author

Nancy Byrd Turner

b. 1880

A Southern-born poet, editor, and lecturer, she spent decades writing for both adults and children, with work appearing in major American magazines. Her verse is often remembered for its musical style, patriotic themes, and gift for storytelling.

1 Audiobook

Zodiac Town

Zodiac Town

by Nancy Byrd Turner

About the author

Born on July 29, 1880, in Boydton, Virginia, Nancy Byrd Turner grew into a writer whose career stretched across much of the 20th century. She was the daughter of an Episcopal minister, studied at Hannah More Academy in Maryland, and began her working life as a teacher before her writing reached a national audience.

Turner published poetry in well-known magazines including The New Yorker, The Atlantic Monthly, and Harper’s. She also wrote books for children and became known as an editor and lecturer as well as a poet, building a reputation for clear, graceful verse that often drew on American history and traditional lyric forms.

She died on September 5, 1971. Although she is less widely known today than some of her contemporaries, her work reflects a long and versatile literary life, especially in poetry for general readers and young audiences.