Menu Menu Bruce Smith was born and raised in Philadelphia. He is the author of five books of poems: The Common Wages; Silver and Information (National Poetry Series, selected by Hayden Carruth); Mercy Seat; The Other Lover (University of Chicago, 2000), a finalist for both the National Book Award and the Pulitzer Prize; and, most recently, Songs for Two Voices (University of Chicago, 2005). He lives in Syracuse.