WHERE THE BIRDS SING is the sixth volume of poetry written by Frances Sydnor Tehie (1926-2003). The poems in this volume have been edited by Frances's daughter, Dr. Janice B. Tehie, and Frances's lifelong friend, Dorothy Jeanne McIlvaine. Writing poetry since the age of 17, Frances was widely hailed as a "lyrical" poet during her lifetime, winning over 65 awards in national poetry contests during her lifetime. A keen observer of nature, she possessed the ability to find beauty and song in everyday events including the singing of birds, the setting of the sun and the changing of the seasons. Her poems have been published in ORPHEUS LUTE, FAMILY CIRCLE, THE LYRIC, and WOMAN'S DAY, among others. The poems in WHERE THE BIRDS SING are a testament to Frances's ability to find the beauty and song in nature. Poems such as "The Swallow's House" portray the music to be found in a swallow soaring over thatched-roofed buildings in Rye, Sussex England. The theme of music is reiterated in the voices she hears when listening to sea-winds blow, in the poem "Wind Song." The poems in this collection show that beauty can be found in the most unexpected places, and that sometimes, as in "A New Beginning", just when life appears to be at its darkest, moments of hope are found in the music of nature.
About the Author: Frances Sydnor Tehie (1926-2003) wrote poetry since the age of 17. Widely hailed as a "lyrical poet" during her lifetime, Frances won over 65 awards in national poetry contests. She was born April 16, 1926, in Jefferson City, TN, outside of Knoxville, TN, and attended Carson-Newman College, where her father was a Professor of English and English Literature. She graduated with a B.A. in English and went on to the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, where she earned a Master's in English. She earned her teaching credentials from George Peabody College of Teaching, at Vanderbilt University, to teach high-school English. Frances taught high-school English in KY and TN, after which she switched to college teaching. She taught college-level English Literature and composition courses to students at Stratford College and Mary Washington College, both in Virginia, and at Monmouth College in West Long Branch, NJ. She was a self-employed piano teacher for 10 years while living in Summit, NJ, before retiring to State College PA in 1992. A lifelong lover of music and poetry, Mrs. Tehie wrote over 300 poems and won over 65 awards for her poetry from national poetry contests. Her love of nature and animals included a love of all birds, cats, dogs, and other animals, and a great interest in animal welfare. A keen observer of nature, she possessed the ability to find beauty and song in everyday events including the singing of birds, the setting of the sun and the changing of the seasons. Her poems have been published in ORPHEUS LUTE, FAMILY CIRCLE, THE LYRIC, and WOMAN'S DAY, among others.