I just wrote a poem for a RE/MAX promotion called “How Great It Is to Live in Hot Springs Village.” As with any writing, trying to capture my feelings in words focused my attention in new ways. I hope you enjoy reading the poem half as much as I enjoyed writing it!
Why Arkansas?
It takes a village
to gather folks (short pale men, tall dusky women)
from fifty states (sometimes farther)
and create a community
of photographers, quilters and fishermen,
bridge players, astronomers and writers
It takes a village to tuck
houses (rambling or compact, stately or cozy)
among maples and elms, oaks and pine
and make neighbors
of racoons, deer and squirrels,
woodpeckers, bluebirds and titmice
It takes a village to build
golf courses, lakes, and hiking trails
tennis courts, churches and restaurants
and design a mosaic
of meadows, blacktop and sky,
forest, bricks and mountains
It takes Hot Springs Village
to transform “Why
Arkansas?” into hearth
and home so much faster
than any of us dreamed
possible
A passionate reader, I began writing as a young girl. After graduating from college, I became a teacher. Over the course of my career, I taught high schoolers, college undergraduates, and public school teachers how to write personal narratives, expository and persuasive essays, as well as poetry and short fiction. I continued to write: publishing professional articles, two textbooks, short stories, and poetry. In 2013, I won first place in Romantic Suspense in the ACFW Genesis Contest.
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