Magnolia Poems
by Patricia Neely-Dorsey
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.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOUTHERN MAN
There's nothing like a Southern man,
He's a man that you should know;
He's one to whom you'll find no equal,
Anywhere you go.
He has a sweet molasses talk
And a slow, smooth gliding walk.
He's got strong, firm hands to let you know,
Real work is nothing new;
He has no problem with the fact,
That he should provide for you.
There are certain kinds of values
This man is sure to hold
His love of home and family
Is sure to not grow cold.
He'll deeply love his mother
It's a bond that's always there
All throughout his life, this man
Will show her tender care.
He's one that you can count on,
To do the manly things;
He'll change the tire and check the oil,
And fix the backyard swing.
But, underneath a tough exterior,
A gentle soul lies, too;
He's one who'll rock the baby,
And even cook a meal for you,
On Sundays, he'll sit beside you singing,
On the same church pew.
There's nothing like a Southern man,
He's a rare and special kind;
If you look forever, anywhere,
He's the best you'll ever find.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
LET'S
Let's go for a ride in the countryside,
And make lots of stops along the way;
Let's soak in all the warm sunshine,
And create a perfect day.
Let's stop at someone's roadside stand,
And maybe buy some fruit;
Let's pretend it's some great find,
Just like a pirate's loot.
Let's go inside a country store,
And have some bologna cut;
Let's sit outside and eat our fare,
Like some treasure from King Tut.
Let's always enjoy life's simple things,
And to their full extent;
Let's always spend these kinds of times,
And make it our intent.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
MISSISSIPPI MAN
I want to enjoy my Misssissippi Man
On a Mississippi day
Soaking up some Mississippi sun.
I love the way we do
Mississippi things
And have our Misssissippi fun.
He makes me laugh a Mississippi laugh,
And smile a Mississippi smile;
And I guess, if he would ask me to,
I'd run a Mississippi mile.
[Note: All poems copyright, 2008]
BIO ~ PATRICIA NEELY-DORSEY
Neely-Dorsey is a 1982 graduate of Tupelo High School in Tupelo, Mississippi. She received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Psychology from Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts. After living several years in Memphis, Tennessee, working in the mental health field, she returned to her hometown in August 2007. Her first book of poetry was published in February, 2008 (Grant House Publishers). She currently lives in Tupelo with her husband James, son Henry, and Miniature Schnauzer, Happy. She is a proud, active member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc., an avid reader and a passionate writer.
Her book of poetry is titled: Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia ~ A Life in Poems
"A celebration of the South and things southern"
"Meet Mississippi Through Poetry, Prose and The Written Word"
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