AUTHOR NOTES

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“(perhaps)” was found among the author’s papers. The inspiration for this poem is unknown.

REFRACTIONS— the poetry of Robert Roxby

“UNEXPECTED PRAYER.” Robert and his wife had accompanied their daughter the 120 miles to the city (115 by train) of her new job. Their unmarried daughter had lived all her life (almost 50 years) till then in her home town. The sadness he attributes to his daughter is more likely his own. The poem first appeared in the author’s anthology, Reflections on a Lifetime, 2000.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“RETURN OF THE IBO” is a result first of a misheard word in a song on the radio while driving home along the coast which triggered her imagination. The author composed this poem as she completed her drive. The other inspiration was a television story of a shipload of Ibo natives, one of the last slave ships to arrive from Africa which off-loaded its cargo temporarily on an off shore island not equipped to receive such a ship, causing them to lower the slaves into the water, expecting them to wade ashore. However, knowing they were to be sold as slaves when the ship returned for them, the people–still chained together–turned outward toward the open ocean and waded into its depths to their deaths.