Ted Hughes (1930-1998) was an English poet and children's writer, and was Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom from 1984 until his death. He is best known for his work exploring the natural world and his relationship with his first wife, the American poet Sylvia Plath. His work is often dark and powerful, and his collections include Crow (1970), Lupercal (1960) and Birthday Letters (1998).