Author Patricia Neely-Dorsey Writes About Childhood in Tupelo
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A celebration of the South and many of the aspects that are distinctly Southern is what Reflections of a Mississippi Magnolia is all about.
Penned by Tupelo native Patricia Neely-Dorsey, the book of poetry blends the author’s childhood memories, personal beliefs and fond musings about her home state.
“There are so many negative connotations associated with Mississippi and the South in general,” Dorsey says. “I want to show a flip side of the coin. There is much to love about this much maligned and misunderstood part of our country.”
Dorsey says the book was not easy to write, and points out that words from the song “The Long and Winding Road” might best illustrate her efforts. But even though the project was difficult, most of the poems from the book were actually written within a span of six months – from February 2007 to August 2007.
“My mother gave me a passionate love for reading and writing, and my father gave me an appreciation for poetry and great literature,” she says.
Dorsey wrote her very first poem in February 2007, after she woke up on Valentine’s Day morning. She says the words of “Our Place” danced around in her head, so she quickly got up and scribbled it down.
“Today, it remains one of my favorites along with “Let’s” and “Mississippi Man”,” she says. “I am totally enamored with the Southern way of life.”
For more information, e-mail Dorsey at .
Story by Kevin Litwin
