The inspiration for the poem came as she was travelling to attend the Governor's inaugural ball in Madison, Wisconsin. Her poem "The Way of the World" was first published in the Februissue of The New York Sun. Wilcox became known as a poet in her own state by the time she graduated from high school. The piece that she submitted is lost, and Wilcox later admitted that she could not recall even the topic of the poem. After losing her subscription to The New York Mercury, and being unable to afford to resubscribe, Wilcox thought that if she could get a piece of literature published, she would at least receive a copy of the paper wherein her piece was printed. When she was 13 years old, her first poem was published. During her childhood, Wilcox amused herself by reading books and newspapers, which may have influenced her later writing (most notably William Shakespeare, The Arabian Nights, The Diverting History of John Gilpin and Gulliver's Travels, in addition to the few other pieces of literature that were to be had in her home).Īround the age of 8, Wilcox turned to writing poetry as an outlet. Wilcox's family held themselves to be intellectuals, and a mastery of the nuances of the English language was prized. The family later moved north of Madison, after losing its wealth, as the result of her father's failed business aspirations and speculation. Ella Wheeler was born in 1850 on a farm in Johnstown, Wisconsin, east of Janesville, the youngest of four children.
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