This lifetime's worth of inspirational poetry offers a glimpse into the lives of Blacks in the southern United States, of young men and women as they face the struggles of growing up in a world where the rules are more complicated than they should be, of betrayal, and of great joy.

"In the old tin-top wooden house
Some nights were lonely, some days were cold.
High is the price of growing old."
from "Growing Old" by Darline Bell

Written with a true voice, the poetry of Darline Bell reflects the values and experiences of a Southern author who draws her strength from the...