Let's make this birthday one to remember.

84 years old (Born on May 24, 1940)

Happy Birthday to the incomparable Joseph Brodsky! Poet, essayist, playwright—your words have danced gracefully across pages and hearts alike. From your Nobel Prize-winning brilliance in "A Part of Speech" to the profound insights found within "Less Than One," you've given us timeless verses that continue to inspire.

Your appointment as United States Poet Laureate was a poetic triumph itself—a Russian-born maestro guiding America's literary soul. Today we celebrate not just another year but every stanza, metaphor, and witty line you've gifted humanity. May your birthday be filled with laughter worthy of poetry readings—and cake sweeter than any rhyme!