Geraldine Clinton Little facts for kids

Geraldine Clinton Little (born September 20, 1923 – died March 7, 1997) was a talented poet from Northern Ireland. She moved to the United States with her family when she was just two years old. She lived in the U.S. for the rest of her life. Geraldine wrote ten books. Her stories and poems appeared in more than 400 different magazines and journals.

Her Life Story

Early Years

Geraldine was born in Northern Ireland. She was the sixth child of Reverend James Robert Clinton. He was an Irish Methodist minister. Her family came to the United States in 1925. Her father became a senior minister at the Central Congregational Church in Philadelphia. The family lived in the Mt. Airy area of Philadelphia.

Family Life in New Jersey

In 1956, Geraldine Little moved to Mount Holly Township, New Jersey. She moved there with her husband, Robert K. Little. Robert was an inventor and led a company called RKL Controls, Inc. They had three sons: Rory, Tim, and Rodney. She also had five grandchildren, three sisters, and two brothers.

Geraldine passed away on March 7, 1997, at her home in Mount Holly Township. She died from heart problems caused by a condition called amyloidosis.

Her Writing Career

Becoming a Writer

Geraldine Little's published works include eight books of poetry. Her last book, Woman in a Special House, was a collection of 18 short stories. It was published just one month before she passed away.

She started her career as a poet, fiction writer, playwright, and college teacher later in life. She graduated from Goddard College in Vermont in 1970. She earned her bachelor's degree in English while raising her three sons. They were in high school at the time. She then received her master's degree from Trenton State College (now the College of New Jersey) in 1977.

Types of Poetry

Her poetry ranged from haiku to very long poems. Haiku is a short, traditional Japanese verse form. One of her long poems was "Hakugai." This poem gave a voice to the 110,000 Japanese-Americans who were held in prison camps during World War II. A review from 1984 said that the poem helped people hear the "lost words" of the prisoners. It brought back the world of their "hakugai," which means persecution.

Famous Works and Awards

Perhaps her most well-known work was a play called Heloise and Abelard. She wrote it in 1989. It was performed off-Broadway in 1990. It was also performed locally by the Foundation Theater at Burlington County College.

Mrs. Little won many awards for her writing. She received six national awards from the Poetry Society of America. In 1996, a Japanese city honored her for her haiku writing. She was also a past president of the Haiku Society of America. She was a past vice president of the Poetry Society of America.

Teaching and Inspiration

She taught writing and English literature at Burlington County College for over ten years. She also taught at Rutgers and Trenton State College. She was known for speaking at writing conferences and giving lectures to both adults and children.

When asked if she had a favorite work, she would say, "No. Your poems are like your children—you don't pick favorites."

Poet Karen Swenson said that Mrs. Little's works stood out. She noted their "unusual clarity and precision of form" and that they were "full of wonderful imagery."

Her Love for Singing

Geraldine also loved to sing. She performed with the Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia. This is a major singing group that works with the Philadelphia Orchestra. She also sang with a company that performed Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. Her son remembered, "She really loved her singing. She sang with the group until about six months before her death. She could hardly walk but was still there singing."

Little also sang for the choir of the First Presbyterian Church of Moorestown Township, New Jersey.