Author from Cotter, AR Publishes Music-Inspired Collection of Poetry

November 21, 2014 - "Ode to the Saint of Jackson," a new book by Donald Lee Barnes, has been released by Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc.

In 1972, Donald Lee Barnes walked into his barracks and heard an album being played. He said to himself, "That is the way music should be played." He could hear the lyrics and music clearly. As he walked all the way to the end of the barracks, he found five or six people listening to Jackson Browne's first album, titled "Saturate Before Using." Being a country bumpkin, Donald did not understand what the title meant. A kind person explained to him that the album cover referenced a desert water bag. He learned that water bags had to be saturated with water on the outside of the bag before you filled them with water so that the water would remain cool inside of the bag. Everyone thought the symbolization of the water bag as a cover for the album was the coolest and cleverest thing they had ever seen.

Donald became a Jackson Browne fan from that moment on, and in 1976 he swore he would write like Jackson Browne, in the subject matter that he writes about. Donald began to write poetry, which has proved to be a moving experience for him. He has uncovered many emotional feelings within himself, influenced by other people, places, and things. Donald hopes that many people will enjoy the poetry that Jackson Browne has inspired him to write. He wrote his last poem the night before he submitted his manuscript to be published.

About the Author:
Donald Lee Barnes was born on April 18, 1954 at 10:10 P.M. in Malvern, Arkansas. He was in the Army at the age of seventeen from July 8, 1971 to July 8, 1974, and was given an honorable discharge upon leaving the service. Donald later moved to Tampa, Florida, and lived there for thirteen years. He held the occupation of custom concrete swimming pool builder for seven years. Donald worked in all of the phases and also became a bobcat operator, which was used to do pre-grade and cleanups for swimming pools. He had an on-the-job injury on September 10, 1982.

"Ode to the Saint of Jackson" is a 58-page paperback with a retail price of $11.00. The ISBN is 978-1-4809-1031-7. It was published by Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more information, or to request a review copy, please go to our virtual pressroom at www.dorrancepressroom.com or our online bookstore at www.dorrancebookstore.com.