Stevie Smith essay.
Poetry has been described as an "art," and the poem itself partially defined as
having a certain "suggestive power." Many poets have taken full advantage of this
"power" lent to them, and with their pen have set out to master the "art" of poetry in the
form of self-expression and honest revelations concerning their very existence. Perhaps
one of the lesser known but most intriguing women poets in this literary genre was
Florence (Stevie) Smith. While studying Smith's poetic works, the reader is enabled to
enter her world of emotional extremes, where the loneliness and appreciation for her few
sincere friendships closely reflected her own personal life.
Florence Margaret Smith was born September 20, 1902, in Hull, Yorkshire,
England. She lived with her mother and father only until the age of three, when her
father left the family. He established himself as a crewman on the White Star Line and
besides an occasional snapshot or postcard, he took no interest in the family affairs.
Florence, or Stevie (her self-given nickname), then went to live with her aunt in
Palmers Green. She arrived with plenty of emotional baggage and as she grew, she was
never able to fully trust another soul and thus brought upon herself the responsibilities
of planning for her future. She struggled to piece together the painful pieces of her past
in order to satisfy the wishes of her aunt concerning her upbringing as a "proper young
lady." She turned to writing as an outlet for her feelings of loneliness and confusion.
One of her earlier poems, entitled 'Papa Love Baby," describes honestly
her feelings toward her father and his decision to leave the family in the hands of her
seriously ill mother when he grew bored of the marriage. Smith writes that she "wished
mama hadn't made such a foolish marriage...it showed in my eyes unfortunately..."
These feelings of abandonment are evident in most of her earlier works are
characteristic of her poetry and allowed her to bond and
having a certain "suggestive power." Many poets have taken full advantage of this
"power" lent to them, and with their pen have set out to master the "art" of poetry in the
form of self-expression and honest revelations concerning their very existence. Perhaps
one of the lesser known but most intriguing women poets in this literary genre was
Florence (Stevie) Smith. While studying Smith's poetic works, the reader is enabled to
enter her world of emotional extremes, where the loneliness and appreciation for her few
sincere friendships closely reflected her own personal life.
Florence Margaret Smith was born September 20, 1902, in Hull, Yorkshire,
England. She lived with her mother and father only until the age of three, when her
father left the family. He established himself as a crewman on the White Star Line and
besides an occasional snapshot or postcard, he took no interest in the family affairs.
Florence, or Stevie (her self-given nickname), then went to live with her aunt in
Palmers Green. She arrived with plenty of emotional baggage and as she grew, she was
never able to fully trust another soul and thus brought upon herself the responsibilities
of planning for her future. She struggled to piece together the painful pieces of her past
in order to satisfy the wishes of her aunt concerning her upbringing as a "proper young
lady." She turned to writing as an outlet for her feelings of loneliness and confusion.
One of her earlier poems, entitled 'Papa Love Baby," describes honestly
her feelings toward her father and his decision to leave the family in the hands of her
seriously ill mother when he grew bored of the marriage. Smith writes that she "wished
mama hadn't made such a foolish marriage...it showed in my eyes unfortunately..."
These feelings of abandonment are evident in most of her earlier works are
characteristic of her poetry and allowed her to bond and