Ella Wheeler Wilcox
Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919) was a popular and prolific poet, born in Wisconsin. Published and lauded before she even graduated from high school, Ella preferred to write happy, upbeat poetry and was much beloved for it. More than a dozen of her poems are included in the book, Best Loved Poems of the American People (Doubleday, 2008). The familiar saying, "Laugh and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone. . ." comes from her best-known poem "Solitude." She married Robert Wilcox in 1884. A morally strong and spiritual person, Ella believed that her purpose on earth was to practice kindness and service.
A wistful, wise poem – written over a hundred years ago – that continues to offer sage advice about how to make the world a kinder and better place, one small step at a time. Continue reading →
