Collective Works of the Sweet Tea Poetry Circle

Collective Works of the Sweet Tea Poetry Circle (Meredith Aaronson, editor) is a diverse anthology of poems written between 1989 and 2003 by the members of the poetry group the editor founded, poems discussed and honed under the stars during monthly meetings held on the banks of Stillwater Creek. Herein, you will meet the participants as they courageously explore their expressive potential. Buddy Lankford dreams of getting Married on the Moon; Edwina Leuenberger finds solace in A Little Weed; Sharleesa Davis laments the high price of her favorite meal in Sushi Fan; Paige Sanders attempts to heal the emotional wounds left by the Nine-Eleven terrorist attacks in New York 2001; and Zachary Stone leads us on a spiritual journey to the stars in Jerusalem. So, take a moment tonight to survey the constellations. Then pour yourself a glass of iced tea, find a quiet spot to read, and enjoy.

Meredith and Elmo Aaronson first opened their Stillwater Creek home to the members of the Sweet Tea Poetry Circle upon their retirement in 1989. There were a few devoted regulars over the years, but mostly various participants flowed in and out of the group. Some folks came only when they had written something new that they wanted to share, but everyone was always welcome. This compilation is intended to represent the many unique voices of the Circle, men and women of all ages and all walks of life: a mechanic, a retired school teacher, an aerospace engineer, an investment banker, and many others. Unfortunately, Meredith Aaronson, the dedicated founder of the Circle and lifelong proponent of poetry, lost her husband, Elmo, to prostate cancer in 2002 and suffered a series of debilitating strokes herself later that same year. The final meeting of the Sweet Tea Poetry Circle was held on October 16, 2003.