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For all of you who have enjoyed the beautiful writings of my dear friend and co-publisher, Rosabel White Boyd – the following is a word portrait of her life and accomplishments, as I know them. I hope that we all will continue to enjoy the words that flow from her talented pen for many years to come. Therefore – this edition of Yarberries is lovingly dedicated to the one and only Rosabel.
Always a Writer
Rosabel White Boyd, born January 1st, 1900. Poetess, columnist, feature writer. Columnist, Daily Post Athenian, Athens, Tn., for 15 years edited “The Whirlaround Column.” Contributions to various periodicals. State Poet Laureate, U.D.C. 1943-46, Tenn. Currently resides at Athens, Tn. 37303.
She was born with “an urge to write” and a pencil has felt at home in her hand ever since she can remember. At age 5 she memorized “The Psalm of Life” and recited it sing song for years before she knew all it meant. She began writing letters to an imaginary pen pal while in grammar school, accumulating a whole packet of writings. Her fantasies with her new found friend took her all over this wide world in her very own airplane which she piloted, and helped get her to the great Universities which she imagined she attended!
She married in 1921, reared a family of two sons and one daughter, is now recently widowed. She wrote off and on during her early married years, winning a few commendations and several small prizes for her poetry. She was a newspaper columnist for 17 years, 15 of them with her hometown paper. Her love of putting words on paper won her mention in “Who’s Who in South and Southwest” (A.N. Marquis); “Who’s Who of American Women”; the 1969 Royal Blue Book published by St. James Press, London; The Dictionary of International Biography, London; and inclusion in Two Thousand Women of Achievement, published by Kay Sons and Daughters, Limited, London, England.
Her civic and community contributions are too numerous to mention in detail, but they include former President of local and District P.T.A.’s in Athens; serving as State Library Chairman for 2 years for the Tennessee Congress of Parents and Teachers. She holds a Life Membership in the P.T.A. She also hosted her own poetry radio program especially for children in Athens. She also studied Poets and Poetry at the Tennessee Wesleyan College at Athens in 1955. She won this scholarship on a Chicago Television Program after they called and asked her to appear on their program.
Rosabel continues to write a great deal of verse. She loves Wadsworth’s definition of poetry: “spontaneous overflow of powerful feeling.” She has one book of her own originals, compiled with the hope of some day finding a publisher. She still dreams of harnessing words to her inspirational plow that will strike a spark, someway, somewhere, somehow. Poetry continues to be her great love – and she will be – Always a Writer! We love you Rosabel!
* * * *
I dreamed great dreams,
That never came true,
I dreamed of achieving
Things I never did do,
I dreamed of a future
Filled with beauty and power
But somehow my thought-seed
Ne’er came to flower.
In time a partial recompense
I have found,
The wings that I lifted
Are off of the ground,
And although they’re weakened
These wings might still fly
If I find the courage to
Never Say Die!
(RWB 3/3/82)
* * * *
I want nothing from the world,
– But I have much to give:
A heart so free and happy,
That I find it good to live.
I’ll share the fresh young morning,
And the sunsets rosy hue,
The rain a drip-drip-dripping,
And the snowflakes falling, too.
A smile that isn’t set and fixed,
An understanding heart,
And best of all, the gift of love,
To share which, is an Art.
(RWB)
* * * *
Don’t look back when you say “good bye”
No break in your voice, no tear in your eye
Just remember the times we were happy and gay
Believe me it is so much better that way.
The treasured light moments, the days like a song
Life was so young, so sure, so strong
Why can’t it all continue for aye
– All good things have to end, some day.
So don’t look back just look forward –
Go on with the show
Somewhere all those who’ve left you will know
Just remember though parted, we must all meet again
– It’s Only a Moment From Now Until Then!
(RWB 2/22/82)
* * * *
From Acorns to my Dear AJ Friends: The past two years have hurried by and I want to say to each of you how much I have enjoyed being one of you in Amateur Journalism. Journalism is a wonderful career or avocation. I wish that I could have had better training when very young but it helps to recall what James Bailey once said, “We live in deeds, not years, in thoughts, not breaths, in feelings, not in figures on a dial. We should count time by heart throbs. He most lives, who thinks most, feels the noblest, acts the best.”
Happy Springtime Everybody! Rosabel.
Yarberries
Editor and Publisher: Mary Yarberry Parrish
Maitland, Florida 32751