DR. EMORY D. JONES - POEMS

Dr. Emory D. Jones is a retired English teacher who has taught in Cherokee Vocational High School in Cherokee, Alabama, for one year, Northeast Alabama State Junior College for four years, Snead State Junior College in Alabama for three years, and Northeast Mississippi Community College for thirty-five years. He joined the Mississippi Poetry Society, Inc. in 1981 and has served as President of this society. He has over two hundred and thirty-five publishing credits including publication in such journals as Voices International, The White Rock Review, Free Xpressions Magazine, The Storyteller, Modern Poetry Quarterly Review, Gravel, Pasques Petals, The Pink Chameleon, and Encore: Journal of the NFSPS.  He is retired and lives in Iuka, Mississippi, with his wife, Glenda.  He has two daughters and four grandchildren.

---

CHRISTINA’S WORLD
(An Ekphrastic Poem)
​

​ 
In the painting
‘Christina’s World”
Andrew Wyeth
Depicts
A black-haired woman,
In skirt and blouse,
Raising herself
Off the ground and
Gazing up a hill
At a gray
Unpainted house,
Barn,
And outbuildings.
 
Is she longing
For a past love?
Is she seeking
A lost
Childhood?
 
An air of mystery
Lingers
In this
Composition
That will always
Make us wonder.
 
 
 
 

STEPPING LIVELY
​

​When I am dancing,
I must say,
I step lively
In every way.
 
I swerve and sway
For all to see,
And sing out very candidly
And I certainly
Step lively.
 
I promenade so delightfully
My partner laughs uproariously,
Because I certainly
Step very lively.
 
As long as the music sounds
I vigorously twirl my partner round
Because I certainly
Step very lively.
 
And when the dance is finally over
I escort her off the dance floor
And she smiles so lovingly
Because I certainly
Step very lively.
 
 

​HE THOUGHT THAT HE COULD FLY
(A Trimeric)

​ 
                                                            He thought that he could fly
                                                            And glide just like a bird
                                                            And gaze at all below
                                                            He took the leap of faith
 
                                                            But unlike any bird
                                                            He plunged to earth
                                                            Smashed himself and died
 
                                                            His soul flew from below--
                                                            Unburdened by his flesh
                                                            Heavenward he climbed
 
                                                            He trusted in a faith
                                                            And found a better life
                                                            With his dear God above

STOLEN CHILDHOOD
​

​There was a time
When I
Embraced summer,
When I could
Cast aside shoes
And run barefoot.
 
Oh to run barefoot
Through morning dew
Or feel the dust
Between my toes.
 
There was a time
I was six years old
And enjoyed
The entire summer.
 
But that time is gone
And I now
Wear shoes.
 
Oh where
Has that
Little boy
Gone?
 
 

​FORGIVE ME FOR BEING OLD

​If you live long enough
You will be as old as I am.
I can’t remember yesterday,
But I can remember
Seventy years ago
When Mother was alive
And we had cocker spaniel
Puppies.  We named the mother
Cinder and her son
Was named Taffy.
My playmates across the street
Were named Jamie and Polly Poindexter
And life was sunny and good.