GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“TO A SOLDIER, (The Letter Not Sent” was found among the poet’s papers. It was selected this week for Armistice/Veterans Day, November 11. The poet knew many soldiers going off to war. Though very young, she knew her uncles had served during WWI, later during WWII, a boyfriend, a long-time girlfriend and the members of her family all served—some did not return.

REFRACTIONS—the poetry by Robert Roxby

“NOVEMBER ELEVENTH,” commemorates the Armistice of WW1. Although this occurred before the author was yet five years old, its impact was strong among the people he met as he grew into a man. This poem was found among the author’s papers.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“DEARTH,” is included to honor the emotions that arise from Armistice/Veterans Day. The title word fascinated the author as its origin indicates it means “dear” or “precious” but came to mean scarcity. To the author its spelling suggests it is a merge of “death” and “earth.”

 

 

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“GYPSY DREAMS” was selected this week for upcoming Halloween when children dress up in costumes and thoughts of magic are in the air. Gypsies and fairies are recurrent themes in the author’s poems. She, herself, held a belief that in a former life she must have been a gypsy somewhere on the Iberian peninsula.

REFRACTIONS –a poem by Robert Roxby

“LAST LEAF” first appeared in the author’s 2000 poetry anthology, Reflections of a Lifetime. It is included for this month as Autumn leaves are falling.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“PETER PUMPKIN-EATER WAS CRUEL” was written when the author was writing a series of poems with color as the overall theme. As may be guessed, the author would not choose orange as a favorite color.

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“NOTHING IS LOST” was first published in 1976 by POETRY FORUM. The poem reflects the author’s nostalgia for her youth in the Ohio Valley region of West Virginia and is especially applicable this month of her birth.

REFRACTIONS –a poem by Robert Roxby

“DRYDOCK CREW” asked if anyone would remember the one called “Rock.” Have you guessed? It was the author, of course. The poem was written in remembrance of his first  crew (painters) in 1942 at the Long Beach Naval Yard, the first year the author made California his new home. His daughter read this poem as part of his eulogy, a service which was attended by another drydock team member. He was indeed remembered. The poem is included this week for November 13, Navy Day.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“A MOTHER’S CHILDHOOD MELODY” appears this month of the author’s mother’s birth to retell the story of how music accompanied her mother’s memories of her home in West Virginia which began before there was television and even radio was relatively new.

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“PAGEANT OF GOLD,” which was inspired by the play, Royal Hunt of the Sun by Peter Shaffer, won third place in the annual poetry contest sponsored by the Pan-American Festival in Lakewood, California. The author attended a performance of the play at the Greek Theater in Griffith Park, Los Angeles, California. She also purchased a copy of the play through a subscription service which offered all new Broadway plays each year. It is included this week for the Autumn Solstice.

REFRACTIONS – a memory of Kathleen Roxby

“MY MOTHER’S PIANO” was inspired when the author’s brother exchanged their mother’s piano, long worn out, for a new and better version, a console rather than spinet. The author had once longed to inherit her mother’s piano, but as her brother was the greater talent in the family, she left it for him and bought her own.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“MOONS WE DO NOT KNOW” was inspired by a writing prompt from a poetry group which provided the quoted excerpt from “Naming of the Heartbeats,”a poem by Aimee Nezhukumatathil. Kathleen, always fascinated by space, was caught by the thought of moon shadows from moon other than the one which trails so near Earth. Note: The Chinese Moon Festival occurs this week.

GLASS RAIN—the poetry by Margaret Roxby

“A DREAMER TARRIES” originally had no title; however, the website manager supplied this as it seemed appropriate. Music and fairies often appear in the author’s poems, a reflection of her early childhood. The poem, possibly an idea for a longer poem, was found among the author’s papers written on the back of an envelope.

REFRACTIONS –an essay by Kathleen Roxby

“GRANDMA ROXBY” was inspired by the author’s interview with her father to establish the start of a family tree. The project resulted in an incomplete tree, for her father did not have all the answers, of which she made several copies to send to an upcoming family reunion which the author would not be able to attend. This “tree” project was a success and inspired the family to do further research. The author always called this grandmother by the poem’s title to distinguish her from the author’s maternal grandmother who lived with the author during much of her childhood while Grandma Roxby lived three thousand miles away. This selection is included for September 10, Grandparents’ Day.

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS—the poetry of Kathleen Roxby

“AN OLD WOMAN’S HAIR” was inspired by several older women the author met or knew during her youth. Her own grandmother had short gray hair when the author was born, but later showed the author a braid of her chestnut brown hair which was kept in the cedar chest where her grandmother kept other memories. That keepsake is the real inspiration for this poem.