In the Mood for a Poem: And Other Thoughtful Words… Adages, Quotes and Sayings

By Virla Rolle Barry

The essential purpose of poetry and other personal writing is to share the writer’s thoughts on life and living and offer a picturesque sampling of the many ways human beings try to capture and tell our thoughts of God, man, and nature.

In the Mood for a Poem presents a topical, sectioned exploration of inspiration, love, nature, sisterhood, human state of being, the essence of true stories, and much more. Expressing much of her life’s passion, author Virla Rolle Barry seeks to give courage to the fainthearted and spirit to the brave at heart. She examines the phases of life through the lens of her personal journey, footprint, experiences, and memories in living from childhood through adulthood. Hoping to awaken lost yearnings and satisfy the senses, she reveals her inner spirit, knowledge, and love of God, nature, friendship, and bonding with people in an equal manner of existence.

This collection of poetry and other entries invite you to be a lover of God, self and etc.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Oct 18, 2022
• ISBN: 9781664272118

Virla Rolle Barry

Virla Rolle Barry was born in Florida to Bahamian parents who gave her choices with boundaries. She is a graduate of St Augustine’s University, University of Virginia, and Barry University, and she earned a diploma from the Institute of Children’s Literature. A retired teacher and widow, she is the author of Do Nothing Box and Always Arising: A Deferred Dream. She has a daughter, a son-in-law and two grandchildren. She resides in Miami, Florida.

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Copyright © 2022 Virla Rolle Barry.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means,

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except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

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views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.

ISBN: 978-1-6642-7212-5 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-7213-2 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-6642-7211-8 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2022912778

WestBow Press rev. date: 08/26/2022

Also by Virla Rolle Barry

Do Nothing Box

Always Arising … A Deferred Dream

Contents

Preface

A Convoy: Forward We Go

Nature Speaks: Bonding with Nature

Poems

Rain

When Nature Sings

Show Me That Mountain

Trees

Nature Reigns

A Tall Pine Tree

Boat

Raindrops

All Nature Sings

Our Earth

Flowers

The World’s End

A Rose

Morning Glory

Nature’s Ball

In This Universe

Black Is the Night

Stormy Winds

This Celestial Ball

Evening Shadows

Clouds on High

Color It Nice, Color It Right: The Beauty in It All

A Burst of Green

Black as Black

Be True to Blue

Red as Red Is

Triolets: A New Style of Writing

Piano Playing

Warm Campfire

Fancy Car

Starstruck Lovers

Wait for My Coming

Stand

Day Play

Birdies Play

Admiring Fun

Garden of My Soul

Work to Be Done

The Soul unto Love

Ballroom Dancing

Leaves of Color

Happy

Lily Pads

Lovers Swoon

Sound of a Horn

Inspiration for the Soul: Feed the Emotions

In the Mood

Praise God

Love of God

People of God

The Fleeting Moment

The Wheel of Fortune

Where Gold Abound

Light at Evening Time

My Day

He Alone

Grace

The Right Kind of Fruit

The Thirst

Born to Us

Intrinsic Rewards

Center in the Moment

Peace

The Heart

Giving Thanks

Have Joy in Your Heart

Be a Giver

Promises

Onward and Upward

Hold Fast to the Edge

A Yearning

Your Day

A Shining Light

The Right Kind of Wisdom

Forget about It

The Great I Am

Be Up with Up

Dream On

Seize the Moment

No Limitations

Nearness

Work

Surprise Me

Crystal Clear

Being Serene in the Now

Shout to the Lord

I Wonder As I Wander

Perfect Peace

The I Am

Spiritually Speaking

Help is on the Way

The Spirit in Me

The Lord is My Light

A Prayer

Choose Joy

You Are My Praise

Healthy Living

Secret to Happiness

Body, Spirit, Soul

Unlimited

Love

A Rule of Thumb

One Accord

Mother Mary, Hail to Thee

Instrument of Love

Father

Nothing but Love: Let Love Abound

What is Love

With love From Mama

A New Beginning

Be Still My Heart

We are Lovers and Friends

Gift of Love

Only for You

Ode to Mothers

Pantoums: A New Style Continues

My Playmate

Waiting near the Gate

Making Merry Sounds

Brown Eyes

A Candle Aglow

The Joy of Childhood: In a Child’s World

Picture This

Ronald Dear

Laughter in the Air

The Joy of It All

Simplicity

Stillness

The Beat Goes On

Some People I Meet

Mother Dear

The Old Diana Train

The Banana Man

Black Girl, Black Boy

Stand Tall, My Child

ABCs for Children

Doing Nothing

Wonderful Fray

I Am Somebody

I Wish

My Discovery Day of Play

Honey, You Said

Daddy’s Wisdom

Wiser than Owls

Rhyme Time: Making Merry Our Way

Rhyme Time Is On

Down by the Railroad Track

Jump in, Jump Out

Numbers Roll Call

Go Marjorie, Go Marjorie

One Penny, Two Pennies

Friendship Songs: It’s about Bonding

Friendship Ties

Sisterhood

The ABCs of Friendship

My Friend and Me

Our Joy, Our Song

Sisters of Power

Fabric of Life

Plant Seeds of Kindness

Friend

Sisters of Color

The Cost of Friendship

May it Be

Friendship of Love

We’re A Roomful of Sisters

A Thousand Balloons to You

Thank You, My Friend

A Growing Friendship

Keep it Moving, Sisters

Just Us

She Made It

Dancing with Joy

Any Occasion Poems: Spoken at the Right Time

There It Be

Pets

Kindness

A Change of Venue

America for Me

O Florida, Dear Florida

Ode to Those Who Serve

Our Sunshine State

Never Give Up

Why Should the Devil Have All the Fun

Oh Dear! Such Vanity: Ego-Tripping

Dress to Dine

Laura Cleomie in Tone

Myself

If You Want to Be Also

It Takes You

A Wannabe

Me

Wings of Man

Man Can Fly

Dark Cries: Freedom over Me

From Africa’s Banks

African Brothers

Africa Anagram

Peace for Africa

Being Free

Where the Wild Beast Roam

Africa, O Africa

Get in Touch

To Distant Shores

An Ode to Myself

Other Thoughtful Words… Adages, Quotes and Sayings: Words Have Wings

A Good Rule

Think

What Do You See

Help for Humankind

Time

Completed

Depression

Be the Eternal Optimist

Chance and Opportunity

Truth

A Snake, a Fish, and a Spider

Obedience

Your Rule of Authority

Be on Your Guard

Womankind

A Unique Well

Word to the Wise

Education

A Word from Those Wise

Words to Live by and Pearls of Wisdom: Some Words Ring True

The Essence of True Stories: Living in Truth

Through the Eyes of a Child

My True Story

Faith of a Mustard Seed

Children Do Listen

A Monarch for All Ages

Man Says No, God Says Yes

Prophets, Apostles, and Disciples

The Essence of Me

Change of Life

The Reverend Canon Richard Livingston Marquess-Barry II

Something to Ponder

The Human Mind

Envoy: At the End of the Road

Acknowledgments

Thanks to my husband, Richard Livingston Barry; my daughter, Diana R. Frazier; my grandson, Richard L. M. Barry II; and my friends, Vennda Rei Gibson and Fredericka Swain for their help with this publication. Be free to quote from this book with the credit given to me as the author.

I hold in awe all those with the innate ability to write poetry. Writing poetry is real talent at work. It is a form of literature that is very unique and different in crafting and phrasing.

Dedication

To my grandsons, Richard Barry II and Ronald Frazier III, and their friends: May these poems touch your hearts, enlightened your minds, and propel you to strive for the ultimate of your hearts’ desires. Life is given to us, liberty is fought for and earned, but the pursuit of happiness is pursued by us alone and is measured at the level of our own choosing and making.

Also, in honor of my deceased parents, Mr. and Mrs. Samuel H. and Rosanna (McPhee- Rolle Russell

Preface

Poetry is a literary form that I have always loved but have been hesitant to invest my mental energy into doing. In my life, I have read, recited, and committed to memory many poems. Basic literary writing, fiction and nonfiction, are art forms that I’ve always felt good about writing. As a writer, I leave how good I am up to my readers. My passion for penning words is very rewarding to me. If you smile, laugh, cry, if you are deeply moved, if any of the verses stir you to ponder and be proactive in any of your actions, then I have penned the right words. My intent is to let each one of you feel a kinship in the recesses of your beings as you read each poem. Your personal relationship to any of my poems would be rewarding to me.

The adages, quotes, and sayings come from my storehouse of wisdom. I think of my poems as a garden with something beautiful, meaningful, and enlightening for all. The anecdotes are samplings of a few true stories that capture the essence of the occurrences.

Enjoy feeding your senses with each reading.

A Convoy: Forward We Go

Sometimes a poem, a word,

An adage or two,

Will put you in a mood

To carry you through a day

That starts dark blue.

A poem will carry you

On a journey anew

To places you perfectly are

At rest, at peace, calm and serene

Within your spirit,

Your soul’s true daily resting place.

So, forward we go; pass fields

Of green and beautiful flower