Born in Philipse Manor, NY, 1917; grew up in Chicago; attended University of Chicago, 1935-38; Black Mountain College, North Carolina, 1938-39; studied theatre and poetry at U. Michigan, 1941; and playwrighting at the Dramatic Workshop of the New School for Social Research, New York City, 1942-43. Wrote and produced plays for stage and radio; published book of feminist essays, Adam's Rib, under pseudonym Josephine Lang Staff, in England, 1948; published 2 books of poetry and contributed to anthologies; has received several awards for poetry. Participated in women's liberation movement of the 1970s; lived at Yaddo, Taos and Ossabau Writers' Colonies; resided for many years in Westbeth artists' residence, Greenwich Village.