Born in 1926, Ms. Livingston is known for children’s books of poetry. I had some difficulty finding much information about her and the link below is how I found out when she had passed away, which was in 1996. A reward has been created in her honor for poets who write for children. I picked up her book, Cricket Never Does by Margaret K. McElderry Books at my local library and just adored her poems. On the cover it says “A Collection of Haiku and Tanka.” I will explain Tanka poems on Friday in Poetry tips if you are curious.
Ms. Livingston’s lines are well-suited for adults and children alike. The lines are lively and vibrant and of course, the poems are short. I love the lines “Long green fingernails/grow and split…” She is able to turn trees into living beings, is able to make the funniest observation in a matter of a few words, and is just simply marvelous! I can hardly include examples because she is so succinct I would have to include the whole thing. “What mermaid found this/yellow scallop shell…/dressed herself in bright white coral/and bewitched a green merman?” Her imagery is surreal and lovely, I urge you to seek out this book and read it for yourself. I was unable to find much about her on-line so you may have to find and buy her book via Amazon which I have included a link to below:
http://www.amazon.com/Cricket-Never-Does-Collection-Haiku/dp/0689811233
To buy her book
http://www.childrensliteraturecouncil.org/myra_cohn_livingston_award.htm
To learn about the award for children’s poetry writers
In the meantime I hope you are able to stumble upon her in the library or local book-store and I thank you for reading. Please stop in for more poems found on the world wide web…
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