Robert Francis Brissenden was born in Wentworthville, Sydney in 1928. He was a member of the Literature Board of the Australia Council (1977-81) and its chairman (1978-81). He was also an associate editor of Meanjin (1959-64) and literary editor of the Australian (1964-65). Brissenden edited the anthologies Southern Harvest (1964) and Australian Poetry (1972). His published works include Winter Matins and Other Poems (1971), Elegies: Nine Poems (1974), The Whale in Darkness (poems) (1980) and Sacred Sites (1990). In his retirement he wrote crime fiction: Poor Boy (1987) and Wildcat (1991). Brissenden died in Canberra in 1991.
