National Poetry Month - Poetry in the BDC by Sydney Whiteside

Though Sydney is not responsible for the BDC's Display case in April, I have learned just how much she enjoys poetry so I asked her to make a post about the BDC's poetry holdings for Connections this month. - gmc

I am sure you have all heard the saying “April showers bring May flowers,” anticipating a month of unpredictable weather. However, you can still find some shine amidst all the rain, and my “shine” happens to be poetry. 

April is National Poetry Month! To kick off National Poetry Month, I want to begin with an overview of different poetry sources within our collection. Throughout the rest of April, I will be sharing information on individual poems and poets in our collection via the BDC Facebook page, so be sure to follow us there.  

Seasons in the Garden by Sandra Fischer (2015) is an inspirational collection of poems and short stories that depict the changing of seasons. Fischer takes the reader on a journey through the cycle of seasons moving from spring to summer, then through fall, and finally ending with winter.

With every new month, I like to display a different piece from our collection atop our sign-in table. Since spring has now sprung, I have a poem written by Sandra Fischer titled “Tribute to Southern Spring” from page 28 of Seasons in the Garden. Here are my favorite stanzas from the poem: 

“And fragrant blossoms 

Borne on gentle breeze 

Invite butterfly and bee to feast 

 

And trees shed winter coats 

Wrinkled leaf, straw, and cone 

Revealing green and gold” 

-Sandra Fischer, Seasons in the Garden, 2015 

I love the visualization of the trees shedding their winter attire of tired leaves and pine to make way for their sanguine spring flora. 

Seeking: Poetry and Prose Inspired by the Art of Jonathan Green by Jonathan Green and edited by Kwame Senu Neville Dawes and Marjory Wentworth (2013) is a compilation of poems from many different authors inspired by the work of Gullah artist Jonathan Green. Green is a visionary who transposes culture and spirituality into revolutionary art pieces. His work can be seen across multiple media platforms including but not limited to opera, ballet, film, and of course: poetry. This piece spans over eleven of Green’s paintings that have prompted moving works of poetry to be created. One of his most famous pieces, Seeking, can be seen on the front cover. It is also the painting that inspired nine different poems found in this piece. 

“The best art has the uncanny ability not only to give pleasure to those who view it but also to led to a desire to respond.” - Seeking: Poetry and Prose Inspired by the Art of Jonathan Green, 2013 

Mulberry Wine: A Selection of Poems About Growing Up in the South by Amy Jenkins Bassett (2010) is what I like to call “Beaufort in a book”. Bassett was born and raised in the Lowcountry but moved North in her teenage years. Not content with the North, she then proceeded to move to the West Coast. Even after experiencing all of the different climates the country has to offer, Bassett still longed for the feeling that her hometown provided. Although she still loves to travel, Beaufort will always be her home. I love this piece because Bassett has a true gift for capturing the livelihood of the Lowcountry. Aside from being an admirer of the poems themselves, I also really love the accompanying sketches by Alex Foltz. They bring a whimsical, welcoming feel to the piece. I want to share the last stanza and sketch from the last poem of this piece titled “Old Beaufort”. There is no way to describe this piece other than to say that it feels like home. 

In the Wind: Selected Poems and Photographs by Art Cornell (2003) takes the reader through the circle of life; Art Cornell’s life, that is. Cornell is a local artist, poet, and photographer. Residing on Hilton Head Island, he finds solace in communicating through artistic media and chooses to share his own life story through photos and poems. Cornell has a talent for capturing the magic of life and turning it into a masterpiece for all to see. In the Wind showcases the joyful parts of life while also acknowledging the struggle with growth that we all come to know someday. "Faces" is one of Cornell's poems that really capture the feeling of acknowledging that growth and evolving to embrace it with open arms. 

Deeper Meaning

"Because you are important to me,
Sometimes it's hard for me
To tell you all the thoughts I hold.
If you meant nothing,
I could tell you anything."

-Art Cornell, In the Wind, 2003

What the Wind Forgets: A Woman’s Heart Remembers (1975) was written by Helen von Kolnitz Hyer, a well known South Carolinian poet of the twentieth century. She was granted the honor of being named the second ever Poet Laureate of South Carolina from 1974 to 1983. Hyer possessed the ability to create poems with such depth that the reader would feel as though they consumed an entire story's length of detail. Her inspiration stemmed from her love for her home state of South Carolina. She wrote of the passion and pain she endeavored while living in the South, but loved to layer her heavier works with lighthearted, humorous poems. "Lonely Woods", the poem that gifted this piece its title, is one of my favorite poems. I especially love the last verse:

"What the wind forgets, a woman's heart remembers:

By love and only love are fear and sorrow shriven;

And the night-birds' song assures in wind-swept,

bleak Novembers,

To those who must walk alone, courage is always given."

- Helen von Kolnitz Hyer, What the Wind Forgets: A Woman’s Heart Remembers, 1975

A Patchwork of Poems About South Carolina by Edith Bannister Dowling (1970) is a piece dedicated to the state of South Carolina in honor of its tricentennial. Dowling was born in England, but moved to Beaufort in 1949. She was a member of  the Clover Club, a local women's literary club.  Dowling's love for literature is not only seen through her dedication to her community, but also through her wholehearted writings of a state that she came to know and love.

I want to wrap up this post with one of my favorite pieces in our collection: The Struggle for Peace of a Gullah Mind written by Alvin J. Green (2009). Green is a Lowcountry native who sees the world through a set of eyes that are different from yours and mine. He has a gift for reflecting upon life’s moments, both big and small, and turning them into passionate pieces of poetry. This piece just so happens to contain my favorite poem in our entire collection: “Cry at Midnight”.

Personification is one of my favorite literary devices used in poetry, and Green utilizes it so perfectly in this poem. He gives Midnight a first name, Charcoal, and speaks of her in a way that one would speak of an old, yet consistent friend. She is always there for you, whether you think of her or not.

"When I would come to see her the next morning, dark eyed, she would stare at me with defeat." - Alvin J. Green, The Struggle for Peace of a Gullah Mind, 2009

This line holds so much imagery that I can see it clear as day in my head: I am waking up early, still half asleep. I peak out the window and can see the slivers of sunlight. I glance to the west where I can see midnight slowly slipping away with each rising ray. Others love to get up early to watch the sunrise, but with the sun rising comes the moon falling. No one gets up to watch the moon fall.

Reminder: The Beaufort County Library System has a few upcoming closings. On Friday, April 18th, the library will be closed for Good Friday. The library will also be closed on Tuesday, April 22nd for staff development day. We apologize for any inconveniences, but we are happy to be here for you the remainder of the month!

I hope you have enjoyed his tiny glimpse into the BDC's collection of poetry; there is so much more to be seen! If you are interested in any of the materials I have shared today, or wish to explore our collection for yourself: walk-ins are sometimes accepted, appointments are encouraged. To make an appointment, send an email to bdc@bcgov.net or give us a call at 843-255-6468. I hope to hear from you soon!