Simplify the following text for a Grade 8 native English-speaking person.
Original: Gary Snyder ( born May 8 , 1930 ) is an American poet ( often associated with the Beat Generation and the San Francisco Renaissance ) , as well as an essayist , lecturer , and environmental activist ( frequently described as the `` poet laureate of Deep Ecology '' ) .
Simplified: Gary Snyder ( born May 8 , 1930 ) is an American writer . He is also an essayist , lecturer , and environmental activist .