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Lizette Woodworth Reese (January 9, 1856 – December 17, 1935 / Waverly)
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Born in the Waverly section of Baltimore, Maryland, she was a school teacher from 1873 to 1918 at the Western High School in Baltimore. During the 1920s, she became a prominent literary figure, receiving critical praise and recognition, in particular from H. L. Mencken, himself from Baltimore.
Her poetry, remarkable for its intensity and concision, has been compared to that of Emily Dickinson. She is probably best remembered for the sonnet "Tears." Her volumes of poetry include A Branch of May (1887), A Handful of Lavender (1891), A Quiet Road (1896), Spicewood (1920), and Selected Poems (1926). more »
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Quotations
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''The little Jesus came to town;
Lizette Woodworth Reese (1856-1935), U.S. poet. A Christmas Folk-Song (l. 13-16). . . Our Holidays in Poetry. Mildred P. Harrington and Josephine ...
With ox and sheep He laid Him down;
Peace to the byre, peace to the fold,
For that they housed Him from the cold!''
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''Loose me from tears, and make me see aright
Lizette Woodworth Reese (1856-1935), U.S. poet. Tears (l. 12-14). . . Anthology of American Poetry. George Gesner, ed. (1983) Avenel Books.
How each hath back what once he stayed to weep;
Homer his sight, David his little lad!''
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''I wonder at the idleness of tears.''
Lizette Woodworth Reese (1856-1935), U.S. poet. Tears (l. 8). . . Anthology of American Poetry. George Gesner, ed. (1983) Avenel Books.
Comments about Lizette Woodworth Reese
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I am looking for a poem by Lizette Reese that includes these phrases describing life:
-a blast of music down an unlistening street
-a flight of uncarpeted stairs
Can someone direct me to this poem?
Linda
After reading the poems on this site, I think there must be others of hers that are better and less sentimental - otherwise I can't believe an old atheist cynic like Mencken would be so fond of her.
'Lizette Woodworth Reese...has written more sound poetry, more genuinely eloquent and beautiful poetry, than all the New Poets put together - more than a whole posse of Masterses and Lindays, more than a hundred Amy Lowells.'
-H.L. Mencken, in 'The New Poetry Movement' (found in the book: Prejudices, First Series, published in 1919 by Knopf)