Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850–1919) was an American poet and author whose accessible, optimistic verse made her one of the most widely read writers of her era. Born in Johnstown, Wisconsin, she began publishing poems while young and later wrote prolifically for newspapers and magazines. Wilcox gained lasting fame for “Solitude,” remembered for the line “Laugh, and the world laughs with you,” and for collections such as *Poems of Passion*. Her work often blended sentiment, moral encouragement, and plainspoken lyricism, appealing to a broad popular audience. She also wrote essays and books on themes of love, self-help, and spiritual belief.