Poems of West Texas Life

About the Book

The soul of a poet, the mind of a dreamer, Eyes that see visions afar. But her hands are the work-worn hands of a doer, The keeper of things that are. As a West Texas homesteader, Flora Smith Dean worked hard to provide for her children, yet still took time to grow flowers, sing songs, regale her children with stories of the old days, and read the Bible. Because her life was not easy, she penned most of her poems after a long day of hard work. Later in life, after her husband’s health issues, Flora tended the farm during the day while still writing poetry to capture stories of the past, express a connection with God, and elicit emotional memories of that era. In a collection of original poems compiled by her son, Joseph, and shared in thematic categories to best tell her story, others receive a candid glimpse into the lives of the early settlers in West Texas through her lyrical reflections and Joseph’s additional thoughts. Within her writings, Flora offers insight into the hardships she faced, her community, and faith and family connections, ultimately bringing to life a period that is often overlooked and oversimplified in modern times. Poems of West Texas Life is a collection of poems and insights by a descendent that share a candid glimpse into the experiences and hardships of an early settler in West Texas.

About the Author

Flora Smith Dean (1897–1980) was an early homesteader on the plains in West Texas. In Poems of West Texas Life, her son, Joseph, shares a collection of Flora’s original verses that provide glimpses of her life while highlighting her deep feelings of love, compassion, joy, sorrow, and strong faith in God.