Mary Alice Marcella, International Poetry Hall of Fame

Mary Alice Marcella
AKA Alice Bailes Bell

La Quinta, CA, USA

Mary Alice began writing verse in high school. Her first money earned was from an Eisteddfod essay contest while attending Warren G. Harding Sr. High School. Her years of employment included: door to door sales, cashier, Coca Cola demonstrator, bank employee for over twenty years with various banks in Southern California (mostly opening new escrow departments), First Manager of Catalina Branch of Marina Federal Savings & Loan, auto and leasing sales agent, life and health insurance agent, self-published book of poetry "Rhyme and Thought" in 1980 at which time she formed The Marcella Press (whose purpose was to publish poetry and "MINI-BIOS" of the "near famous"). Co-founder and past president of Desertaire Toastmaster Club. Founder, charter president, and life member of The La Quinta Historical Society. Has been included as a biography in the following: 1980 edition of "Who's Who in California," first edition of "Who's Who of California Executive Women," and the ninth edition of "The International Who's Who of Intellectuals." In October, 1997 she was elected into The International Poetry Hall of Fame. Through the years she has written articles for Warren Tribune Chronicle, Carlsbad Journal, Indio Daily News, and The Desert Magazine. In addition to her poetry she is presently working on a book which will also include speeches and short essays. In personal life she is a widow, the mother of two adult children, grandmother of two and a member of IPA, AMORC, Desert Beautiful, and SR.TV.

Man Came

Onto this matter we call earth
Settles an unknown soul at birth;
A nonentity with a will,
Whose presence makes the earth seem still.

Give Me Time

Listen attentively and you will hear
Of the hopes and dreams that others revere.
Of tales of woe and those of bliss,
What others did; what went amiss.
Of the secret love that lingers still
In memory cells that time can't kill.
Of tears shed in silent rooms,
Of screams emitted from old wounds.
Of various acts that bring a smile,
Of lonely walks, mile after mile.
The avalanche of words spoken.
Promises given, then broken.
Thoughts performed that ricochet
Forming basis of future days.
How life is valued here on earth.
How each man estimates "net worth."
Yes, give me time that I may lend
An ear to listen to a friend.

Unacknowledged Miracle

They call it the miracle of birth
When a newborn baby comes on earth.
I wonder why our last breath
Is not called the miracle of death.

Few in Number

When I was a small child I did as they all do.
I lived my life as it came, for that was all I knew.

As I grew older and I started to expand,
I learned I had a future as broad as our great land.

Still older brought the knowledge that I had a past,
As solid as granite made from a concrete last.

Now I am an ancient and know this to be true:
The great things I did in life were all too few.