Elizabeth Clayton began teaching at the age of twenty at the University of Southern Mississippi. Presently retired, she is spending her days reviewing and preparing her works for publication. Clayton has published thirteen works (primarily poetry) since the release of her autobiography in 2007, which chronicles her struggles with Bipolar Disorder. In November, 2012, she was inducted into the Literary Hall of Fame, Sigma Kappa Delta, and nominated for the Eric Hoffer award by her publisher in early spring, 2013. She is also featured in the summer, 2013 quarter of Forward magazine, and her work, Scarlet Flow, was shown in the World Book fair, in London, England in early 2013. Additionally, on January 5, and February 9, 2014, she was featured in the New York Times "New Voices, New Perspectives" segment; her most recent work, Quiet Sheba, a trilogy, begun in 2015 was completed (two final volumes) in February 2016. For this work, she received the Golden Seal of Excellence Award from her publisher.
"Knighting" the "Lesser Gods"
Knowing truth is descriptive of finding place
in diffused light, and it, filled,
to be separated with shade and vapors -
often, sunlight and clear, may be as much,
the lady making her countenance,
colors added, to be softened, and, then,
to be taken away;
but if time is allowed, the day's steps, "will out" -
"it" always does -
the sainted troth, in springtime, sometime,
almost, often, is achieved, the knighting of we,
the "lesser gods."
The face, sponsoring the features, the will,
pushes forth, and we meet to clasp, and hold, to know
our absolute press toward the mark,
we waiting seekers, to find the postulate
of the wager, a fashioned visage,
rose and ivory, dressing Romanesque leanings -
our treasure, a satisfied whole, the complete,
of the appointed care,
an accepted knowing.
