Mostly Ghosts
Bee Donley at Murrah High School
Join us Tuesday, April 16th at 5:00 for an event with Ms. Bee Donley in honor of her new poetry book Mostly Ghosts. The event will be held in our Dot Com building adjacent to Banner Hall.
This December, I was given a surprise from my 12th grade English teacher, Bee Donley. (She was also my daughter, Saramel’s, high school English teacher.) Bee had given me a copy of her book of poetry: Mostly Ghosts. A perfect gift since Christmas time is about sharing joy and reflecting on our shared memories.
I’ve slowly worked through her little book and have enjoyed reading of her past and of her inner self.
Mostly Ghosts is divided into three sections, titled: Ghosts, Delta Poems, and Through the Mists. The poems reflect Bee’s past as she shares memories of her father, WWII, and a young lady’s romantic memories.
“Women listen; men only think they do.
Maybe that’s not fair.
But only women hear an inflection
Go suddenly flat
Catch a turn of head that speaks disinterest
Sense a turning out, the murmured response.
And all good Southern girls know
To turn the conversation”
-from “Generally Speaking”
Bee (Ms. Donley) is one of the loveliest ladies I’ve ever known. Her wise beauty is so well reflected in her poetry.
Perhaps my favorite poem, “Quail Hunting with my Father,” reflects Bee’s core and her ability to relate to her high school students.
“my father got a cup of hot coffee
That he spooned Jack Daniels into.
We settled down as we watched
sparks from the fireplace
And always the unspoken words kept
my life together.”
In her poem, “Litany on an Eighty-fifth Birthday,” I believe Bee is at her best. Those who know her know she is an example of a well lived life:
“What happened to that girl, the dancer, the flirt,
the wife, the mother?
I don’ recognize this stranger.
What happened to all the yesterdays?
Get out the rose chiffon and let’s dance.”
It’s odd how our paths cross; figuring out why is another story. Bee was kind to me, she passed me even though I was a terrible student, allowing me to graduate from high school. My 12th grade term paper on Ian Fleming’s James Bond, reflected my youthful love of reading mysteries. She gave me an “A” and I skated out of Murrah by a sliver. Little did we both know that in later years she would become a loyal follower of Lemuria. All these years our lives have stayed connected through reading. She is my teacher, and I her bookseller.
Bee is a dear friend and a fine poet. Let me conclude with the final lines of her poem, “Precedence”:
“I have no problem believing that
Dogs and trees and right paths go together”
Written by John
11 responses so far ↓
1 Foster Collins // Feb 13, 2013 at 12:09 pm
Wonderful. It’s so great you still get to thank her. We have so many teachers we can no longer thank. And friends.
2 Susan Cushman // Feb 13, 2013 at 12:11 pm
LOVE LOVE LOVE this… and regret that I didn’t have Ms. Donley for English when I was at Murrah. I envied my friends who did have her. And the kids in “Club X,” which she sponsored. What a lovely tribute to a lovely woman. I never knew she wrote poetry. Now I’ll have to get a copy of Mostly Ghosts. Thanks for sharing, John.
3 Scott Albert Johnson // Feb 13, 2013 at 1:52 pm
Really nice post, John. Bee Donley was one of my very favorites people when I was in high school at St. Andrew’s. She is the epitome of class.
4 Tom Gerald // Feb 13, 2013 at 1:56 pm
Thank you for sharing this, Johnny. Bee is a marvel, the epitome of sophistication, wit, grace, and intellect. Please relay my regards.
5 Shane Etter // Feb 14, 2013 at 10:42 am
These thoughts are lovely John. Thank you
6 Jeff Allred // Feb 15, 2013 at 9:13 am
Bee taught me plenty, too, but thinking back, I find myself focused on qualities not quantities. She teaches things you won’t pick up elsewhere: how to mount enough tension to swing a partner without horsing her, to rock heels in your AARP days, to ferry a conversation across while not burning popovers, to figure out how seriously to take Faulkner’s residues of romanticism. To say she’s “last of a breed” (or whatever nostalgic phrase) would be true, but it would miss the way a teacher like Bee leaves a little durable something with every student and loved one as a seed for later, unpredictable growth.
This comment is from Pauline Wilkes.
Bee’s book is delightful. She has been my truest friend since we were four. I remember how stunning she was in that rose chiffon. She was always the belle of the ball. The ghost at Elm Springs is real. My daughter was with Key when she took the picture and everyone there saw it. It has been a privilege and a blessing to have Bee in my life.
8 Pat 20 // Mar 7, 2013 at 8:13 pm
Love your blog, John, especially the part how Bee helped you skate out of Murrah on a sliver. Very poetic writing there, John. Looks like your reading all those Chinese poets has paid off. I had Bee at Murrah, her first year there. She had us over to hang out at her house that year. All the smart kids got to go. Hinky has been furious ever since. Anyway, she is a very talented lady and a person extraordinaire. Did you know she can fly a plane?
9 mel // Mar 13, 2013 at 7:19 pm
look forward
10 Billy Neville // Mar 18, 2013 at 3:21 pm
Congratulations Bee!
Have just seen a “preview of”, & it looks Incredible; YOU HAVE MADE SUCH AN BIG DIFFERENCE TO SO MANY INDIVIDUALS;
Thank You!
11 Hank Aiken // Mar 25, 2013 at 3:13 pm
Bea Donley was a wonderful teacher and one of the best readers (from the lectern) I’ve ever heard. Once, when she felt her English students were lacking in refinement, culture, and etiquette, we had a “high tea” in class. I’ll never forget her presentation of “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock”. I had heard that she had been in very poor health, so I’m very glad to hear that she is able to attend this event!
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