For the Love of Poetry

“Time present and time past
Are both perhaps present in time future,
And time future contained in time past.”

--Four Quartets by T.S. Elliot

For more than 50 years, T.S. Elliot’s poetry has held great meaning for Elizabeth A. Martin.

As an undergraduate English literature major at the University of Cincinnati in the 1950’s, Martin recalls hearing notable poets, including John Berryman, Stephen Spender, and Robert Frost, recite their poetry to gatherings of students, faculty, and other poetry lovers. Their visits to UC were funded through the George Elliston Poetry Foundation.

Martin wrote her senior thesis on T.S. Elliot’s Four Quartets. “There isn’t a day goes by that I don’t think of lines from it.” In fact she mentioned that she is trying to commit to memory the many lines from this legendary poetic work. When she graduated in 1953 from the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences, she not only had to write a senior thesis, but also had to take nine hours of comprehensive exams.

To ensure the continuation of a strong poetry program at UC, Martin has made a generous bequest to establish two endowments: one to benefit the Elliston Poetry Collection at University Libraries, and one to benefit the perpetuation of the Elliston Poetry Program in the McMicken College of Arts and Sciences.

“I was motivated to make these gifts by having been a part of the Elliston Poetry Program at UC,” she said. “I hope to see these programs carried on since they provide such a wonderful opportunity for students.”

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