Mississippi Archives - Aromatica Poetica

A retro Christmas tree with popcorn, gingerbread men, colored balls, and a gold star on top, surrounded by beat up marching-band instruments -- bass drum, tuba, snare, trumpet, flute, clarinet, and a couple tarnished cymbals – sit on ugly blue-green shag carpeting with wood paneling behind. By Alabaster Rhumb.

A Country Christmas * Fiction * David P. Stewart

aromatica poetica December 22, 2021

Businesses in Canton shuttered early on fall Fridays as the high school drum major marched a mile of black and gold uniformed musicians round the Courthouse Square. The proud city folks followed the band in a joyful procession to Ben Roberts Stadium. Even hard workin farmin families finished their laborin ways before the sun went down so they could make their way to the famed field. The mighty Canton Panthers were consistent champions in the Choctaw Conference. Daddy mostly told …

A campfire illuminates two fishing poles and a couple pairs of jeans—one on a rock, the other fallen to the ground—and is surrounded by sharp black trees that cut into the dazzling rainbow universe of stars that fill the night sky. By Alabaster Rhum.

“Unda the Stars” * Short Story * David P. Stewart

aromatica poetica June 4, 2021

*The following story of southern country love gone fishing comes from Cornbread and Lace: The Privileges of a Mississippi Farmboy, which was written by an author with both feet firmly planted in Mississippi. In David’s thought-provoking manuscript, the anguish of racism, classism, bigotry, patriarchy, war, segregation, and revisionist history are mixed with vivid stories about winged snakes, hot donuts, an old farting mule name Kate, and dinner on the ground. Thought-provoking wisdom from a loving grandmother and an African American maid …

A somewhat cartoony illustration of two boys playing watermelon baseball - in the foreground, a skinny sunburned boy in overalls is throwing a watermelon at the second boy, who is swinging hard with a baseball bat. Both are splattered with yellow watermelon juice and broken pieces lie on the ground. a long path fades to the background where a house sits on a hill. By Drake Scott.

“Aunt Dottie I Didn’t Do It” * Short Story * David P. Stewart

aromatica poetica April 14, 2021

The following story about watermelon baseball and other dangerously fun childhood activities comes from Cornbread and Lace: The Privileges of a Mississippi Farmboy, which was written by an author with both feet firmly planted in Mississippi. In David’s thought-provoking manuscript, the anguish of racism, classism, bigotry, patriarchy, war, segregation, and revisionist history are mixed with vivid stories about winged snakes, hot donuts, an old farting mule name Kate, and dinner on the ground. Thought-provoking wisdom from a loving grandmother and an …