Every syllable sings in Tall Flowers and Living Long. Rose Creek comes alive. The doggies bark in time. The birds chirp and the sky changes in tune. Mary Ricketson’s poems are inroads to humanity.

—Shelby Stephenson, N.C. Poet Laureate 2015-2018, NC Literary Hall of Fame since 2015, recent publications, Nin’s Poem, Slavery and Freedom on Paul’s Hill, Shelby’s Lady, and Praises.

Experience the wonder and beauty of the natural world in Mary Ricketson’s poetry book, Tall Flowers and Living Long. Hike the mountain trails and observe the lessons nature teaches us. “Come to Hanging Dog, see the farm…” Welcome the lovely showcase this award-winning poet offers. This amazing collection articulates her relationship with nature. Discover the peace and healing power of nature as Ricketson sifts soil with her fingers and finds “Garden Magic.” The stirring collection will speak to your soul: “Trust the Earth when your wisdom falls…” This is a great gift for nature lovers and reminds us what we’ve lost in the hectic schedules of modern life.

—Brenda Kay Ledford, author of Blanche: Poems of a Blue Ridge Woman (Redhawk Publications, 2021).

Readers who enjoy the nuances of nature will savor Mary Ricketson’s Tall Flowers and Living Long. She confesses her son calls her “a plant maniac.” But not only plants. Early sections of the book focus on farming and flowers through the changing seasons and rhythms of everyday life. In Section IV winter arrives, along with death, and Section V highlights animals—dogs, mules, deer—who serve as our earthly companions. Ricketson’s style is often clipped, and she relies consistently on imperative: “Be like a soft mountain mist” or “Stitch a piece of life to this mountain.” But these gentle commands are also invitations—to a world of wonder, for which the poet offers, in the final lyric, a chorus of thank-yous.

—David Radavich, author of Under the Sun and Here’s Plenty.

About the Author

Mary Ricketson’s poems reflect the healing power of nature, a path she follows rooted in Appalachian tradition, with the surrounding mountains serving as the midwife for her words. Tall Flowers and Living Long is a collection of poems written day by day, capturing her life closely intertwined with the natural world.

She is a mental health therapist in private practice in Murphy, NC, and enjoys writing groups, hiking mountain trails, and tending to her garden of vegetables, flowers, and blueberries.

Her published poetry books include I Hear the River Call My Name, Hanging Dog Creek, Shade and Shelter, Mississippi: The Story of Luke and Marian, Keeping in Place, Lira - Poems of a Woodland Woman, Precious the Mule, and Stutters: A Book of Hope. She won first place in the 2011 Joyce Kilmer Memorial Forest 75th Anniversary National Poetry Contest and earned gold and silver medals for poetry in the 2024 and 2025 Literary Arts division of the NC Senior Games.

Engage with Mary at: www.maryricketson.com