Reflections Of A Mississippi Magnolia

As you can see, I am so proud of where I come from, so happy with the life I've lived, and totally enamored with the southern way of life. I hope that you find as much joy in reading my poems as I have found in bringing them to you.
Patricia Neely-Dorsey

The poetry writing was really a surprise to me. I always liked to write all kinds of things but never for any particular purpose and certainly never with a book in mind. I woke up on Valentine's Day 2007, with a poem swirling around in my head. I quickly got up and scribbled it down. So, I wrote my very first poem in 2007 at the age of 43, with no intentions for a book. After that, many other poems just started to flow in rapid succession. In a couple of months, I had well over 200 poems. A friend encouraged me to put them in print. I did and the rest is history, as they say. My book, Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life in Poems was published In February 2008, exactly one year from the time I wrote my first poem, using about 75 of the hundreds of poems that I had written.
I always say that I didn't decide on poetry writing .
Poetry writing decided on me.

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I must say- favorite poetS. I love Maya Angelou and Nikki Giovanni. Nikki especially, wrote a lot about southern experiences when she would go to her grandparents' home and overall her work is so gritty , soul bearing, transparent and in-your- face. As she says in one of my favorite poems, "Egotripping" ... "I am bad". That explains how I feel about her and her work in general. She is bad!!

Maya to me, is just the queen in the poetry world. I equate her as being to the poetry world what Aretha Franklin is to the soul music world.

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I have two more books that are bascially finished and ready to publish when the time is right.
One is more mostly southern remembrances and the other is mostly very intimate love poems,
The Secret Garden of Love..in poems.
My publisher is also encouraging me to do an illustrated children's book using age appropriate poems from Reflections.

Everyone seems to think that this is a great idea.

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I always emphasize what I call

Patricia's P-Attitudes..

1) Positivity- be positive, believe in yourself and your book,
2)Persistence-Be relentless. Never take "NO" as a final answer. Keep knocking. If you can't get in through the door, go in through the window.
3)Perseverance-Never give up
4) Patience. .Hold on. Hold tight. Sometimes, the answer or outcome that you seek might take a minute ( days, weeks or months) but keep the faith. It will come.

My ultimate, bottomline advice is to give it all you have .
Borrowing from my favorite line in the movie "Ray"..
"Make it do what it do!" (LOL)

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SOUTHERN LIFE
If you want a glimpse of Southern life,
Come close and walk with me;
I'll tell you all the simple things,
That you are sure to see.
You'll see mockingbirds and bumblebees,
Magnolia blossoms and dogwood trees,
Caterpillars on the step,
Wooden porches cleanly swept;
Watermelons on the vine,
Strong majestic Georgia pines;
Rocking chairs and front yard swings,
Junebugs flying on a string;
Turnip greens and hot cornbread,
Coleslaw and barbecue;
Fried okra, fried corn, fried green tomatoes,
Fried pies and pickles too.
There's ice cold tea that's syrupy sweet,
And cool, green grass beneath your feet;
Catfish nipping in the lake,
And fresh young boys on the make.
You'll see all these things
And much, much more,
In a way of life that I adore.

Copyright 2008 Patricia Neely-Dorsey
poems from Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life in Poems

Thanks so much for such a wonderful lens to introduce "my little book of southern poems" to the Squidoo community...and to the world.
I am overjoyed to have met you and totally delighted to have found such a creative, resourceful and generous new friend.
You are truly amazing!

Thanks again...for EVERYTHING
Patricia Neely-Dorsey