The Voice of April-Land and Other Poems
New York: The Macmillan Company, 1903. First edition. 8vo, 121, [2]pp (ads). Bound in publisher's vellum boards with gilt lettering and illustration in light green printed jacket. Light marginal stain to first 10 pages or so, few light smudges to boards, jacket a bit edge toned. Nearly fine.
Collection of whimsical and scenic Northwest poems, and one of the first picked up by a major publisher, from Washington state's first Poet Laureate, Ella Higginson (1862-1940). Higginson was extremely important as an early Pacific Northwest regional writer, bringing attention to the relatively new area with her poetry, essays, and fiction set in Washington. Besides her writing, Higginson was also influential in education and women's professional development in the region, serving as officer in the Pacific Coast Women's Press Association, and establishing the first public reading room and library in Bellingham, WA.
This collection, along with From the Land of the Snow Pearls, A Forest Orchid and Other Stories, and When the Birds Go North Again (also Macmillan) show how Higginson reached National audiences with her Northwest poetry around the turn of the century. In all, she published at least 7 books with Macmillan from 1897-1908. This beautiful book is very scarce in the dust jacket. Item #8183
Price: $150.00