Elkanah East Taylor

Elkanah East Taylor (1888 - August 7, 1945) was an American poet and founder of the Will-o'-the-Wisp poetry magazine.

Life

Elkanah East was born in Virginia in 1888, and as a child she contributed poetry and stories to magazines. She attended Maury High School and in 1906 entered Sweet Briar College for women as part of the first freshman class. She graduated from Sweet Briar and continued her studies at the College of William and Mary where she graduated in 1919. and they had a son, William East Taylor. for 30 years.

Elkanah East Taylor was a member of many poetry organizations, and in 1925 she founded the Will-o’-the-Wisp magazine of verse. Taylor responded directly with; “When earth’s last picture is painted, and the tubes are twisted and dried ‘Willo’-the-Wisp’ Will still be in existence.” She worked as editor of the magazine for 20 years until her death.

Elkanah East Taylor died a widow in Norfolk, VA at the age of 57 on August 7, 1945.

Organizations State chairman of poetry for Virginia Federation of Women’s Clubs Member of Poetry Society of America Member of National League of American Pen-Women Member of Poetry Society of Virginia Member of American Literary Association Member of Norfolk Society of Arts Member of the Order of Bookfellows Member of the Empire Poetry League of London Honorary Member of Alabama State Poetry Society Honorary Member of Springhill College Poetry Society Dust and Flame (1923) Pen-Points (1928)

Other contributions Editor of Will-o’-the-Wisp (1925-1945) Daily Press, Newport News, VA (1925, 1926, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1933, 1940 ) Anthology of Magazine Verse (1925, 1926) One for Posterity, Henry Harrison, An Anthology Comprising What in the Opinion of Each of the 145 Contributors is His Best Poem (1929) In the Light of Day Anthology, New York As The Poet Says, Benjamin Musser (1931), Prose anthology Contemporary Verse, Poetry Review (London), Muse and Mirror, Interludes, American Poetry Magazine, Stardust, Poetry of Today