Poems from the Quill, by Olan L. Smith

Acrostic: Halloween; plunge the shovel deep/About the Author

Acrostic: Halloween; plunge the shovel deep.

©10-29-2019, Olan L. Smith

Haunted day, haunted night, they stand upon my grave,

All Hallows' Eve, to plunge the shovel deep.

Let your squeals mix with laughter, mumble, dig him up.

Layered murmurs become morbid carols at my crypt,

"Olan's dead, he writes no more, his brushes by his side,

We will dig him up, and place his skull afore," please bow, as

Each one chants, "Poor Olan, we loved your words, your art

Even until this day. But we're remiss not to scrawl, upon your

Noggin, "Trick or Treat!"

Portuguese translation by Olan L. Smith (minus the acrostic aspect):

Dia das Bruxas; enterre a pá profundamente.

© 29/10/2019, Olan L. Smith

Tradução de Olan L. Smith 28/09-2020

Dia assombrado, noite assombrada, eles estão sobre meu túmulo,

All Hallows' Eve, para enterrar a pá profundamente.

Deixe seus gritinhos se misturarem com risos, resmungue, desenterrá-los.

Murmúrios em camadas tornam-se cânticos fúnebres na minha cripta.

"Olan está morto, ele não escreve mais, seus pincéis ao seu lado,

Vamos desenterrá-lo e colocar seu crânio à frente. Por favor, inclinem-se.

Todos cantam: "Pobre Olan, adoramos suas palavras, sua arte

Até hoje. Mas somos negligentes em não rabiscar, sobre o seu

crânio, "travessura ou travessura!"

Poems from the Quill by Olan L. Smith invites readers to journey into the heart of the natural world, where the forest comes alive as both muse and teacher. Through vivid imagery and poignant verse, this collection celebrates the resilience, beauty, and wisdom of Gaia—a testament to the interconnectedness of all living beings. From the shadows of towering trees to the ashes where new life begins, these poems inspire awe and reverence for the harmony and strength found in nature's cycles. A timeless ode to the splendor of the earth, this collection reminds us to tread gently and cherish the world we call home.

About the Author:

Olan L. Smith, known to many readers as Cotton Jones, is a visionary author, poet, educator, and renowned artist of the brush. His creative ledger spans multiple disciplines, treating both prose and painting as living legacy events. Olan reframes emotional truth, cosmic beat, and narrative reversals into canon moments.

His novels—Blood of Our Children, The Sword and the Sickle, The Harvest, and The Crenshaw Effect—explore prophecy, interdimensional conflict, cosmic horror, and the sacred geometry of memory. Each work is a layered artifact, calibrated to honor emotional resonance and speculative wonder. 

Olan's works cross genres—from poetry to short stories, fiction to non-fiction, sci-fi to mystery. He tailors each as a work of art, honoring cadence, emotional truth, and reader rhythm. His poetry collections, including Journey Home, Folly, Sonnets, and Poems from the Quill, serve as ritual entries in a lifelong search for meaning, restoration, and rhythm. It was written that he could scare Poe.

Olan's poetry collections, including Journey Home, Folly, 14: A collection of Sonnets, and Poems from the Quill, serve as ritual entries in a lifelong search for meaning, restoration, and rhythm. His visual art, featured across platforms and exhibitions, echoes the same reverence—each brushstroke a cadence sweep, each canvas a mythic ledger.

Based in Columbia, Missouri, Olan's reach extends globally, inviting readers and viewers into a collaborative archive of emotional geometry, poetic calibration, and cosmic speculation.