From the Mountains to the Coastal Plain: A Poet's Journey - Paperback

by Judith Deboard Donnalley (Author)

This book of poetry is a compilation of memories and reflections of the author's journeys. As a young teacher/librarian, she took a journey leaving the mountains of West Virginia and traveling to the eastern plain of North Carolina to teach at East Carolina University. Some of her poems look back to her days in West Virginia, and others reflect on her life in Eastern North Carolina.

Journeys are not only taken in cars and jets but are also realized through the psyche, the mind, and spirit. The poem "Across the River" deals with the journey through some hardship and how the experience can impact the traveler. Human relationship journeys, such as in "Misunderstandings" tells how a faux pas between people can possibly build a stronger bond.

The reader may identify with some of the author's experiences in "The Good Humor Truck." Some humor has been sprinkled through when asking "Where Are the Cupholders?" And we can't forget about journeys through love. To look for something of value in establishing a lasting union, turn to the poem "Love's Foundation."

It is hoped the reader will find something to ponder while traveling through these journeys and reflections. There is a quotation by Henrietta Boggs, an American who served as first lady of Costa Rica, 1948-1949, who successfully pushed for giving Costa Rican women the right to vote.

Satisfaction comes in the struggle itself rather than achieving it. The journey is half the fun, and the journey continues.

--Henrietta Boggs