Brenda Kay Ledford, Author
When Brenda Kay Ledford’s great-niece was born five springs ago, Ledford honored her arrival with a poem. “I wrote a poem that proclaimed the worth of little Reagan,” Ledford says. “The verse gave me the opportunity to think about my relationship with my great-niece.”
More poems followed as Reagan grew, and Ledford has collected them into a volume of rhyme and imagery meant to appeal to young and old alike and, she adds, “give readers a respite from the horrid COVID-19 pandemic.” The poems celebrate the simple things that children so delight in noticing and experiencing—wildflowers, mud pies, animals and rain puddles, among them. Spending time with Reagan, the poet says, invited her to see the world through eyes that notice the beauty in a thing as common as a dandelion.
“As a retired educator, I believe it’s important to teach poetry,” Ledford says. “Children like rhymes and often clap their hands for the enjoyment of matching the rhythm of their bodies with the beat of the poetry. I think verse spurs creativity, encourages social interaction with other students and motivates children to read. Arguably, poetry is a stepping stone for a lifetime love of literature.”
Reagan’s Romps, January, 2021, poetry, paperback, $16, by Brenda Kay Ledford, and published by Kelsay Books, American Fork, UT. The book is available in Hayesville at Chinquapin’s and at KelsayBooks.com.
