Anna Gordon Keown facts for kids

Anna Gordon Keown (born in 1899, died in 1957) was an English writer and poet. She wrote many interesting stories and poems during her life.

Her Life and Legacy

Anna Gordon Keown married a writer and doctor named Philip Gosse. He was the son of another famous writer, Edmund Gosse. After Anna passed away, her husband gave a large collection of books and writings to the University of Leeds. This special collection is known as the Keown Collection, and it helps people remember her work. It is part of an even bigger collection called the Brotherton Collection.

Her Famous Works

One of Anna Gordon Keown's most well-known books is The Cat who saw God, published in 1932. This book is a funny story about a cat. In the story, the cat acts as if it is controlled by the ancient Roman Emperor Nero. This "Nero-cat" decides to live with an old English lady. In November 1932, Time magazine even called it one of their "Books of the Week." They said it was "amusing in the English manner," meaning it was funny in a British way.

A Special Poem

Another important work by Anna Gordon Keown is a sonnet she wrote when she was young. A sonnet is a type of poem with 14 lines. She wrote this poem during World War I. It is called Reported Missing. Today, this poem is still studied in British schools. It is part of the OCR GCSE English literature lessons.

My thought shall never be that you are dead:
Who laughed so lately in this quiet place.
The dear and deep-eyed humour of that face
Held something ever-living, in Death's stead.
Scornful I hear the flat things they have said
And all their piteous platitudes of pain.
I laugh! I laugh! -- For you will come again -
This heart would never beat if you were dead.
The world's adrowse in twilight hushfulness,
There's purple lilac in your little room,
And somewhere out beyond the evening gloom
Small boys are culling summer watercress.
Of these familiar things I have no dread
Being so very sure you are not dead.