Welcome to my stop on the Reflections and Magnolia Memories Blog Tour as we celebrate poetry of the South by Patricia Neely Dorsey and today I am glad to have the author here to tell us a little more about her poetry!
I think that I would best describe my poetry as "folk
poetry"
Storytelling is a treasured form of folk art in the south.
To me, folk art is simply art by ordinary "folk" for ordinary
"folk". Folk artists attempt to freeze their memories into their art
and help to preserve the culture and customs of everyday life. With my books, I
hope to offer a time capsule, of sorts, for future generations, offering a
glimpse into the everyday lives of everyday people in our region.
I must admit an affinity for the familiar, the common, the
everyday, the ordinary and the simple things of life. In my poems, I offer "snapshots' from my
life in written form of people, places, events and lessons learned.
Some poems in Reflections include: Southern Life, Southern
Man, Mississippi Morning, The Magnolia Tree, Country Living, Country Breakfast,
Shelling Peas, Slopping Hogs, Hog killing Time, Making Cracklings...
My books focus on elements that are always central in the
southern way of life...family, friends, community and sense of place. As with
anything Southern, there's a lot of food thrown in there, too!
Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life in Poems has
been called, among other things, a poetic love letter to the south and a poetic
autobiography. I totally agree. In Magnolia Memories and Musings , the love
affair continues. I believe that we can bridge many gaps of misunderstanding
across regional, racial, cultural, generational and economic lines by simply
telling/sharing our stories. Miguel Algarin said, "When I see what you
see, the distance between us disappears."
"Southerners love a good tale. They are born reciters,
great memory retainers, diary keepers, letter exchangers . . . great
talkers."
~~Eudora Welty
About the Author
Where to find Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia: Goodreads | Amazon Paperback | Barnes & Noble Paperback
Where to find My Magnolia Memories: Goodreads | Amazon Paperback | Barnes & Noble Paperback
Check out the other tour stops here: Reflections and Magnolia Memories Blog Tour
Thanks so much for hosting me on the tour !
ReplyDeleteI'm not a huge fan of poetry with the exception of "poetic autobiography" as Patricia so nicely put it. I'm always curious about writers' lives and love it when poets really put themselves into their writing rather than abstract flowery language. This sounds like one of those poetic gems.
ReplyDeleteHappy Poetry Month!