Alice

celebration of life

I will not forget or lose you

dear friend, poet, mentor

your roots dig deep into

the Louisiana marsh

you wrote eloquently about your homeland

your family

the rich and the poor

the sea and the delta

the low country, the bayous

your passion traverses many boundaries

your spry wit dwells

in every poem and story you penned

your book "Below Sea Level"

reveals hidden treasures of NOLA

embellished by your unusual talent

your demise befalls ill-timed

as you had immensely more to articulate

A melancholy adieu

R.I.P Alice

Author's Note

A tribute to my dear friend

Reviews

[FGFRANKLIN]

What a wonderful tribute to your literary friend. I enjoyed the read. New Orleans is one of my favorite places in the world. I was last there before Katrina in 2001 when the French Quarter was still standing. I saw pictures after the storm and it broke my heart. But the Creole cuisine and music, the bayou people and the lifestyle is embedded forever in my heart. I still make my own jambalaya about once a month. It's a lot of work but worth it.

[Betty Hermelee]

Thank you so much , appreciated!
Best, B

[Neville]

My word, it feels to me that you have done your Alice proud with what I sense is a well stated and perfectly pitched tribute to her, upon her passing .. Clearly Alice was and still is an accomplished poet and much loved and admired friend .. This is indeed, a celebration of a life well lived ..

Kind & sincere Regards, Neville

[Betty Hermelee]

Thank you for a lovely review, much appreciated!
Best, B.

[W. Barrett Munn]

This is one of your best Betty. Your rhyming is unforced and the rhythm is good and there is no antiquated laguage.
Well done.

Winston

[Betty Hermelee]

Thank you Winston...a dear friend missed....
Best, B

[John the Baptist]

This one seems to be about a real person, a poet from Louisiana. She apparently made a deep impression upon the speaker, as she is referred to a a "mentor." the impression is that her death was premature, because she had so much more to share. That may be true, but she certainly accomplished her mission in relation to the speaker.

[Betty Hermelee]

A real person is correct, I will miss her...
thanks you for comment John.
Best, B

[Coyote Poetry]

A wonderful poem for the memory of Alice. Being the oldest person left in my family. So many kind people, I do miss. I loved the description of her. Thank you dear Betty for sharing the amazing poetry for the memory of your friend.
Coyote

[Betty Hermelee]

Thank you John for your simpatico....
much appreciated.
Best, B

[Coyote Poetry]

You are welcome dear Betty.

[Chris Shaw]

Dear Betty, this is a touching tribute to a very dear friend and mentor. A fellow poet and by all accounts a talented one. I am sorry for your loss and hope her memory stays with you.

Chris

[Betty Hermelee]

Thank you dear Chris, a big loss for me!
Best, B

[Chris Shaw]

So sorry Betty. 💐

[Samuel Dickens]

How wonderful of you to honor your friend and poet like this. Now we all can remember and appreciate her.

[Betty Hermelee]

It was a shock; she had much more to write!
Thanks Sam.
Best, B

[willweb]

A beautiful tribute to someone who was obviously special to you.

[Betty Hermelee]

A terrible loss, thank you Will for reading this.
Best, B

[light and ashes]

A beautiful write for your friend. I felt her influence on you as I read this, well done.

[Betty Hermelee]

Thank you so much, a truly great loss.
Best, B

[William Michael Reeves]

I wish you shared more in your notes about your inspiration ~ your friend, poet and mentor. I'd like to know more. Best to search for Below Sea Level. NORA? Nice tribute.

[Betty Hermelee]

NOLA, short for New Orleans! Thank you for reading this poem,
Best, B

[William Michael Reeves]

Oh! I feel like I know New Orleans just from reading Anne Rice's books. Thanks