Kumin, Maxine (1925-2014), an American author, won the 1973 Pulitzer Prize for poetry for her collection Up Country: Poems of New England (1972). The poems were inspired by Kumin’s life on her New Hampshire farm. Much of Kumin’s poetry is autobiographical and deals with relations between parents and children, nature and the seasons, and family history. Kumin wrote in traditional verse patterns, and her poetry has been praised for its craftsmanship. Kumin served as poet laureate of the United States from 1981 to 1982.
Kumin’s first book of poetry was Halfway (1961). Her most praised collections include The Retrieval System (1978), Our Ground Time Here Will Be Brief (1982), and Still to Mow (2007). Selected Poems (1960-1990) was published in 1997. Where I Live: New and Selected Poems 1990-2010 was published in 2010. Kumin wrote several novels, including Through Dooms of Love (1965) and the mystery novel Quit Monks or Die! (1999). Her short stories were collected in Why Can’t We Live Together Like Civilized Human Beings? (1982) and Women, Animals, and Vegetables (1994), which also includes essays. Her other essays were collected in To Make a Prairie: Essays on Poets, Poetry, and Country Living (1980) and In Deep: Country Essays (1987). Kumin also wrote many children’s books.
Kumin was born on June 6, 1925, in Philadelphia. Her maiden name was Maxine Winokur. In 1946, she married Victor Kumin, a Harvard University student who became an engineering consultant. She received B.A. and M.A. degrees from Radcliffe College in 1946 and 1948. In the 1950’s, Kumin developed a strong friendship with American poet Anne Sexton that lasted until Sexton’s suicide in 1974. They collaborated on four children’s books, Eggs of Things (1963), More Eggs of Things (1964), Joey and the Birthday Present (1971), and The Wizard’s Tears (1975). Kumin also wrote the children’s book Oh, Harry! (2011). Kumin died on Feb. 6, 2014. Her memoir, The Pawnbroker’s Daughter, was published in 2015, after her death.
