Good Morning, Morning Glory

Our first Morning Glory blossom appeared this morning, named Scarett O'Hara, according to the seed packet. I immediately thought of Bobbie Gentry, the late 60's singer from Missisippi who had some brief fame with "Ode to Billie Joe." On her album was a song, "Good Morning, Morning Glory", which I liked a lot. I remembered it this morning, welcoming our one small glory climbing up our garden fence.

My friend doris davenport has a thing for morning glories, so much so that she titled her collection from LSU Press Madness Like Morning Glories. Here are some poems from that book.



Now, I know you remember so and so

meaning somebody who rode through town once, ten
years ago or who lived and died before your birth. They
expect you to remember, to know, just like your mind is
their mind and if you don't, they might take it personal.
Get so mad at you, they can't get on with the story.

Not like Fannie Mae. She will get all into a story and
catch herself: "But that was before you
were born." Great Aunt Fannie Mae will pause, grin for emphasis
and say, "And I just wish you
coulda seen it!

not me.
When i get through
when i am done
won't be no wishing
you could see.

You gone see.



1002 Desota Drive, Newtown

at the top of one hill and the bottom of
another street unpaved dusty red
dogwood trees, a big flower garden in front

train tracks, across
a deep grassy ditch. At train time, when Momma
went from Gainesville to Cornelia
Grandpa & Granny & Daddy stood
in the backyard waving at us
waving back on the train (Grandpa waved a red bandanna)

sometimes i stand there with them
wave at Momma and my
sisters heading north
somebody still

stands there waving
&
waiting



Cycles

Regulated by the whistle
blowing time at the veneer plant
cycles of sunsets blown on a whistle
the mountains
in endless seasons, spring to
fall blown each year
winter encircling the hill in ice
regular concentric circles of
irregular spiral lives



doris davenport has a Ph.D. (African American Literature) from the University of Southern California. She has taught at a number of colleges and universities from New Haven to Los Angeles, Oklahoma to Ohio. She has done more than 100 poetry performances and workshops and published book reviews, articles, essays, and five books of poetry. The most recent is madness like morning glories, from which these poems are drawn.

Meanwhile she has also worked to end all the "isms" (racism, sexism, stupidism, heterosexism) and to inject joy, laughter, and passion into daily life. This approach to life was inspired by growing up among the hills and mountains (and kinfolk) of northeast Georgia.

doris davenport is available for workshops, lectures, and performances. She can be reached at expertise@mchsi.com



doris reading from Madness like Morning Glories at Malaprop's bookstore in Asheville.




doris and Leigh Twitty at Leigh's bookstore in Camilla, Georgia