He was the King of Anonymity. In this sense, he's really not a poet at all, no more than I am. He's after the musical technique of how to live. I have never met him and I am glad to say that I know little or nothing about his personal life - an achievement in anonymity which is as refreshing as it is inspiring. If any reader wants to sample the style, seek out the greatest modern exponent of the genre, the late Joe Heaney.
Drumlins are small hills.
The hegira is a term often used for an escape or a flight. The word came originally from the flight of Mohammed from Mecca to Medina.