Geraldine Clinton Little
Encyclopedia
Geraldine Clinton Little (September 20, 1923 – March 7, 1997) was a poet born in Northern Ireland
. Emigrating to the United States with her family at age 2, she spent her life in the United States
. She published ten books, and her stories and poems appeared in over 400 journals.
, she was the sixth child of an Irish Methodist minister, the Rev. James Robert Clinton who came to the United States in 1925. He was the senior minister of the Central Congregational Church in central city Philadelphia for many years. The family lived in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia.
Little moved to Mount Holly Township, New Jersey
in 1956 with her husband Robert K. Little, an inventor and President and CEO of RKL Controls, Inc., of Lumberton, NJ. She had three sons, Rory, of San Francisco, Tim, of Pemberton, New Jersey
, and Rodney, of Peachtree City, Georgia
; five grandchildren; and three sisters, Gwen Murphy, Hilda Greene Perkins and Ailsa Muldoon. She also had two brothers, Kenneth and Trevor.
She died on Friday, March 7, 1997 at her Mount Holly Township home from congestive heart failure
caused by amyloidosis
, a form of protein aggregation
.
.
Her final book, Woman in a Special House, a collection of 18 short stories, was published just one month before her death by Fithian Press.
Her career as a poet, fiction writer, playwright, and college instructor started late in life, after she graduated from Goddard College
in Vermont in 1970. She completed her bachelor's degree in English while raising three sons who were in high school at the time. She received her master's degree from Trenton State College, now the College of New Jersey, in 1977.
Her poetry went from haiku
—a short Japan
ese verse form—to book-length poems, including "Hakugai," which "gives voice" to the 110,000 Japanese-Americans interned
in prison camps during World War II
, according to a 1984 review. It said, "Through dramatic monologues, snatches of conversation and journal notes, the prisoners lost words are heard again. The world of their hakugai [persecution] is resurrected."
Perhaps her best known work was a play
, Heloise and Abelard, written in 1989. It was produced off-Broadway in 1990 by Edgar Lansbury, Angela Lansbury's brother and, later, locally by the Foundation Theater at Burlington County College, among others.
Mrs. Little won numerous awards for her work over the years, including six national awards from the Poetry Society of America
. In 1996, she was honored with an award from a Japanese city for her haiku writing. She was a past president of the Haiku Society of America
and a past vice president of Poetry Society of America.
She was an adjunct instructor in writing and English literature at Burlington County College for more than a decade and had previously taught at Rutgers and Trenton State College. She was well known for her appearances at writing conferences and as a lecturer for adults as well as children.
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
, winner of the 1993 National Poetry Series award, recalled that Mrs. Little's works stood out because of their "unusual clarity and precision of form... and were full of wonderful imagery."
, the major choral group associated with the Philadelphia Orchestra
. She also performed with a company specializing in the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. Her son recalled, "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, New Jersey.
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. Emigrating to the United States with her family at age 2, she spent her life in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. She published ten books, and her stories and poems appeared in over 400 journals.
Personal life
Born in Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, she was the sixth child of an Irish Methodist minister, the Rev. James Robert Clinton who came to the United States in 1925. He was the senior minister of the Central Congregational Church in central city Philadelphia for many years. The family lived in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia.
Little moved to Mount Holly Township, New Jersey
Mount Holly Township, New Jersey
Mount Holly Township is a township in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States as well as an eastern suburb of Philadelphia. As of the 2000 United States Census, the township population was 10,728. It is the county seat of Burlington County....
in 1956 with her husband Robert K. Little, an inventor and President and CEO of RKL Controls, Inc., of Lumberton, NJ. She had three sons, Rory, of San Francisco, Tim, of Pemberton, New Jersey
Pemberton, New Jersey
Pemberton, formerly New Mills, is a Borough in Burlington County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2000 Census, the borough population was 1,210....
, and Rodney, of Peachtree City, Georgia
Peachtree City, Georgia
Peachtree City is a city in Fayette County, Georgia, United States.Census estimates in 2005 indicated a population of 34,524. In 2007, the city announced a plan to formally annex an unincorporated area between Georgia State Route 74 and the border with Coweta County that is commonly referred to as...
; five grandchildren; and three sisters, Gwen Murphy, Hilda Greene Perkins and Ailsa Muldoon. She also had two brothers, Kenneth and Trevor.
She died on Friday, March 7, 1997 at her Mount Holly Township home from congestive heart failure
Congestive heart failure
Heart failure often called congestive heart failure is generally defined as the inability of the heart to supply sufficient blood flow to meet the needs of the body. Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms including shortness of breath, leg swelling, and exercise intolerance. The condition...
caused by amyloidosis
Amyloidosis
In medicine, amyloidosis refers to a variety of conditions whereby the body produces "bad proteins", denoted as amyloid proteins, which are abnormally deposited in organs and/or tissues and cause harm. A protein is described as being amyloid if, due to an alteration in its secondary structure, it...
, a form of protein aggregation
Protein aggregation
Protein aggregation is the aggregation of mis-folded proteins, and is thought to be responsible for many degenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's. It has also been implicated in CAG repeat diseases....
.
Writing
Little's published works include eight volumes of poetryPoetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
.
Her final book, Woman in a Special House, a collection of 18 short stories, was published just one month before her death by Fithian Press.
Her career as a poet, fiction writer, playwright, and college instructor started late in life, after she graduated from Goddard College
Goddard College
Goddard College is a private, liberal arts college located in Plainfield, Vermont, offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs. Goddard College currently operates on an intensive low-residency model...
in Vermont in 1970. She completed her bachelor's degree in English while raising three sons who were in high school at the time. She received her master's degree from Trenton State College, now the College of New Jersey, in 1977.
Her poetry went from haiku
Haiku
' , plural haiku, is a very short form of Japanese poetry typically characterised by three qualities:* The essence of haiku is "cutting"...
—a short Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese verse form—to book-length poems, including "Hakugai," which "gives voice" to the 110,000 Japanese-Americans interned
Japanese American internment
Japanese-American internment was the relocation and internment by the United States government in 1942 of approximately 110,000 Japanese Americans and Japanese who lived along the Pacific coast of the United States to camps called "War Relocation Camps," in the wake of Imperial Japan's attack on...
in prison camps during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, according to a 1984 review. It said, "Through dramatic monologues, snatches of conversation and journal notes, the prisoners lost words are heard again. The world of their hakugai [persecution] is resurrected."
Perhaps her best known work was a play
Play (theatre)
A play is a form of literature written by a playwright, usually consisting of scripted dialogue between characters, intended for theatrical performance rather than just reading. There are rare dramatists, notably George Bernard Shaw, who have had little preference whether their plays were performed...
, Heloise and Abelard, written in 1989. It was produced off-Broadway in 1990 by Edgar Lansbury, Angela Lansbury's brother and, later, locally by the Foundation Theater at Burlington County College, among others.
Mrs. Little won numerous awards for her work over the years, including six national awards from the Poetry Society of America
Poetry Society of America
The Poetry Society of America is a literary organization founded in 1910 by poets, editors, and artists including Witter Bynner. It is the oldest poetry organization in the United States. Past members of the have included such renowned writers as Robert Frost, Langston Hughes, Edna St. Vincent...
. In 1996, she was honored with an award from a Japanese city for her haiku writing. She was a past president of the Haiku Society of America
Haiku Society of America
The Haiku Society of America is a non-profit organization composed of haiku poets, editors, critics, publishers and enthusiasts that promotes the composition and appreciation of haiku in English. It was founded in 1968 and sponsors meetings, lectures, workshops, readings and contests...
and a past vice president of Poetry Society of America.
She was an adjunct instructor in writing and English literature at Burlington County College for more than a decade and had previously taught at Rutgers and Trenton State College. She was well known for her appearances at writing conferences and as a lecturer for adults as well as children.
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
Karen Swenson
Karen Swenson is an American poet.-Life:She grew up in Chappaqua, New York, and studied at Barnard College and New York University....
, winner of the 1993 National Poetry Series award, recalled that Mrs. Little's works stood out because of their "unusual clarity and precision of form... and were full of wonderful imagery."
Singing
She also sang, and her singing career included performing with the Choral Arts Society of PhiladelphiaChoral Arts Society of Philadelphia
The Choral Arts Society of Philadelphia is a 60-voice choir founded in 1982 in Philadelphia. The chorus consists of volunteer singers with a 12-voice professional core. The Choral Arts Society is currently directed by Matthew Glandorf, who also serves on the faculty of the Curtis Institute of Music...
, the major choral group associated with the Philadelphia Orchestra
Philadelphia Orchestra
The Philadelphia Orchestra is a symphony orchestra based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States. One of the "Big Five" American orchestras, it was founded in 1900...
. She also performed with a company specializing in the Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. Her son recalled, "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, New Jersey.