William H. Alford 

Washington, District Of Columbia, USA 

  
 
 

William H. Alford (Pen) William Alford, (B) April 10th, 1926, Southern Pines, N.C. (Pr) Beechmond and Louise Alford; (M) Divorced, (Ch) Cynthia Alford; (Ed) Bladen County Training School, Elizabethstown, N.C., Central Piedmount Community College, Charlotte N.C., Howard University College of Medicine (Certificate) Alcoholism Education, The University Without Walls, Howard University, Majoring in Psychology; (Occ) Volunteer Alcohol/Drug Abuse Counselor; Published Volume of Poetry, Published in many Anthologies; Near completion of volume of Poetry and Essays.
 

The Drum Suite

The hummingbird
brings nectar
to the wilting
flower 
moving on

The stranger brings 
dew to the lotus flower
moving on

Hunted day and night
sings a dirge
moving on

Intermittent drums
are warning signs 
moving on

Pathways marked
by the stranger
moving on

1st and 2nd Movement

Verdant hills
valleys brown and gold
brilliant blue skies
ash-white clouds,

A slow, measured walk
down to the ocean
waiting ships at anchor
clanking chains/a muffled
cry, a long, last look

Memories linger on
as if in a dream

Two Steel Drums

Jubilee songs days
sundown songs nights
a symphony of broken rhymes
sweet as heaven's glory;

If too heavy the load
songs pierced the mornings;
when sun draped evenings
whispered songs continued.

Dark nights without hope
prayers could be heard
take us over
into camp-ground

Take us over
into camp-ground
 

All poems Copyright © 1997 William H. Alford. All rights reserved.