"POVERTY'S CHILD in Rhyme" is Pat Morrell-Donnelly's twelfth (12th) book to publish. The book contains poems written mostly in the nineteen-eighties and nineties.
Pat published her first book at age eighty in 2009. She has published twelve books in sixteen years.
"POVERTY'S CHILD in Rhyme" contains poems which describe how Pat was born into poverty and raised during the 1930's depression. Pat came into this world with odds stacked against her. These poems reveal some of the challenges, trials and losses Pat endured through those depression days, and other difficult times.
There was no running water, electricity or inside bathroom in their home until Pat was almost fourteen. She and her family were members of the "Have Not's."
The "outhouse" was out behind the house. Most people had "pots" so they would not have to go outside to the bathroom, particularly on cold winter nights.
Baths were taken in a round aluminum tub. Water was carried from the well into the home in a bucket, and heated for bathing. After the baths that tub had to be carried outside and emptied.
Through the years this "Poverty's Child" would know many difficult times, struggles and losses. Her poems reflect the challenging road she traveled, and financial losses she suffered.
One heart breaking loss was the devastating loss of Pat's beautiful mother, at age forty-five, killed by a drunk driver. At the same time Pat's father and nine year old sister were critically injured.
Pat spent over fifty-one years as a Realtor/Broker in the real estate profession, in the Bay Area near San Francisco.
During that time Pat was able to purchase a lot, design and have built a beautiful home, with a million dollar view, all the way to San Francisco.
Over the years Pat also was able to purchase twenty-eight rental units. In the early nineties there was a downturn in real estate. Pat got what you call "upside down" in her properties, owing more than they were worth. Property was not selling. Homes were sitting on the market for months on end.
Sadly, Pat lost all she had managed to accumulate over those many years including her "one of a kind," lovely home.
Pat started writing poems about the age of forty-seven. The poems just started coming into her head at all times of the day and night. She says the poems come from the Lord and Holy Spirit. Pat has written over eighteen (1,800) poems.
Pat writes motivational, inspirational, religious and political poems. She writes personalized poems about people's lives, and about different events.
Pat has written poems for, and or about, a Governor, a U. S. Senator, four U. S. Congressmen, and two Georgia Representatives.
Pat has received cards and letters from four Presidents, and two-First Ladies, for receipt of her poems.
Pat has had a number of articles and poems published by her Board of Realtors in the RealToro Magazine, SACAR Realtor Guide, and SACBOR TODAY, real estate publications.
Pat holds the unique distinction of being the only member of her real estate board to be honored "Miss Realtor" in a contest in 1960.
