Mississippi Speaks
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by Sandra Bounds
Mississippi is the voice of the Deep South.
Softly and sensuously,
she speaks with Southern drawl.
Listen with ears and hearts,
and “ya’ll” can hear her:
in the words of her writers,
Faulkner and Foote, Welty and Wright;
in the music of B. B. and Son,
Presley and Price and Pride;
in the song of her bird,
the mockingbird;
in the whisper of the river
that bears her name;
in the lap of waters
that caress the Gulf Coast;
in the purr of tractors that ready fields
for planting of beans, corn, cotton, and rice;
in the murmur of Spring’s warm winds
that tease dogwood and magnolia into bloom;
in the strength of her people
as they face devastation.
Let your spirit hear the voice of Mississippi
as she speaks with grace and warmth and hospitality.
Sandra Bounds was born in Mississippi and lives in Macon. She has a Master of Arts in English and has taught in both high school and community college. An active member of the Mississippi Poetry Society, she was its 2005 Poet of the Year, and the society published a chapbook of her poetry to honor that selection. She has won many awards in contests sponsored by the society and has been published in such journals as Art Gulf Coast, The Lyric, The Road Not Taken, Sharing, The Well-Tempered Sonnet and Westward Quarterly.
Sandra has masterfully captured the heart of Mississippi!!
Love this poem! The author does an excellent job reminding us of great people and things unique to Mississippi. Makes me proud to be from Mississippi!
Such a beautiful poem!! So talented! :)
I rate this right up there with Charlie Pride’s roll on Mississippi! Enjoyed this poem!
Phenomenal.
This makes me so proud to be from Mississippi!
What a beautiful picture of our wonderful state!
Beatifully written poem! I love that it lists the names of great Mississippians who have helped shape our state’s rich history, “y’all”!
Beautiful love of place! I love her too!
Sandra’s skillfully chosen words paint a beautiful portrait of the Mississippi landscape and the sweet dignity and indomitable spirit of its people. This is a lovely poem.
I am just in the past month discovering the works of this writer and feel a deep kinship to her thoughts and words. I only wish I had half her talent!
This writer is so eloquent in expressing the beauty of poetry and a beautiful depiction of Mississippi. Absolutely beautiful.
This poem thoroughly captures the essence of Mississippi. It is creative, inclusive, it evokes fond memories, it’s fun, and leaves me with a smile on my face. Thank you, a wonderful tribute to the state.
This is why I am so comfortable and at home in my adopted state. I feel wrapped in luxury and this poem captures all the beauty of Mississippi (it’s even rhythmic to type it).
Congratulations on the Pushcart Prize nomination for this beautiful poem, from a fellow member of the Mississippi Poetry Society!
This poem reflects the Southern gentility that is Sandra Bounds. She is a wonderful lady and a wonderful poet.
Sandra is a superb poet.
Brings a smile to my face of many happy summer memories with my Aunt Sandra and Uncle Barry as the city girl experiencing farm life and the country in Mississippi, as well as many other Aunts, Uncles and dozens of cousins.
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