its exploration of themes such as death, love, and betrayal.