McConkey, Sue, 1911-2001

Poet who lived in Alfred, Me.

From the description of Sue McConkey collection, 1970-1990. (Maine Historical Society Library). WorldCat record id: 76817793

Born in 1911 in Littleton, New Hampshire, Lillian "Sue" Goldberg lived in the Conway area until her marriage to Thomas Wright McConkey in 1934. The two settled on a hilltop farm, Star Hill, in Alfred in 1947. McConkey did not start writing until she was about 40, when she was encouraged to try writing poetry, and attended a Breadloaf summer conference. Her first volume of poetry, The view from Douglas Hill, was published in 1958 by Wake-Brook House, a small press specializing in hand-crafted books. Her second and third books, Hold bright the star and Jade bough, white shadows, came out five and ten years later, also from Wake-Brook House. McConkey's poetry is described as spare, clean and acute, and she was regarded as a master of the forms of Tanka and Haiku. She was highly regarded for her encouragement of young poets, who came from around New England to "Star Hill Poetry Day," a program founded by McConkey and her husband. McConkey was president of the Poetry Fellowship of Maine from 1962-63, and received several awards from the Maine Writers Conference, as well as honorary degrees from Nasson College in 1971 and Westbrook College in 1980. She was well-known as a speaker and for her involvement in national patriotic and literary organizations.

From the description of Sue McConkey papers, 1920-2001. (University of New England). WorldCat record id: 767519988