AUTHOR NOTES

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“WHEN VALHALLA FAILS” is included this week for National Supreme Sacrifice, Mar 18. This poem had no title, the website manager supplied this title. It is important to know the author had friends and family members who did not survive WW2, and others who fought in the Korean Action and in Viet Nam whose battlefields splashed onto screens across the nation nightly.

REFRACTIONS—a poem by Robert Roxby

“THE GODS WEEP” is included this week for World Rewilding Day, March 20. The poem first appeared in the author’s collection Reflections on a Lifetime.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“THE SAGA OF A ROSE” is included this week for March 20, World Storytelling Day. The poem was inspired by a photograph described in the ending of the poem.

#worldrewildingday

#worldstorytellingday

#nationalsupremesacrificeday

 

 

 

 

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AUTHOR NOTES

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“BEYOND THE REACH OF THE SUN” is included this week for Everything You Think Is Wrong Day, March 15. The author was fascinated by the old tales of the city of Atlantis and eagerly welcomed reports of others who chose to search for the remains of this storied place.

REFRACTIONS—a poem by Robert Roxby

“RIVER OF DREAMS” is included this week for World International Day of Action for Rivers, March 14. The poem first appeared in the author’s collection Reflections on a Lifetime. The river he describes may have been the Monongahela, Allegheny or Ohio all of which, interesting enough relevant to March 14, have problems with pollution dues to industry. Once lauded in poetry and song as the beautiful blue Ohio, turned the river into a churning brown carrying wastes and poisons downstream.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“A PHOENIX IN THE GARDEN” is included this week for March 12, National Plant a Wildflower day. The author transplanted a wildflower plucked from a trail beside the creek near her home to plant in her garden. This poem describes how it fared.

#nationalplantawildflowerday

#everythingyouthinkiswrongday

#worldinternationaldayofactionforriversday

 

 

 

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AUTHOR NOTES

GLASS RAIN—poetry by Margaret Roxby

“NEW COLLECTIVE NOUNS” is included this week for National Proofreading Day, March 8. This selection was likely an exercise suggested at a meeting of the poet’s local chapter of Chapparal Poets. It is obvious the author took this challenge on with a zeal, and a bit of humor.

REFRACTIONS—an essay by Kathleen Roxby

“THE CHANGE,” is included this week for March 9, National Get Over It Day and also because March is National Women’s History Month.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“STRANGE COOKIES” is included this week for March 6, National Oreo Cookie day. During the author’s lifetime, this cookie was used as an insult for certain members of the Black race. The incident related in the poem actually happened at a poetry group meeting during the month of February when race was in everyone’s mind. The leader of the group, a Black woman and friend, made this pronouncement as a way to explain Kathleen to the leader’s Black friends in attendance following Kathleen’s reading of her poem “Panic in the Black Quarter” (see poem this site).

#nationalproofreadingday

#nationaloreocookieday

#nationalwomen’shistorymonth

#nationalgetoveritday

 

 

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AUTHOR NOTES

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“CHOICE,” is included this week for Tell A Fairy Tale Day, February 28. The author loved fairy tales as a child, and the The Book of One Thousand and One Nights (The Arabian Nights). The author wrote another poem with this same story in mind, see “Unforgotten Dreams” this site: https://www.singularprism.com/2021/01/04/these-unforgotten-dreams/

REFRACTIONS—an essay by Kathleen Roxby

“THE SHOE REPAIR SHOP,” is included this week for National Old Stuff Day, March 2. The author recently mourned her inability to locate a shoe repair store and believed that perhaps they no longer existed but had become anachronisms. However, to her delight, a small shoe repair shop set up business near her dog’s pet trimmer’s location. Yes, the owner is, like in the memory she reports, also from Asia.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“RESENTMENT” is included this week for March 2, National Old Stuff Day. The author chooses to see that old stuff to be discarded can be more than physical, and perhaps more important to release rather than hold. She wrote this after listening to a couple of friends who continued to torture themselves with pain from years ago believing they would lose their sense of self if they let go of those memories (or even just the ancient pain).

#TellAFairyTaleDay

#NationalOldStuffDay

 

 

 

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AUTHOR NOTES

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“HOPE,” is included this week for World Day Of Quiet, February 25. The poem was first published in the poet’s first chapbook, Glass Rain, Golden Rain.

REFRACTIONS—an essay by Kathleen Roxby

“The Language Of The Place,” continues the author’s exploration of language. This particular piece alludes to the history that etymology provides. It is included this week for February 21, United Nations International Mother Language Day.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS —the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“VISITING WITH OLD FRIENDS AND ENEMIES,” is included this week for World Day Of Quiet, February 25.

 

#worldquietday

#internationalmotherlanguageday

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AUTHOR NOTES

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“VALENTINES” was found among the poet’s papers. It is included for Valentines Day, February 14. The poet’s husband never forgot to remember her on Valentine’s Day each year of the fifty-two years of their marriage.

REFRACTIONS—a poem by Robert Roxby

“A River Night” was found in the poet’s writing journal with this note: “From a time of my wife’s youth.” It is included for February 14, Valentine’s Day.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“FOR THAT ONE MOMENT” is included this week for February 15, Singles Awareness Day.

 

#singlesawareness

#valentinesday

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AUTHOR NOTES

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“THE WIND UPON THE DOOR” is included this week for National Send A Card To A Friend Day, February 7. The poem was found among the poet’s papers.

REFRACTIONS—a poem by Kathleen Roxby

“A GIFT OF WORDS,” is included this week for February 7, World Read Aloud Day. This piece is a response to a writing group prompt: Consider how words are gifts. How have you gifted words to yourself or someone else lately?

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“LIKE THE WORDS IN A POEM” is included this week for World Read Aloud Day, February 7.

#nationalsendacardtoafriend

#worldreadaloudday

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AUTHOR NOTES

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“A GIFT OF FLOWERS,” found among the poet’s papers, was published around 1990 in Medley, a collection produced by her daughter for distribution among the author’s friends.

REFRACTIONS—a memory from Robert Roxby

“GIFT OF LOVE,” is included this week as an antidote for Curmudgeon Day, January 29. Though the author left a note on this poem reading “For a friend’s gift to her mother in hospital,” it is just as likely the author used the love of his own mother when writing this selection.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“WATCH OUT” is included this month for January 29, Curmudgeons Day. The author began this in jest, but poems tend to run away with their authors. This one did just that.

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AUTHOR NOTES

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“DEAR FRIENDS,” found among the poet’s papers, is included this week for World National Spouses Day, January 26. The author knew the woman Regina when they were both still young. Regina briefly dated the author’s younger brother, Bill. Along came college and then WW2 and the two lost contact. Regina contacted the author upon learning they both now lived in California. They renewed their friendship, visiting each other for several years. Note: the author left a notation on the poem which read: for the years ahead and now we think that’s ’nuff from your friends of long ago and now.

REFRACTIONS—a memory from Kathleen Roxby

“COCOA.” Many years after this piece many years was written, the author presented a copy to the cousin who appears in the story. The gift was made when the cousin complained of having no memories of her childhood. She did not remember cocoa nights, but loved the story and shared it with her own children. It is included for January 25, A Room Of One’s Own Day and also for Mental Wellness Month.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“THE HUMMINGBIRD,” appears this week for January 24, Just Do It Day.

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AUTHOR NOTES

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“THE INTERNAL CRY,” found among the poet’s papers, and is included this week for World Blue Monday, January 15.

REFRACTIONS—a poem by Robert Roxby

“HELPLESS”. The poet wrote this when his wife was in hospital having suffered a stroke which took her voice. It is included this week for World Blue Monday, January 15.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“WEATHERING WINTER,” like the other two poems this week, this one is included for January 15 World Blue Monday.

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