Hrabě was born in Příbram to Jan Hrabě and Magdalena Kalinová. He grew up in Lochovice and attended high school in Hořovice. After graduating in 1957, Hrabě moved to Prague and studied Czech language and History at the Faculty of Pedagogy. During his time as a student, he started writing poetry. In 1961, Hrabě graduated from university and was conscripted into the army. Upon his discharge he took a variety of jobs as a laborer, librarian, writer for the literary magazine "Tváře" ('Faces'), until finally working as a teacher from 1964.