Anna Hempstead Branch (1875–1937) was an American poet and essayist known for her lyrical verse, spiritual themes, and civic engagement. Her writing reflected deep moral vision and imagination.
Born in New London, Connecticut, Branch grew up in a literary, religious household. Her father, a Congregationalist minister, and her mother, active in women’s suffrage, shaped her worldview. She graduated from Smith College (1897) and later studied at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York. Committed to social causes, she joined the National Women’s Party and worked with the Poetry Society of America.
Her first major work, The Shoes That Danced and Other Poems (1905,) earned praise for its rhythm and moral depth. It included The Shoes That Danced, reflecting her fascination with innocence, temptation, and fate. She followed with Rose of the Wind (1910,) exploring nature, solitude, and spirituality.
Her notable collection, Nimrod, and Other Poems (1915,) used biblical imagery and epic structure to examine heroism and divine justice. Her final volume, The Ne’er-To-Be-Forgotten (1927,) is a lyrical tribute to memory, love, and eternity.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Anna Hempstead Branch
God wove a web of loveliness, of clouds and stars and birds, but made not anything at all so beautiful as words.
—Anna Hempstead Branch
Topics: Words
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