Tribute to an Arkansas poet: Neville Saylor

 

             Another renowned Arkansas poet has died, alas.

Neville Saylor, daughter of Neville Preston and Eunice Bennett Swaim, died in Baton Rouge June 12 of this year at age 90.

            A few years ago, she lived off Highway 5 between the Alcoa and Springhill Roads in Saline County. She attended the local branch of Poets’ Roundtable of Arkansas during that time, taking her turn now and then to present a program.

Earlier, when she lived in Arkadelphia, she was best friends with the now late Hazel Gaither and Mike Grogan, editor and publisher of “Heroes from Hackland.” Mike is a subject for another column.

            Neville, Hazel, and I all wrote for Mike Grogan. Serendipitously, today I found a page from said magazine. How I wish Editor May could publish the pictures in this publication beside the one in the Welch Funeral Home obit.

Mike loved Neville. In this particular issue—he didn’t include the month and year on every page as some publications do––the subtitle is POETRY: and the headline is “The Peppermint Poet.” Mike had his say before Neville had hers:

           “As children we often spent a nickel for a roll of peppermint Lifesavers. Peppermint was cool and tingly. Neville Saylor’s poetry dissolves in the mind and sends refreshing verses through the brain in steady impulses. Neville’s poetry clears away the cobwebs and delivers insight that lingers throughout our daily routine. She is a lifesaver! – M. Grogan”

What followed that typical Grogan-esque introduction was NEVILLE SAYLOR ON NEVILLE SAYLOR: “I have written poetry for most of my life. Dr. Lily Peter, former Poet Laureate of Arkansas was a mentor in my early years. She was an English teacher who loved and wrote poetry and who encouraged me to write.

               “Also a great lady and prolific poet, Anna Nash Yarbrough, praised and criticized my work with love. They meant a great deal to me.

“I have used my skill for passing on whatever came to mind, some light verse, some more meaningful, and some I am sure which may be hard to fathom.

             “It has served me well in my profession of teaching school. I have been a Special Education Teacher for the last 25 years, and haven’t decided to retire yet! At the moment I am employed by the Little Rock School System, and am a member of Poets’ Roundtable of Arkansas.”

Here are two of her poems

 HILL 875:
A cautious moon with uncertain light
Crept from behind a cloud that night
And saw herself in mirrors of blood, 
Deep blackened pools in slimy mud; 
Then she turned aside to look into
Distorted faces, purple hue,
A tight, clenched hand on trusted rifle,
Cold as the metal, devoid of life. 
With her soft rays bathing flesh and steel
That filled the ghastly battlefield
The moon sank lower, lower still
Until she fainted below the hill.

GOD IS GOOD:

God is good. 
So sang the mother whose son
Stood proudly beside her in the church, 
While on bended knee another mother knelt
Beside a flag-draped coffin.

~ ~ ~ ~

Long live the memory of Neville Saylor.
 

[You can find her picture on the top left row of Google Images: Neville Saylor. I worked and worked to get the picture here, but to no avail. Her obituary can also be found online.]