author
Mary Carolyn Davies
1888–1974
A prolific American poet, playwright, and short story writer, she built an early reputation for lyric poetry and children's verse before fading from public view later in life. Her work was closely tied to both Oregon's literary scene and the wider modern poetry world of the early 20th century.
1 Audiobook
A Little Freckled Person: A Book of Child Verse
by Mary Carolyn Davies
About the author
Born in Sprague, Washington, in 1888, she grew up in Portland, Oregon, and became known as a versatile writer of poetry, short stories, plays, and a novel. Early in her career, she studied for a time at the University of California, Berkeley, where she won poetry prizes, and she went on to publish books including Youth Riding, The Drums in Our Street, and Marriage Songs.
She spent part of her literary life in New York, where she took part in lively writing circles, but she also remained deeply connected to Oregon, helping lead and support local writing organizations. Reviewers especially admired her lyric poems and children's verse, and her work appeared during a period when American poetry was rapidly changing and expanding.
Later in life, she moved back to New York and became much less visible in public literary life, which has added a note of mystery to her story. Even so, she is still remembered as a gifted and wide-ranging writer whose career linked the literary cultures of the Pacific Northwest and the East Coast.