Eve Merriam
Eve Merriam, born Eva Moskovitz, was a prominent American poet and dramatist known for her significant contributions to children's literature and adult poetry, as well as feminist writing. Born to Russian émigrés in Pennsylvania, she pursued higher education at several institutions, culminating in her studies at Columbia University. Merriam began her literary career facing challenges in publishing, prompting her to change her surname in hopes of overcoming potential biases. She eventually gained acclaim, notably winning the Yale Series Younger Poets Award in 1946 for her first adult poetry collection, *Family Circle*.
Throughout her career, Merriam produced a diverse range of works, including poetry, nonfiction, and plays. Her commitment to language and social justice was evident in her writings, which addressed issues such as war, racism, and sexism. The 1960s and 1970s marked a prolific period for her, during which she published influential feminist works and successful plays, including the award-winning *The Club*. Merriam was passionate about fostering a love for language in children, believing that educators could inspire a new generation of readers and writers. She passed away in 1992, leaving behind a legacy that reflects her dedication to both literature and social issues.
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Eve Merriam
American poet and playwright
- Born: July 19, 1916
- Birthplace: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Died: April 11, 1992
- Place of death: New York, New York
Biography
Eve Merriam (MEH-rih-uhm), born Eva Moskovitz, was a noted poet and successful dramatist of the twentieth century. While she is best known for her children’s literature, she also wrote poetry and nonfiction, including feminist works, for adults. She was the daughter of Russian emigrants who settled in Pennsylvania. Her father owned a chain of women’s clothing stores.
From early childhood, Merriam found it hard to stay still when she heard poetry read, and it was only a small step to begin writing poetry herself. After attending Cornell University for two years and earning her bachelor’s degree at the University of Pennsylvania, she moved to New York to study at Columbia University. She worked as a copywriter and feature editor for fashion magazines as well as writing for radio and moderating a weekly radio program on poetry, and for a few years did free-lance magazine and book writing. When she was unsuccessful in getting her poetry published, a professor suggested that her Jewish surname might be a barrier; she finally agreed to change her name and selected Merriam from seeing the American lexicographer’s name on the dictionary.
While Merriam would go on to gain numerous awards and recognition later in her career, a longed-for goal in the earlier years of her writing came with the Yale Series Younger Poets Award for her first volume of poetry for adults, Family Circle, in 1946. The poet Archibald MacLeish, who wrote an introduction for the book, saw great potential in the poems.
A love of language and of words, wordplay, and the sounds of words lay behind all her poetic endeavors. She was also a champion of justice, as would be evident in much of her work, especially in her adult nonfiction writing. During the 1940’s and 1950’s, Merriam concentrated on two literary genres: poetry for adults, with Tomorrow Morning and Montgomery, Alabama, Money, Mississippi, and Other Places and juvenile nonfiction including biographies of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, the poet Emma Lazarus, and a book on birds. From the 1960’s until her death in 1992, Merriam’s output was varied. While she would continue to write juvenile poetry, the decade of the 1960’s and 1970’s saw the publication of feminist works such as After Nora Slammed the Door: American Women in the 1960’s—The Unfinished Revolution and Growing Up Female in America: Ten Lives. Also in the 1970’s Merriam ventured successfully into the genre of drama with six plays and an opera. The 1976 play The Club won the Obie Award as well as ten Off-Broadway awards; it continued to be staged throughout the twentieth century.
Merriam was committed to instilling in children the same passion for language, both the words and the sounds, that she herself had. She believed that teachers could help to develop a generation that would appreciate language and one that would read, and perhaps write, poetry. Furthermore, Merriam was deeply concerned with social issues. She felt that issues such as war, racism, pollution, sexism, and television addiction were as relevant to children and youth as to adults, and she was adept at addressing all of these issues at a level appropriate to a given audience. Merriam’s interests were not limited to poetry or to the young. Her wide range of literary output for adults is also noteworthy and includes play writing as well as feminist nonfiction, biography, and poetry.
Bibliography
Green, Carol Hurd, and Mary Grimley Mason, eds. American Women Writers: A Critical Reference Guide from Colonial Times to the Present. Vol. 5. New York: Unger, 1994. Provides a biographical sketch and a thorough bibliography of Merriam. Discusses her works and identifies some of the themes that run throughout the canon.
Senick, Gerard J., ed. Children’s Literature Review. Vol. 14. Detroit: Gale, 1988. Contains a biographical profile of Merriam as well as a review of works and awards she received.
Sloan, Glenna. “Profile: Eve Merriam.” Language Arts 80 (November/December, 1981): 957-964. Written on a level that middle-school children can read with understanding, the profile focuses on information about Merriam’s home and life. Quotes Merriam about some of her feelings and likes and dislikes. Provides poetry samples that illustrate her advice to teachers of poetry.