Florence Van Leer Earle Coates (July 1, 1850 – April 6, 1927) was an American poet. She became well known, both at home and abroad, for her works of poetry, nearly three hundred of which were published in literary magazines such as the
Atlantic Monthly,
Scribner's Magazine,
The Literary Digest,
Lippincott's,
The Century Magazine, and
Harper's Magazine. She was encouraged by
Matthew Arnold with whom she maintained a correspondence until his death in 1888. Many of her nature poems were inspired by the flora and fauna of the
Adirondacks, where the Coates family spent their summer months at "Camp Elsinore" beside
Upper St. Regis Lake; here they entertained many friends such as
Otis Skinner,
Violet Oakley,
Henry Mills Alden, and
Agnes Repplier.
Photograph credit: unknown; restored by Adam Cuerden