Icelandic-born poet who wrote virtually all his poems in North America.

The son of an impoverished farmer, brought up on the Bible and the sagas, Stephansson emigrated to the United States at the age of 20. He worked as a labourer on farms and in railway construction camps and finally set up a small farm in Alberta when he was 36.

Stephansson was the literary leader of the emigrant Icelanders. He lived a hard life as a pioneer farmer with a large family, and most of his poems were written after a long day's work. His major collection, Andvökur, 6 vol. (1909–38; “Sleepless Nights”), was appropriately named.

Stephansson fought social regimentation, economic or clerical. He wrote nostalgically about Iceland but with equal fervour about his new country.