Myra Morris

Myra Morris (15 May 1893 – 18 August 1966) was an Australian poet, novelist, and writer for children.

Life and writing career

Morris was born in the Victorian country town of Boort. Her English born father owned a series of grocery and produce stores in country towns and Morris spent her youth in a number of different locations. She attended school at Rochester Brigidine Convent where an English teacher encouraged her to write.

Morris began publishing poetry and short stories in various Australian newspapers and magazines in her early twenties, and her first volume of poetry England and Other Verses appeared in 1918. This was followed by her first novel for children in 1922, and her first for adults in 1929. She travelled to England in 1930, returning to settle with her family in Frankston on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria where she remained for the rest of her life.

Morris wrote for a large number of newspapers and periodicals and she was active in founding and organizing the Melbourne branch of P.E.N. International.

Chiefly known for her short stories, of which she wrote over 100, her only collection of such stories appeared in 1947. She was also a prolific poet with over 300 works to her name, and again, only two collections of these works have been published.

Morris died in Frankston in 1966 after suffering from Paget's disease of the bone.