GLASS RAIN—the poetry of Margaret Roxby

The author shared “THE NEW POETS” with her poet friends as contribution to their “Round Robin” poem-sharing/critiquing mail exchange. She described it as an essay poem. It is included this week for World Thinking Day, February 22.

REFRACTIONS—the poetry of Robert Roxby

“SPARKS OF GENIUS” is included this week for World Thinking Day, February 22. The poem first appeared in the poet’s collected poems titled Reflections on a Lifetime.

KALEIDOSCOPE—an essay by Kathleen Roxby

“FINDING THE CALM” is included this week for World Thinking Day, February 22. The essay refers to a time when the author was challenged by everyone, adults and contemporaries, to “grow up” and get to know the world at large to find her place in it.

GLASS RAIN—the poetry of Margaret Roxby

“FEBRUARY WEDDING” was found among the poet’s papers and was not perfected by its author who had yet to title it. The poet likely chose to write about her own wedding which took place early in February in a week that began in sunshine and ended on her wedding day with snow sending her on her honeymoon into its storm.

REFRACTIONS—the poetry of Robert Roxby

“HER SMILE” is included this week to accompany his wife’s poem about their wedding day (see above). The poem has been slightly edited for this release. The poem was found in the poet’s writing journal.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“KITE IN THE WIND” is included this week for National Kite Flying Day, February 3. The poem first appeared in the collection Electric Rain edited by Patricia Fry and published by Archer Books in 2000. The poem is another in the author’s series arising from a period of time when she battled depression.

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“WHAT’S IN A NAME?” This is another scrap from the poet’s desk and was not titled by this author. The piece appears for National Compliment and National Belly Laugh Day, January 24. The author often expressed such an opininion. She had her problem with name as a child. Friends and family called her “Peg.” Teachers had to learn. Later at work it became both “Marg” or “Margaret.”

REFRACTIONS—the poetry of Robert Roxby

In “MY LADY WITH THE JOYFUL LAUGH,” the author once-again tells of his love for his wife.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“HOW LIKE A GREEDY CHILD” is included this week as a nod to National Compliments Day, January 24. However, some may find this selection inappropriate, except in a backhanded sort of way. Even with the zinger at the close. The subject considered the author a very close friend.

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“POE.” This poet was a favorite of the author’s to the point where she read some of his poetry to her young daughter of elementary school age. This scrap was found among the loose papers on her desk after her death. Work, apparently, was still in progress—not unlike Poe himself.

KALEIDOSCOPE—from a series by Kathleen Roxby on the English language

“CHERUS.” We bring you this desperate word search the same week National Word Nerd occurs. The emotion expressed in the poem are most likely about his wife. The two were very close, especially meeting in their late twenties and then losing the first baby as a shock right at birth.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“THE WRITER” is also included this week as a nod to National Word Nerd, January 2. The author did experience something very like this moment described. When asked about it, she replied, “People think a writer’s life is easy. They don’t know.”

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“THE WHOLE WORLD NEEDS CHRISTMAS” was found among the poet’s papers. Late in her life, she began to craft her own Christmas cards, and this piece was likely intended for that purpose. Christmas: the decorations, the food, the visits with friends and family was something she looked forward to every year, beginning preparations in November. Her daughter remembers being charged with cracking nuts for Christmas goodies while dreaming of her own November birthday and upcoming Thanksgiving.

REFRACTIONS—the poetry by Robert Roxby

“CHRISTMAS JOYS.” Like his wife, the poet welcomed Christmas every year. The poem was found in his poet’s journal.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—works by Kathleen Roxby

“MY GRANDFATHER’S LEGACY” is included this week for December 23, National Roots Day. Though the author never met her grandfathers, either one, both of them left such an impact that it carried forward to the next generation. The specific grandfather described in this poem was her maternal grandfather.