Janice Fitzpatrick Simmons facts for kids

Janice Fitzpatrick Simmons (born in 1954) is an American-Irish poet. She writes poems.

Janice was born in Boston, USA. In 1987, she moved to Ireland. There, in 1990, she helped start The Poets' House. She created it with her husband, who was also a poet, James Simmons.

Her Early Life and School

Janice Fitzpatrick was born in Boston in 1954. She grew up in Wellesley, Massachusetts, and Barrington, Rhode Island. These are all places in the United States.

She went to the University of New Hampshire. In the late 1980s, she earned a master's degree there. This means she studied a lot and became an expert in her field.

Her Work as a Poet

Janice Fitzpatrick Simmons first worked at The Frost Place in New Hampshire. Then, in 1987, she moved to Ireland. She wanted to study more at University College Dublin.

In 1990, she and her husband, James Simmons, started The Poets' House. It was first in Islandmagee in County Antrim. Later, it moved to Falcarragh in County Donegal. This house was a special place for poets.

Her first small book of poems was called Leaving America. It came out in 1992. Her first full book of poems, Settler, was published in 1995.

She has published five poetry books in total. One of them is The Bowsprit, which came out in 2005. Her most recent book, Saint Michael in Peril of the Sea, was published in 2009.

Janice Fitzpatrick Simmons' poems have also appeared in many other books. These books are called anthologies. Some of them include A Rage for Order and Irish American Poets since 1800.

Her Personal Life

Janice moved to Ireland after her first marriage ended. Later, she married James Simmons. They had one son together. James Simmons passed away in 2001.

They first met when James visited the United States. He was there for a program about writing. Janice's later poems often talk about her husband's sickness and his passing. They also show how she works to keep his memory alive.

Her Books

• Leaving America (a small collection of poems, 1992)
• Settler (1995)
• Starting at Purgatory (1999)
• The Bowsprit (2005)
• Saint Michael in Peril of the Sea (2009)