I SURELY HOPE THAT MY "LITTLE BOOKS OF SOUTHERN POEMS" FIT IN THE "GOOD POETRY" CATEGORY!

Yesterday, August eighteenth was National Bad Poetry Day ! I'll bet you didn't even know there was such a thing ! According to the creators, Bad Poetry Day was established as a sort of retaliation or rebellion ! They state: After all the “good” poetry you were forced to study in school, here’s a chance for a pay back. Invite some friends over, compose some really rotten verse, and send it to your old high school teacher. Others suggest that it might be a chance to appreciate good poetry more, by reading and/ or creating some bad.

Whatever the case, I do hope that when a reader runs across some PND poems the word bad will never come to mind !
I think that my poems can be enjoyed by all. 

I believe that poetry should be assessable, readable, and enjoyable for all ages. My poems, definitely, fit that description.
With simple language and relatable themes, they can be read ,enjoyed and understood by readers of all ages 8 to 80 (and beyond).  There is definitely something in them for everyone. Readers will laugh out loud at times, shake their heads in recognition and maybe even shed a crocodile tear or two. Whatever the case, I believe the poems will resonate in the deep recesses of the heart.  

My poems are a true celebration of the south and things southern. Using childhood memories, personal thoughts and dreams, I attempt to give a positive glimpse into the southern way of life. There are so many negative connotations associated with Mississippi and the south in general. I want to show a flip side of the coin. There is much to love about this much maligned and misunderstood part of our country. I would really love for readers to get to KNOW Mississippi (and the south) in a different light . I invite you to Meet Mississippi ( and the South) Through Poetry, Prose and the written word.  
Using poetic storytelling, I hope to, not only, entertain, but also, educate and enlighten, while helping to preserve the beautiful, rich southern culture, history and heritage that I know, along with promoting and fostering an appreciation and understanding of the importance of cultural diversity, individuality, self expression and regional pride.

One reader proclaimed : 
"YOU MAKE BEING SOUTHERN FUN AND INTERESTING FOR THE REST OF THE WORLD !!! THANK YOU MS AMBASSADOR "
Steve Kizer- Sevierville, Tennessee

             AVAILABLE ON AMAZON:

         http://tinyurl.com/reflections-pnd 
         http://tinyurl.com/magnolia-mem
 

ELVIS WEEK CELEBRATES A (Tupelo) MISSISSIPPI NATIVE SON

Each August, Elvis fans from around the world gather in Memphis for a celebration of the music, movies and legacy of Elvis Presley and mark his death, August 16, 1977. Elvis Week includes events such as the Elvis Fan Club Presidents Event, Elvis Insiders Event and Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, plus special concerts, panel discussions, dances and more. 
The main event of Elvis Week each year is the Candlelight Vigil which always begins on the evening of August 15 and lasts into the morning of August 16. Fans walk up the driveway to Meditation Garden holding a candle in quiet remembrance of Elvis. Tens of thousands of participants gather on Elvis Presley Blvd. during the evening to listen to music, remember Elvis and enjoy memorials created by fans along the street.

After graduating from Boston University , I lived and worked in Tupelo for a few years before moving to Memphis in 1988.

My first apartment was on Winchester Road and less than a mile from Elvis Presley Boulevard and Graceland.

Several of my favorite stores and the church which I attended were on Elvis Presley Boulevard. But , during the night of the Candlelight Vigil, I would always take the long way around and travel on Shelby Drive or another street well past Graceland to get where I wanted or needed to go.

Living in Memphis for many years and in the Whitehaven area for the first several years,I knew ,as well as all of the locals not to even try to get ANYWHERE on the evening of August 15, traveling on Elvis Presley Boulevard between Winchester Road and Holmes Road.

It just was not worth the effort to try to tediously navigate through the throngs

GRACELAND- Memphis, TN

Though the main event of Elvis week for most fans is the Candlelight Vigil in Memphis, many Elvis fans and visitors start their celebration of Elvis Week in Tupelo.

You can find these poems and more in my books .....

Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia -A Life In Poems
My Magnolia Memories and Musings -In Poems

BOOKS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON: 

http://tinyurl.com/reflections-pnd 
http://tinyurl.com/magnolia-mem



CLICK HERE FOR ELVIS WEEK ACTIVITIES IN MEMPHIS
http://www.elvis.com/elvisweek

I AM A MISSISSIPPI AUTHOR - POET AND - NOW...SONGWRITER

It's official ! I can now add the title of songwriter to my resume !

I am very excited ! Several months ago I was contacted by a musician /songwriter about using some of my words in a song...to be developed my him and his partner ! Well, now I can officially put SONGWRITER on my resume ! The song is done...well at least the words ! I am sure you will recognize some of the words from my "Southern Life '' poem. I can hardly wait to hear the finished version. with music. Here is the e-mail I received this week. Hi Patricia, I hope this email finds you doing well. It's been a hectic few months for us. We haven't forgotten about you and our Mississippi Magic song. We've come up with a contemporary, pretty melody and it sings pretty well. Cant wait to share the final product with you. Hope we make you proud! 

Here are the lyrics below:

MISSISSIPPI MAGIC
by Patricia Neely-Dorsey, Don Quinn, & Ron Ryan
@2013

VERSE 1

I've got river black mud coursing through my veins

Straight from the Mississippi

A soul stitched in Rock and Roll

and a heart full of Dixie

It's the laid back country soul in me

I take it day by day

I'm built for Southern hospitality

I wouldn't have it any other way

I need some..

CHORUS

Mississippi Magic

in the sweet molasses breeze

God, My Country and Family

that's what it means to me

Mockingbirds and bumblebees, Magnolia blossoms and dogwood trees

it's ice cold tea that tastes so sweet

and cool green grass beneath your feet

It's what I love, and the only way I'll have it

I want that Mississippi Magic

VERSE 2

It's rockin' chairs and front porch swings

hot cornbread, and turnip greens

Coleslaw and barbecue

Watermelons on the vine for me and you

It's fallin in love at the County Fair

It's inside me, it's in the air

It's who I am, through and through

It won't take long til gets to you, it's everywhere..

CHORUS

It's the laid back country soul in me

I take it day by day

FINAL CHORUS
 
I love it !

I surely hope that a lot of other people do to !

Let the good times...and royalties roll !!! LOL!!!

I am so grateful that the songwriting duo of Quinn Ryan decided to include me in this project.

Their website is :

http://www.quinnryanmusic.com

Quinn-Ryan

Check them out !

Info from the website :

      

  

Don Quinn, a Mississippi songwriter, and Ron Ryan, a south Florida writer, have joined forces - Two dreams, one vision with a razor sharp focus.

The songwriting duo is hard at work building the QRM catalog with several completed songs and many more currently in the studio.

Their impressive catalog of mostly country music has now grown to over 30 songs. Their music has captured the attention of Nashville A-List music insiders.

They've teamed up and created Quinn Ryan Music to showcase their songwriting talents as they relentlessly pursue their dream - to one day hear their songs being played on the radio by a major artist.

Here's my original poem :

The poem " Southern Life" can be found in both of my books of poems :

BOOKS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON:
http://tinyurl.com/reflections-pnd
http://tinyurl.com/magnolia-mem-pnd

....... ~*~ UPDATE ~*~ .......

 August 27, 2013

To hear the song go

to this link.....

 http://www.reverbnation.com/ronryan/song/18424581-mississippi-magic

~~~~~~

IN MISSISSIPPI ....Catfish Is King !

August is National Catfish Month 

Congress declared August National Catfish Month in the late 80s to recognize the contributions that the United States catfish industry makes in the economy.
Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi produce the majority of the nation's catfish
Mississippi catfish production accounts for more than 50 percent of all of the 
farm-raised catfish in the U.S.

Farm raised catfish are produced in controlled spring-fed ponds, and fed the best grade of feed - that's what gives them their consistently mild, sweet flavor and tender white texture.

Mississippi State University was the first institution to conduct research on the nutritional requirements of catfish. University researchers determined the correct protein, carbohydrate, energy, vitamin, and amino acid requirements for catfish and developed a well-balanced feed formula for catfish.

Here's a cute catfish cartoon on ad for 2012
New York, NY - Mississippi Picnic -

The first New York Mississippi Picnic took place in 1979, when a small group of native Mississippians living in New York had a strong desire to improve the perceptions of both regions in regard to one another. “I felt that people in New York had negative ideas about people from Mississippi, and people from outside New York had a terrible image of Central Park,” says Rachel McPherson, one of the founders of the event.

 

 

 

 

DID YOU KNOW: 

*Farm- raised catfish is the largest aquaculture industry in the United States. ... *Arkansas, in 1963, was the first state to produce farm-raised catfish on a commercial level and Mississippi was not far behind when it began its production in 1965. 
*After 1970, rapid expansion of catfish production in the Mississippi Delta occurred, and Mississippi has led the catfish industry ever since. 
*Today, more freshwater aquaculture is found in the Mississippi Delta than in any other region of the United States. 
 *Fried catfish remains a favorite in Southern cuisine.

THIS MISSISSIPPI GIRL IS FEELING (Very) NOSTALGIC !

Several recent events (very close together...within the past 6 months) have reminded me of how temporal things in life are and how one should never get overly attached to material things or even to circumstances.

Anything that we have..even our very lives can be taken away/be gone in the blink of an eye.

We should always be thankful and grateful for each day and it's blessings.

The things that happened are not really big things..but just tugged at a place inside of me that had nostalgic feelings for them.

I presently live in the house that I grew up in.

In the front yard, right in front of a very large "picture" window was ( I hate having to say it in past tense ) a most beautiful pink dogwood tree.

My Dad planted it for my Mom because it was her favorite.

The tree was almost as old as I am ..almost 50 years old .

So many days in my youth, my Dad and I would sit on the couch near that picture window and look at the various birds gathered under the dogwood tree.

He would point out all the different ones and tell me all about them.

Every spring when Mom and I would walk around in the yard , we marvel over it's beauty when it was in bloom.

We did that just a few months ago.

We all loved that tree!

Last week it was blown down by a very strong wind/rain storm;
Winds speeds were reported at over sixty miles an hour!

Now our beautiful tree is gone and I (we) will never enjoy it's blossoms in the spring again.

I'm glad that I took lots of pictures in front of it (It was one of my favorite backdrops) ,so that I can look back on it's beauty and why we loved it so much !

Several months ago ,another strong storm downed a huge pine tree in the front yard. That tree along with about about 10 or 12 others were planted at our home right after we moved in (1965)

It's gone.

Dad would always love to look at the picture of me and my brother standing by the trees when they were just tiny little things.

I was probably 4 and my brother 7.

The trees in the picture are not even as tall as we were.

Now , the others that are left standing are well over 20 feet!

A few months before or after that... Can't really remember ...

We woke up to find that one of the brick columns with lampposts at the entrance of the driveway was completely demolished by some drunk or crazy driver that plowed straight through it .

Sometime in the middle of the night , they ran right through it.

When I walked down to get the morning newspaper ,bricks were everywhere...along with various car parts.

I really don't even know how they drove away or how they got away alive

(You wouldn't believe how fast and crazy people drive on country roads these days!)

That post , along with it's twin had been there since the house was built.

Well, now it's gone.

Unbelievably, the very same day that our precious tree was uprooted and broken , the house across the road from us burned to the ground!

The house has been empty for many years but I have such fond memories of the family that lived there when I was a child.

The house and that family were there before we moved in....probably early 50's .

When I got up early this morning I went outside to see the last of the super moon .

It was beautiful!

Then I glanced over a bit and saw a red /orange glow through the trees.

I thought that I was just seeing things or thought that there was a reflection of something there.

I had hubby to go check it out.

He came back and said that the house had completely burned down...just the last bits burning

I learned later that it must have started about 1 or 2 am or so and the fire engines and police were out there around that time. I heard nothing ! Hubby says I sleep through anything ! Well, he did , too !!!

The coals and random pieces of wood continued to burn/smoke well into the afternoon,

Now, the house is gone!

Nothing (material) last forever.

I must always remember to enjoy the beauty and blessings of each day .

The Nature Lovers poem and many more can be found in my book Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia- A Life In Poems

Both of my "little books of southern poems
are available on Amazon:

http://tinyurl.com/reflections-pnd

http://tinyurl.com/magnolia-mem-pnd

Did You Know .....PARENTS' DAY HAS MISSISSIPPI ROOTS

Today is National Parents' Day.

In 1994 President Bill Clinton signed into law the resolution unanimously adopted by the U. S. Congress establishing the fourth Sunday of every July as Parents' Day.

The bill was introduced by Mississippi Senator Trent Lott (Wikipedia)

Lott served as a senator for the State of Mississippi from January 3, 1989 – December 18, 2007.

According to the National Parents' Day Coalition., the establishment of Parents’ Day was the result of a bipartisan, multiracial and interfaith coalition of religious, civic and elected leaders who recognized the need to promote responsible parenting in our society and to uplift ideal parental role models, especially for our nation's children.

Since the creation of this annual day of commemoration, local faith communities, elected officials and activists throughout the nation have creatively launched many activities around the theme of Parents' Day designed to celebrate and strengthen the traditional, two-parent family.

I am so thankful for my two-parent home, growing up and so grateful that I still have both of my parents.

They are such a large part of who I am and who I have become.

I dedicated my first book, Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life In Poems to my parents.

The dedication reads:

This book is dedicated to my parents Dr. James Henry Neely and Mrs. Elaine Kilgore Neely

Thank you for giving me the two most important things you can give a child- ROOTS and WINGS.

So many of the poems in Reflections are directly related to or about my parents and the many lessons learned from them.

I cannot imagine a more wonderful upbringing than the one I experienced.

You can find these poems and more in my two "little books of southern poems"

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON


http://tinyurl.com/reflections-pnd

http://tinyurl.com/magnolia-mem-pnd

MY LITTLE BOOKS OF SOUTHERN POEMS HAVE A BIG NORTHERN FAN!

I always call my books Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia - A Life In Poems and My Magnolia Memories and Musings-In Poems, "a celebration of the south and things southern". Through my poems, I attempt to give a positive glimpse into the southern way of life, rather than all the negatives usually portrayed.

It might come as a surprise for people to know that some of the biggest fans and supporters of my books are NOT from Mississippi....or even from the south!.
Yes, I do write exclusively and extensively about my love for the South, but I never try to bash the North or any other region.

I have a dear Facebook friend Debra Estep from Ohio, whom I became acquainted with, through a mutual Facebook friend and fellow Mississippian, Cyrus Webb.

She read the poems and the books and loved them.
She liked the messages that I was trying to convey.

Now, very frequently, and totally out of the goodness of her heart and her generous spirit, she makes graphics to go with my poems to enhance increase my ability to attractively share them and to increase the likelihood that others will share them.
The beautiful water color magnolias on many of the poem graphics that I post on Facebook are her original artistry!
She did a beautiful watercolor bottle tree painting for my Bottle Tree poem ...and later told me that she had never even HEARD of a bottle tree, before !
She also did an absolutely amazing painting of Elvis' birthplace home . 
(You can see some of these pictures below.)
I tease Debra all of the time about being Undercover Southern ! LOL!
I want to send a big Thank You to her and to all of my non-southern Facebook friends and book supporters !

You're wonderful ...and very much appreciated ! 

This is the BEAUTIFUL watercolor in process for my Bottle Tree poem, 
lovingly done by dear friend Debra Estep in Ohio !

THIS MISSISSIPPI GIRL LOVES MAGNOLIAS...ESPECIALLY MY SON'S !

I absolutely love magnolias. They are truly breathtakingly beautiful flowers.
The magnolia is the state flower of Mississippi and the magnolia tree is the state tree...thus the name "The Magnolia State".
When choosing a name for my books of poetry, all about my love for Mississippi and the south, I could not help but use magnolias in the titles and for the covers..
After all, I am a very proud Mississippi Magnolia Girl !

For months, I've been begging my son Henry to draw a magnolia flower for me to use for promotional cards and ads for my books!
He FINALLY did .... in his own sweet teenage time !!! LOL!!! (age 14)
Recently, I woke up with a beautiful magnolia picture on my computer.
I was taken aback and so thrilled !
I love /loved it !!!
Very soon, I plan to use it on some of my business cards and eventually print some note cards.
It is perfect for both!
Henry is a wonderful little budding artist !
Well I guess I shouldn't say little ,..because he's 6 feet tall .
And, I guess, I should say James .....because that is the name he calls himself, now.. LOL!!
Anyway...Here's to the new JHD Designs ...James Henry Dorsey Designs !
I am looking forward to great things from this young man ! 

James Henry Dorsey - Artist

There are many varieties of the magnolia throughout Asia and the Americas. Although it is one of the oldest plants in existence, it wasn't called the magnolia until the 18th century. Long used for medicinal as well as ornamental purposes, the magnolia is now one of the most popular plants in the world
The magnolia is one of the oldest plant species, with fossil remains dating back 36 to 58 million years ago. The magnolia developed long before bees did, so beetles pollinated the flowers. Therefore, the carpels of the magnolia flower are relatively sturdy, to protect against damage from crawling and eating beetles.
Magnolias have been cultivated in Asia since the 7th century and used for medicinal reasons since 1083. To the ancient Chinese, the flowers of the "Yu-lan" variety (Magnolia denudata), also called the Jade Orchid, were considered a symbol of purity, and they were grown in temple gardens since the 7th century (Wikepedia)

 







































 

Mississippi's state flower, the magnolia, was chosen by school children of the state in November 1900.
It is recorded that 23,278 children voted and that the magnolia blossom
received over half of these votes.
The cotton blossom, promoted by the Mississippi Federation of Women's Clubs,
placed second and the cape jasmine placed third.
Magnolia blossom - 12,745 votes. Cotton blossom - 4,171 votes.
Cape jasmine - 2,484 votes  

 


BOOKS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON:
http://tinyurl.com/reflections-pnd
http://tinyurl.com/magnolia-mem-pnd

Poetry Reading - Mississippi Through and Through

MY CONNECTION WITH MISSISSIPPI BLUES MAN, LITTLE MILTON

"Little Milton" (September 7, 1934 – August 4, 2005) was born James Milton Campbell, Jr., in the Mississippi Delta town of Inverness and raised in Greenville . By age twelve he had learned the guitar and was a street musician, chiefly influenced by T-Bone Walker and his blues and rock and roll contemporaries. He became an electric blues, rhythm and blues, and soul singer and guitarist, best known for his hit records "Grits Ain't Groceries" and "We're Gonna Make It."

 


Though I never met Little Milton personally, I am very close friends with his youngest brother, John Campbell, who I met when I was in high school. (early 80's).
We have a long history. John was very instrumental in encouraging and helping me to get my first book, Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia, published. (2008) .
In the foreword of of the book, in describing how the published book finally came about...
I wrote: In my late teens. in the early 80's John Campbell came on the scene in my life , in the form of a coach and teacher with john Campbell Productions, a modeling troupe and sort of finishing school. John influenced and affected how I saw myself as far as the talent that I had inside , my potential and the heights to which I could soar. John saw greatness inside of me and encouraged me dream big ...really big and to go after those dreams . He even had his own dreams for me and would often convey them in long heartfelt rap sessions on his couch . He would tell me about his life growing up in the Delta, about ideas for inventions that he had, and about traveling on the road being the personal valet for his big brother Little Milton, a famous blues singer.
When John left Tupelo, many years elapsed and we lost contact. Fate saw fit that our paths should cross, again. After living in Memphis for almost 20 years , I moved back to Tupelo in August 2007. By chance, I saw a familiar face on a book signing announcement in the newspaper. It was my old friend John ! John and I reconnected at a book signing for his first book "Daydreaming On My Cotton Sack" at Reed's Gumtree Bookstore in Historic Downtown Tupelo. (December 2007) After the signing, I talked to John about my writings and showed him my folder full of poems the next day. He said that we should definitely do something with them . Only two months after that fateful meeting, I had a published book of my own! Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life In Poems was published in February 2008, exactly one year from the time that I wrote my first poem.
Here's a copy of Reflections displayed on the shelf after my first book signing signing at Reed's Gumtree Bookstore in Tupelo.

Reed's Gumtree Bookstore in Tupelo

Reflections and my second book, My Magnolia Memories and Musings In Poems are available at Reed's Gumtree Bookstore and Barnes and Noble in Tupelo.
They are also available online from Amazon and Barnes and Noble .
Of course, any local bookstore can order them for you !  

HERE ARE THE LINKS ON AMAZON:
http://tinyurl.com/reflections-pnd
http://tinyurl.com/magnolia-mem-pnd


FIND OUT A LITTLE MORE ABOUT JOHN AND HIS BOOK HERE:
http://www.shaverschoice.com/Day_Dreaming_Cottonsack.htm