George Bacovia (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈd͡ʒe̯ord͡ʒe baˈkovi.a]; the pen name of George Vasiliu; September 17 [O.S. September 4] 1881–May 22, 1957) was a Romanian symbolist poet. While he initially belonged to the local Symbolist movement, his poetry came to be seen as a precursor of Romanian Modernism and eventually established him in critical esteem alongside Tudor Arghezi, Lucian Blaga and Ion Barbu as one of the most important interwar Romanian poets. Bacovia is one of the few major poets who are held in esteem by readers and still a major influence on contemporary poetry (from Mircea Ivănescu, Dan Laurenţiu and Cezar Ivănescu to Ioan Es. Pop or Constantin Acosmei).