Ken was born Nov. 26, 1928, in New York City, the son of M. Kenneth and Maude (Jenkins) Frost.
He prepared at Lawrenceville. At Princeton, he served on the Nassau Sovereign, was a member of the Liberal Union and Key and Seal, roomed with Graham White, and majored in economics, graduating magna cum laude.
He was called to active duty in Korea and was severely wounded in October 1952, after which he spent three years recovering in Walter Reed Army Hospital. Ken was awarded two Purple Hearts, a Bronze Star, and a Silver Star for heroism.
After his return to civilian life, he worked in the family business, Long Island Storage & Warehouse, but soon turned to a literary life, and in particular, to poetry. For some time he taught creative writing and English literature at Columbia University and The New School.
On Nov. 22, 1986, he married Carolyn Gelland, also a poet. Both are published authors, he for Night Flight and she for Four-Alarm House. They moved to Maine to read and write. Ken died there Feb. 10, 2011; interment was in the Maine Veterans Memorial Cemetery with military honors. Carolyn survives him.