AUTHOR NOTES

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“[ROAD TRIP]” is included for May 23, National Road Trip Day. The poem did not have a title when found among the author’s writings.

REFRACTIONS—a poem by Robert Roxby

“SWIMMERS ALL” is included this week for May 17, Learn to Swim Day. The poem first appeared in his anthology, Reflections of a Lifetime, 2000. He and his cousins grew up in the mining country of Ohio, Pennsylvania and West Virginia where their naked swims were never a an issue of concern to their families. The author was inspired to write this by a 1910 photograph of his three oldest brothers and some cousins taken along a railroad track.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“PAN-AMERICAN UNITY” is included this week for May 21, UN Cultural Diversity Day. Lakewood, the neighboring city to the author’s home town of Long Beach, celebrated a friendship with a Spanish city to their south every Spring. In addition to speeches, parades and picnics, they offered writing competitions for the schools and for adults. Both of the author’s parents participated in these competition and occasionally received honors.