MY LITTLE BOOKS OF SOUTHERN POEMS ARE GREAT READING FOR ALL AGES !

I recently RECEIVED THE MOST DELIGHTFUL, HEARTWARMING E-MAIL from two Mississippi 4th graders. I always say that my poems are great reading for all ages...from 8-80 and beyond ! It's so true ! Their English teacher showed the class some of my poems on the computer and she let these two students send an e-mail. 
Here's the e-mail : ( I took out their names for privacy ) 


Dear Mrs. Dorsey,
Our names are............and ................. We are reading your lovely poems. 
The ones we read are "Mississippi" and "Meet My Mississippi." You put so much personification that we can imagine what you are saying. We loved how you explained things in "Meet My Mississippi." You have given us so much inspiration that we would like to continue reading all of your poems. You do a magnificent job on hooking us to read the poems. You might think it is weird that children are writing to you off our teachers page but we would be honored if you would write to us. How did you get the inspiration to write all of these poems? Why did you become an author instead of something else? Why did you write about Mississippi and not other things? Have you ever wondered who reads your poems? 
Thank you for reading this email. WE LOVE YOUR POEMS!!!! 

MY REPLY: I am so thrilled that you are reading and enjoying my poems! The poems are definitely made for all ages... ages 8-80 and beyond ! My father introduced me to poetry when I was very young . He recited poetry to me often and I fell in love with it ! I have loved reading and hearing poetry since I was probably five years old . I didn't start writing poetry until I was much , much older. I wrote my very first poem after I was 40 years old on February 14, 2007. Most people who write poetry usually start when they are much younger. I was a very late bloomer. I worked in the mental health field for almost 20 years before I began to write poetry. I really didn't decide to write poetry..It kind of decided on me. I wrote my first poem on that February morning ( Valentine's Day) when I woke up out of my sleep with a poem swirling around in my head. I got up and quickly scribbled it down . After that the poems just started to flow and flow. In a few months I had written over 200 poems! I write about Mississippi because I love it/her so much ! I love living in Mississippi and I loved growing up in Mississippi. That is what most of my poems are about ! I want to help people to KNOW more about Mississippi, LEARN more about Mississippi and LOVE more about Mississippi. I hope that your class will read more poems from my books Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia and My Magnolia Memories and Musings -In Poems ! Thanks you SO much for contacting me ! We will definitely keep in touch ! Ask me any questions that you would like. I would love to speak to you and your class one day ! Have a great day !  


Did You Know ..APRIL is National Poetry Month ! 
Read , Write , Share and Celebrate Poetry !

 Here are the poems that the students mentioned in the e-mail :


                                  ~*~ Mississippi ~*~

           
                     ~*~ Meet My Mississippi ~*~

 What other readers have said about the books/poems : 

"Patricia has a great eye and an ear for the south and the images that make it unique. I plan to use some of her quick rhymes when working with children in Mississippi schools." 
 Heather Truett - Tupelo,MS

Southern Poetry that is really poetry! Your books would go well (in schools) with English, nature studies, history, art,etc." Margaret Ann Tull - Tupelo, MS



                    ~*~ Mississippi Teachers ~*~

               ~*~  Experienced Beauty  ~*~

              ~*~ Know Learn Love  ~*~ 

 

Happy 196th Birthday Mississippi !!!

TODAY is Mississippi's 196th Birthday as a state.

I have always considered myself a Goodwill Ambassador for Mississippi.

There are so many negative connotations associated with Mississippi and the south, in general. Through my poems, I attempt to convey more positive images rather than all of the negative ones usually portrayed.

Mississippi was admitted into the Union on Dec. 10, 1817, and became the 20th state of the United States of America.

Mississippi is named for the Mississippi river which forms its western boundary and empties into the Gulf of Mexico. The name roughly translated from Native American folklore means “Father of Waters.” The translation comes from the Chippewa words “mici zibi” meaning “great river” or “gathering in of all the waters” and the Algonquin word “Messipi”.

The first settlers in the region (1699) were French, and the area became part of Louisiana. It passed to the British (1763-1779) and then to the Spanish before being ceded to the United States in 1783. The Mississippi Territory, organized in 1798 and enlarged in 1804 and 1813, also included the present state of Alabama.  Jackson is the capital city and the largest metropolitan area.


To celebrate Mississippi's 196th birthday, there will be an unveiling of the plans to celebrate the state's bicentennial in 2017. 

Tuesday, December 10, noon Old Capitol Museum located at 100 State Street in Jackson.  A reception will follow.  The event is Free.

 

State Symbols: 

Flower or bloom of the magnolia or evergreen magnolia (1952) 
Wildflower coreopsis (1991)
Tree magnolia (1938) 
Bird mockingbird (1944) 
Song “Go, Mississippi” (1962) 
Stone petrified wood (1976) 
Fish largemouth or black bass (1974) 
Insect honeybee (1980) 
Shell oyster shell (1974) 
Water mammal bottle-nosed dolphin or porpoise (1974) 
Fossil prehistoric whale (1981) 
Land mammal white-tailed deer (1974)
Red fox (1997) 
Waterfowl wood duck (1974) 
Beverage milk (1984) 
Butterfly spicebush swallowtail (1991) 

Nickname: Magnolia State


Interesting fact: Stickball is the oldest game to be found in America. Originally, it was played by the Choctaw Indians of Mississippi.

 

 

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

“Go, Mississippi”

 Mississippi Magic  
(by Don Quinn, Patricia Neely-Dorsey, and Ron Ryan) (vocal Johnny Holland)

Link to Audio of song...   Mississippi Magic


.

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

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

ONE OF MY "MISSISSIPPI" POEMS WILL BE PROUDLY "REPRESENTING" IN A U.S. REPRESENTATIVE'S OFFICE

Last week, the wife of one of Mississippi's U.S. Congressional Representative's saw my poem, "Meet My Mississippi" posted on Facebook.  She contacted me to say that she really LOVED the poem and wanted to get a print of it to put on her husband's office wall.

WOO HOO!!! HOW EXCITING!!!

I thanked her immensely for her interest and support and directed her to a site where framed and unframed prints of many of my poems can be purchased.
I must say, framed prints of the poems make excellent gifts! 

CHECK IT OUT HERE:
Fine Art America - Patricia Neely-Dorsey
http://patricia-neelydorsey.fineartamerica.com

She selected the poem to be framed on canvas.
I am hoping that she will send me a picture of the poem on the wall ...with the Congressman of course!
I will keep you posted!

As Always...Celebrating the South and Promoting A Positive Mississippi! 

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

THE NATCHEZ TRACE...History In My Own Back Yard

This weekend Hubby, our son Henry and I attended the 75th Anniversary Celebration of the Natchez Trace.  It was held at the Tupelo Visitor Center, which is located less than a mile from our home.  There were children's activities, classic cars exhibits representing 1938-today, live music, history reenactments AND hot dogs & drinks at 1938 prices (5 cents for sodas and 10 cents for hotdogs )! Special guest speakers included US Representative Alan Nunnelee, US Senator Roger Wicker and US Senator Thad Cochran.
The opening greetings and welcome were delivered by Tupelo Mayor, Jack Reed, Jr. 

The Natchez Trace, also known as the "Old Natchez Trace", is a historical path that extends roughly 440 miles (710 km) from Natchez, Mississippi to Nashville, Tennessee, linking the Cumberland, Tennessee and Mississippi rivers. 
It was created and used for centuries by Native Americans, and was later used by early European and American explorers, traders and emigrants in the late 18th and early 19th centuries.  Native Americans used many early footpaths created by the foraging of bison, deer and other large game that could break paths through the dense undergrowth.  Bison traveled north to find salt licks in the Nashville area. 
After Native Americans first began to settle the land, they began to blaze the trail further, until it became a relatively well-worn path.   Later, The "Kaintucks", or boatmen from the Ohio River Valley, would walk approximately 500 miles from Natchez to Nashville along the Natchez Trace in about 30 days. Today, the trail is commemorated by the 444-mile (715 km) Natchez Trace Parkway, which follows the approximate path of the Trace.  Maintained and administered by the National Park Service, the Parkway is headquartered in Tupelo, Mississippi. 
The Natchez Trace Parkway was seventh on the Top 10 Most Visited Places of the National Park System in 2012.


The Natchez Trace has been a close part of my life, almost all of my life.
I drive down this beautiful parkway at LEAST once a week.

A FEW INTERESTING NATCHEZ TRACE FACTS:

-Meriwether Lewis, of the Lewis and Clark Expedition, was governor of the Upper Louisiana Territory when he died on the Natchez Trace in 1809, at Grinder's Stand in Tennessee. A monument was erected in his honor in 1848 and can be seen along the Natchez Trace Parkway today.

-Andrew Jackson traveled on the Trace with his troops during the War of 1812.

 

The Natchez Trace poem is found in My Magnolia Memories and Musings -In Poems book

 

My Magnolia Memories and Musings - In Poems           Link to Amazon

The Female Morgan Freeman??!!! Me??!!!!

Recently, I received one of the most amazing compliments from a Facebook friend after listening to my short audio readings of a couple of my poems.
He said that I had the perfect southern voice to go along with the verbally painted pictures of my poems.
THEN, he asked if I had heard Morgan Freeman narrate a book?
Duh! !!! Have I heard him???!!! Who hasn't heard him??!!!
Morgan Freeman is THE MASTER of narrations!!!! Period !!! 
And... he's a Mississippi Man ! Woo Hoo!!!! 

Anyway, my Facebook friend said :
"You have the female version going on . I would buy any book that was narrated by you.  You have that voice like the ones that I grew up hearing all my life... The voices of intelligent southern women. It's the sort of voice that will cause you to stop what you are doing and listen"

That has got to be among the best compliments I have EVER received ... comparing (in ANY way ) my reading to Morgan Freeman !!!! WOW!
The only thing that could even come close is the couple of times that people have said that my poems and reading reminded them of Maya Angelou. I ,also, will always remember one elderly gentleman coming up to me after one of my library readings and saying that he could listen to me read my poems all day long. 
I have been truly blessed through the sharing of my life in poems!
I only hope that others are being blessed even half as much by what I do ! 
Always, Always Celebrating the South and Promoting a Positive Mississippi.

 
NOTE TO SELF: I must get on the ball with those books on tape !

Tupelo Arts Showcase