Patricia Neely-Dorsey's
Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

CHILDHOOD CHRISTMAS

Christmastime at our house

Was such a joyous thing;

There was much anticipation of what the day would bring.

For many months prior,

The listmaking would begin;

There were so many things I wanted,

On pure memory I couldn't depend.

I carried handy 'round with me

A trusty little list.

There was not one single thing,

I wanted my parents to miss.

And every year, without a doubt,

I couldn't ask for any better,

For I 'd get everything on my list,

Down to the very letter.

The night before, my brother and I,

Would always try our best;

To catch ole Santa in his tracks,

So we'd get little rest.

We'd try to keep ourselves alert,

With a flashlight by our side;

But, every year ole St. Nick

Would cleverly by us slide.

We must have fallen fast asleep,

Before the morning's light;

Because our toys appeared miraculously,

Sometime through the night.

In our den, the floor was covered,

With toys of every kind;

The sheer volume of them all,

Would surely blow your mind.

We'd jump around from here to there,

And squeal with pure delight;

We couldn't have concealed our excitement,

If we tried with all our might.

Later on in the day,

The relatives would pour in;

For the traditional Christmas dinner,

With us and all our kin.

We'd have such an array of food,

Usually, specialties of the South;

One year, we even had a whole roasted pig,

With an apple in his mouth.

We'd exchange gifts and laughter,

And each other's company enjoy ;

The men would often help assemble,

Some child's complicated toy.

Our festivities usually lasted,

Way into the night;

And after all was said and done,

We felt everything went just right.

poem from Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life in Poems

Copyright 2008

(Simple) OLD TYME CHRISTMAS

A real tree from the woods,

Homemade Ornaments

And Popcorn Trim;

Apples, Oranges , Nuts

And Peppermint;

A Doll,

A Ball

A Truck,

And a pair of skates

To Share.

2009 Patricia Neely-Dorsey

Subject: Wonderful Opportunity!!!!

,

Please join in a wonderful opprtunity for us to participate together in Celebrating the South!

The Southeastern LiteraryTourism Initiative is an effort towards demonstrating what a major role art (in this case literary arts) can play in showcasing and introducing the tremendous assets and offerings of our beloved region, along with enhancing tourism interest and the influx of greatly needed tourism dollars.

The initiative has already started to gain very positive media attention.

For this effort to be the overwhelming success that the developers know that it can be, supporters and contributors are needed.

You can show your support simply by going to the site and signing on as a follower. You can contribute by sending in short stories, poems, ect that showcase your particular part of the southeasten region.

Yes, it's just that simple.

Take one minute to go to the site.

www.southeasternliterarytourisminitiative.blogspot.com

The Thanksgiving Holiday is a perfect time for each of us to reflect on all of the things we have to be thankful for and to count our many blessings.

This Thanksgiving we should all express our "Thanksgiving" sentiments to friends and loved ones..and most importantly to THE ONE from whom all blessings flow.

REFLECTIONS OF A MISSISSIPPI MAGNOLIA

When I look back on my life,

I think how wonderful it has been;

To have had the most wonderful parents of all,

And a host of wonderful friends.

My high school days were blissful,

And my college days so fun;

Fond memories are one thing for sure,

That I have by the ton.

I'm so glad that I grew up,

On Mississippi sod,

My t-shirt reads: "American by birth,

And southern by the grace of God."

My life has been so wonderful,

I wouldn't change one condition;

As one friend of mine always says,

I should have paid admission.

Copyright 2008 Patricia Neely-Dorsey

poem from Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life in Poems

www.patricianeelydorsey.webs.com

DID YOU KNOW:

October is

FAMILY HISTORY MONTH

Share Yours!!!

I challenge each reader, to find out more about the rich personal histories within your own individual families..delve into the often hidden treasures held within your family stories.

ONE ROOM SCHOOL

My mother told me stories,

Of the one room school;

Where all the grades were taught together,

As they went by the same rules.

To this school is where she would go,

With other children from all around;

Traveling there in rain, sleet or snow,

These children could be found.

Each grade had their own lessons,

That they were all to learn;

While keeping warm by an old black stove,

That in the corner burned.

My mother had high praises

For the teacher who taught them there,

Because, it was her own dear mother,

Who gave them special care.

My mother said that in this place,

She learned so very much;

Like arithmmetic and writing,

Basic reading skills and such.

I love to hear these stories,

Over and over again,

For passing them on down the line,

Our legacy never ends.

Copyright 2008 Patricia Neely-Dorsey

poem from Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life in Poems

www.patricianeelydorsey.webs.com

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This poem comes from one of the many "family stories" that my mother has repeated to me over the years. She was the beneficiary of very early "early childhood education" She says that her mother was the teacher at a one room school outside of Mantee, MS. Her mother (my grandmother- Julia Clay Kilgore) would take her younger pre- school age children to work (school) with her, where they were exposed to all of the lessons and conversations of the older children. My mother says that she was very young at this time

(3 and 4 yrs old). She says that she remembers her father (my grandfather-Alton Odessa Kigore) dropping her Mom and the kids off at the school in his car and going on to his one room school in Woodland, MS where he was the teacher/principal. When she was five years old, the family moved to West Point,MS and she attended M.I. College( Ministirial Institute and College) grade school program from

grades 1-4. She then attended Mary Holmes College School from fifth grade thru two years of college. She married my Dad and then went on to graduate from Tennessee State University with a Bachelor's degreein Elementary Education.

Subject: GLOWING REVIEW!!!

Hey gang!

Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia recently received a glowing review in the Fall 2009 issue of Mississippi Libraries

Check it out!!

Neely-Dorsey, Patricia. Reflections of

a Mississippi Magnolia: A Life in Poems.

Jonesboro, AR: GrantHouse Publishers,

2007. 90 pp. $15.00 (paperback)

In Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia:

A Life in Poems, Patricia Neely-

Dorsey has written, in poetic form, a kind

of primer on southern life, manners, and

customs. Her collection of seventy-two

short poems is divided into seven sections:

Southern Life, Country Living, Childhood

Memories, Family History, Getting Personal,

Intimacies, and Summing Things Up.

This is not the angst-ridden poetry of a

tortured soul; instead, “Loving Me” and

“Happy (With the Nappy)” reveal a

woman who is happy, secure, and comfortable

with herself. Free of strict meter,

but usually rhyming, Neely-Dorsey’s poetry

captures images of nature, people, rural

activities, social gatherings, and, of

course, all kinds of food. “Hog Killing

Time” depicts the tasks performed in

preparing a hog for eating; “Country Doctor”

paints a loving, respectful portrait of

the poet’s father in his profession; and

“Right to Vote” is a gentle reminder of the

great difficulties that have been overcome,

so that black people could vote in elections.

It is clear Neely-Dorsey also enjoys

playing with the rhythm of words and

speech, as evidenced in “Neighborhood

Groceries,” “Partyline,” and “Country Living.”

While Neely-Dorsey received her college

education in the Northeast (shown in

her lighthearted frustrations with northern

expressions in “Boston”), it is obvious

from “Mississippi Morning” and “If Mississippi’s

In You” that she deeply loves the

South, especially her native Mississippi.

As she expresses in “Mississippi Through

and Through,” “…I breathe Mississippi. I

move Mississippi. I think Mississippi. I feel

Mississippi. I am, simply, Mississippi

through and through.” This little book of

poems is recommended for all Mississippi

libraries, and will move the reader closer to

understanding just what a “Mississippi

Magnolia” girl is.

Rick Torgerson

Cataloger

Delta Stae University

Subject: Encouraging the kids to Celebrate the South

Hey Y'all !!

I had a phenomenal time on Thursday October 1st at Rust College.

I was one of two featured speakers for the kickoff of their Lyceum/Lecture Artist Series.

The other speaker was my good friend and fellow author John Campbell from Starkville, MS (author of Daydreaming on my Cotton Sack)

The kids..I mean young adults..well how about students (smile) were wonderful !!! There was a sea of bright, attentive faces ...over 500 for sure.

I was thrilled to be a part of encouraging them in any small way in pursuit of their academic endeavors and dreams.

I received lots of questions and sincere thank yous.

Please check out some of the pictures posted on Facebook by clicking on the link

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/album.php?aid=36000&id=1470944382&ref=mf

I'm out!

As always, continuing on my path of Celebrating the South

Patricia Neely-Dorsey

Subject: Celebrating the South/Tallahatchie Riverfest

By now, you ALREADY know what I have been doing today.

Yep...Yep..FOREVER and ALWAYS...CELEBRATING THE SOUTH

Booksigning Today at the Tallahatchie RiverFest

New Albany, Mississippi

It was THE BOMB!!!

Wonderful People, Wonderful Music, Wonderful Networking and ...

THE FOOD!!..Let's just pretend that didn't happen (LOL)

If you've read Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia, you know I kind of have a little (O.K. BIG) problem (obsession) with food (LOL)

As I said, let's just pretend that part didn't happen!

Thanks to my (many) wonderful Facebook friends who came out and supported !

Next Year... same time...same place

Ya'll come back, now..you hear???

The beautiful scenery on the drive home was breathtaking!! (as usual)

SCENIC ROUTE

Clear Blue Sky

Above Expanses of Green

Divided by Strips of Gray

Surrounded by Sprinkles

Of Pinks, Purples, Yellow and White

Highway Ride

In the Summertime

Patricia Neely-Dorsey 2009

DID YOU KNOW: September is Read a New Book Month (yes, seriously)!!!

The man who doesn't read good books has no advantage over the man who can't read them.

Mark Twain

BOOKWORM

Reading is fundamental,

That's what they always say;

Without it, I couldn't even imagine,

Wanting to start the day.

My mother's love of reading,

Was passed down straight to me;

And wherever it is that I am,

Some book with me, you'll see.

In my purse, under my arm,

Or maybe in my car;

I'm not so sure where the book would be,

But it couldn't be very far.

My mother says she remembers,

Books and papers 'round her mother's bed;

Where she would spend the whaole long day,

With knowledge being fed.

I love to read all kinds of things,

I never get enough;

I quess, I could love without my books,

But, boy, it would be tough.

Copyright 2008 Patricia Neely-Dorsey

poem from Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life in Poems

www.patricianeelydorsey.webs.com

AUGUST: National Catfish Month (Yes, Really!!!)

August is: NATIONAL CATFISH MONTH

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 amd 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.

*Mississippi State University was the first institute to study the nutritional requirements of catfish.

*Fried catfish remains a favorite in Southern cuisine.

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 tht'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

JULY-Family Reunion Month

JULY is traditionally Family Reunion Month with family gathering taking place all ove the country..especially during 4th of July weekend.

Let us take the time to reflect on, appreciate, cherish and celebrate the "gift" of family.

The Family Tree

We are a glorious tree

With beautiful branches outstretched,

Reaching toward the heavens;

Offering our various gifts

And fruits of our labor.

We share common roots,

That run deep in ancestral soil;

Nurtured by

Common purpose,

Faith, heritage and hope.

We hear the whispers and shouts

Of those gone before.

We hear the voices

Of that great cloud of witnesses,

Ever urging, prodding, coaxing ;

Giving meaning to our race,

Shedding light on our pathways

We carry a certain knowledge

Deep within us

Embedded within our very bones

And marrow;

Encoded in the blood,

That runs between us

Among us and through us;

Carrying a sacred message

Imparted across generations.

We stand united,

Singing praises

To the One

Who made us,

Gathered us,

And bound us

Into a

Strong,

Proud,

Distinctive

Family Tree

Patricia Neeely-Dorsey 2009

Wednesday, June 3, 2009

JUNE- Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day this year- June 21, 2009

DID YOU KNOW: In the USA, UK and Canada, Father's Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in June, since being made a national holiday in 1966.

This month's blog is dedicated to my father

Dr. James H. Neely

who was a practicing physician in the Tupelo/Lee County area for almost 35 yrs and still remains the best "daddy" ever.

COUNTRY DOCTOR

My Dad was a country doctor,

And I have such memories galore;

I even remember the house calls,

As he literally traveled 'round door to door.

Sometimes, on Saturday mornings,

When I was just a young thing;

My daddy would let me go with him,

As he did all his doctoring.

He'd have his black bag in one hand,

And his stethescope wrapped 'round his neck;

He was most definitely the captain,

And I was his first man on deck.

We traveled way deep in the country,

And there were always such sites to see;

Believe you me, I noticed them all,

Down to the last bumblebee.

I'd always meet really kind people,

As I stayed by my daddy's side;

He'd always give my introduction,

As he stood there beaming with pride.

Many of the people had no indoor plumbing,

And most of them were all very poor;

So my daddy would let patient's pay him,

With whatever it was they'd procure.

Sometimes, he took brown eggs or slab bacon,

Fresh vegetables, hams and the like;

All of this was so amazing to see,

For me as such a young tike.

The old women, he'd always call "young lady",

But old and young all addressed him as sir;

We'd make so many stops on our journey,

I'm quite suprised that it's not all a blur.

I remember learning about all these people,

And all of the crops that they grew.

Each time, I'd learn something different,

Each time, I'd learn something quite new.

My eyes would grow wide with excitement,

As I saw all the animals and stock;

We'd see so much beautiful scenery,

As we'd drive to the next door to knock.

My dad had such a busy schedule,

I can't imagine how he got it all done;

All I remember is I loved tagging along,

And all I remember is fun.

Copyright 2008 Patricia Neely-Dorsey

poem from Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia-A Life in Poems

www.patricianeelydorsey.webs.com

author's note: Dr. James H. Neely received his Bachelor's degree in 1955 from Kentucky State University, formerly Kentucky State College with a major in chemistry and a minor in math and French.

He received his Doctor of Medicine degree from Meharry Medical College in 1960.

MAY- Mother's Day Celebrations

MOTHER'S DAY - May 10, 2009 DID YOU KNOW: On May 8,1914, President Woodrow Wilson signed a Joint Resolution designating the second Sunday in May as National Mother's Day, emphasizing the role of women in families.

THANKS MOM(S)

A special thanks goes to every mother,

From every daughter and son;

Remembering and appreciating you,

For all the things you've done.

You've supported and encouraged us,

To dream and reach so far;

You've always helped us to believe, That we could reach that farthest star.

We thank you for protecting us,

From our ownselves,sometimes, it's true;

And always being there to give wise counsel,

As just a small part of all you do.

Thank you mothers for blessing us,

With a love strong, fast and true;

There could never be words in all the word,

To express what's owed to you.

Patricia Neely-Dorsey

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!!!

APRIL- National Poetry Month

April is : NATIONAL POETRY MONTH

Some ideas on how you might celebrate National Poetry Month

* Try writing an original poem

* Read poetry to your children

* Recite some poetry at an open-mic/ spoken-word venue

* Read a biography of a famous poet..see what made them tick

*Send a poem to a friend or loved one

*Support/Promote the work of a local poet

*Buy a wonderful book of poetry (preferably Reflections of a

Mississippi Magnolia- A Life in Poems by Patricia Neely-Dorsey) (smile)

HAPPY POETRY MONTH !!!

POETRY

My daddy helped me to love poetry,

He liked that kind of thing;

On Sunday mornings we'd recite,

"When Malindy Sings."

I loved the rhythm and the rhyme,

Each stanza and each verse;

We'd just say it how we felt,

With no need to rehearse.

I like to write my own poems now,

And let my own words flow;

I find that there are things inside,

I want other folks to know.

It's such a wonderful feeling,

To see my own words in print;

Sometimes, I think the words I write,

Are truly heaven sent.

Wherever it all comes from,

It's something I love to do;

It's my hope ,in some small way,

It's most enjoyable to you.

Copyright 2008 Patricia Neely-Dorsey

MARCH-Women's History Month

March is :

NATIONAL WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH .

Celebrate the beautiful woman/women in your life.

SHADES OF LOVELY(Good Enough to Eat)

Women of color are a sight to behold,

It's amazing to see their delicious colors unfold.

Honey,

Spice,

Brown Sugar,

Brown Rice,

Nutmeg and Cinnamon,

Gingerbread and Toast,

These are just a few of the colors,

That Black women boast.

There's Pecan, Almond, Walnut ,

and Coconut Cream;

There are more shades of lovely

Than any could dream.

If chocolate's your weakness,

They have every hue,

White chocolate, Dark chocolate

And Milk chocolate, too.

They come in Caramel and they come in Toffee,

They even come, like you like your coffee.

There's coffee with cream and coffee black,

Of any variety, there's certainly no lack.

There's Espresso and Mocha

And Cafe au Lait

Too many colors to count in a day.

From Banana to Licorice,

Including Hot Fudge;

If prizes were given,

Who could possibly judge?

When you see women of color

In all their array;

There's nothing more lovely,

You'd just have to say.

Copyright 2008 Patricia Neely-Dorsey

February is Special

February has always held a special place in my heart.

It is the month that I was born(February 7,1964).

It is the month that my son was born (February 28, 1999).

It is the month that I wrote my first poem (February 14, 2007).

It is month that my first book of poetry was published (February 22, 2008), and it is Black History Month (which had it's beginnings when Carter G. Woodson first proclaimed a Negro History Week on Febraury 12, 1926).

History is essentially a collection of stories handed down.

The dictionary defines history as:

1) An account of what has or might have happened in the form of a narrative, play, story or tale

2) What has happened in the life or development of a people, country or institution,ect.

3) A known or recorded past

As African-Americans ,we have an especially rich collective history and each one of us has a very rich individual history made up of a unique set of experiences, circumstances and encounters.

In honor of Black History Month,I want to urge each individual to:

TELL YOUR STORY/(stories)

Consider this, the Best Selling , Award Winning novel Roots came from one man's (Alex Haley's) family stories handed down over the generations and prompted a whole movement of interest in geneologies, heritage and African-American History .

This month, be a part of promulgating, promoting and preserving black history by TELLING YOUR STORY.

The following poem comes from a story that my mother and father would repeatedly tell me over the years about the difficulties they had in voting and registering to vote.

RIGHT TO VOTE

I love to hear the stories,

That my mama and daddy tell;

Sometimes, we'll just sit a while,

And they'll talk for a spell.

They've told me of how hard it was,

For them to get to vote;

They'd go down to the courthouse door,

And there would be a note;

"Out to Lunch" or "No One's In,"

"Come Back Another Day,"

In all kinds of ways you wouldn't believe,

They were turned away.

Even when they did get in,

There were more hurdles they had to cross;

They'd be asked to answer questions

That would put anyone to a loss,

"How many bubbles in a bar of soap?"

"How many pennies in that jar?"

"How many raindrops to fill a barrel?"

"How many miles to a star?"

It seems almost incredulous

That this was how it was;

But, believe you me, no matter what,

I vote, now, just because.

Copyright 2008 Patricia Neely-Dorsey

The New Year

The new year is often a time for reflections, evaluations and assessments.

But, mostly it is a time of goal setting and forging ahead.

One essential element of proceeding into the New Year with a positive attitude, positive aspirations and positive expectations is a positive self esteem. Unfortunately, it seems that many of the ills of our society are rooted and grounded in poor self esteem issues. Sadly, too, this problem

with self esteem seems to be running rampant among our youth.

Now is the time for each of us to take stock and consider all of the wonderful qualities that we possess and all that we have to offer the world.

Each one of us has very unique characteristics, talents , abilities, attributes and gifts. We should all learn to appreciate the one- of - a -kind, unique beings that we are inside and out and the special place that we take up in the world. There is not now, never has been and never will be another who is exactly like you.

This year, I challenge you to develop all of your natural resources and use them to make a positive difference in your world and the world around you. As we go forward into this New Year, each one of us should make this one resolve: "I Will Be The Best Me I Can Be".

http://patricianeelydorsey.blogspot.com