RoRos Communications
For the Heart And Soul
About The Author
ROLANDA T. PYLE is a licensed social worker in the field of aging. She has worked with caregivers of persons with Alzheimer's and Dementia, grandparents who are raising grandchildren and seniors in need.
Rolanda is the author of the 4 books -"Grandma's Hands" - a children's story book, "Finally" - a collection of inspirational poems; and the compiler of and contributor to "Beneath His Everlasting Wings", a collection of devotionals. She has also contributed to many journals, anthologies, magazines, collections and other publications. She is the winner of the 2023 Poetry is Life poetry contest award and her poetry book, "All Things" was published in June 2023.
Her numerous awards include the distinguished 2004 Sloan Public Service Award and HBO's 2004 Beah Richards Spirit Award. In April 2004, New York's Daily News named her one of the "100 Women Who Shape Our City."
Rolanda volunteers and provides senior chat to isolated seniors. She works with senior groups in churches. In addition to writing, she loves God, family, friends, reading, all kinds of music, traveling, Broadway plays, art exhibits and the NY Liberty, NY Mets and NY Knicks, her favorite teams.
Poem Of The Month
HARAMBE - Let Us All Pull Together
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More than 400 years ago, the slave ships came to this shore
Dropping thousands of our ancestors and going back for more
Traveling back and forth with our people across the seas
Who on board were often gagged and bound on hands and knees.
If this country has any shame, then this is truly it
That for many years slavery ruled our people with its whip
And even after slavery was officially abolished
It has taken decades to erase the marks that demolished
A people of strong ancestry who were queens and kings
Who have fought and struggled to overcome many things
How did we make it through slavery and that horrific time
And overcome those obstacles that were meant to keep us in a bind?
We all pulled together.
But it didn’t end with slavery, no. There were more hurdles to jump
Jim Crow laws and segregation were the next big hump.
Signs that read “whites only” and “coloreds over here.”
Many places we could not go because we were not allowed there.
We were promised forty acres and a mule, which we never received.
But we kept our faith in God and continued to believe.
Even when our families were divided and our children taken away
To be auctioned and sold to the highest bidder of the day.
Then there was the injustice of lynchings of young boys, like Emmett Till.
But we continued and kept going on because of our strong will
To make it despite every obstacle that had been placed in our way
For we had a lot to give and most certainly a lot to say,
So we all pulled together.
Yes, we all pulled together in the struggle for our rights
And we got behind the movement and joined in some fights
Whether Marcus, Medgar, Martin, Malcolm or Adam Clayton Powell right here
You can be sure our voices were heard across the United States somewhere.
Because it is only in working together that we accomplish what we must
And as we continue to lean on one another and in the Lord we trust
That we can accomplish our mission for today
Then and only then can we really have our say.
1
So as we gather at Black History Month Celebration,
In these extremely difficult times, when we need some inspiration
Fiscal crises, budget cuts, terrorism, threats of war and reorganizational change
So many things are happening that to us might seem strange.
How will we make it? How will we come out on top?
By doing what we’ve always done-- now is not the time to stop.
Slavery, segregation, Jim Crow…we’ve always made it through
And the only way to get through this is to do what we always do:
Harambee…Let us all pull together.
Rolanda Pyle (c) All Rights Reserved
Upcoming Events
Aspiring Authors Magazine "100 Authors To Watch"
I Am 1 Of 100
Check out the Blog on Rolanda Pyle by clicking on the link below: https://aspiringauthorsmagazine.blogspot.com/2024/12/rolanda-pyle-22-of-100-authors-to-watch.html
Black History 365 Days A Year
My Interview With 100 Authors To Watch
Check out Rolanda's interview with 100 Authors to Watch in 2025 here-
121 Days Of Player: P.O.W.E.R Of Player
Psalm 121, Look To The Hills
I’m honored that my devotional and prayer, are included in this collection along with others. It’s now available on Amazon!
Check out Rolanda's letter in the new anthology - Dear Childhood
Book available at Visit https://www.poetryislifepublishing.com/dear-childhood
Coming Soon - Rolanda is a part of "Eternal Echoes" -the third installation of The Legacy Chronicles.
Rolanda has 2 poems in the latest anthology - Recipes for Wisdom.
Poetry Is Life Publishing humbly presents: Recipes of Wisdom: Life Experiences From Our Seasoned Citizens-Poems & Other Writings. This book features life experiences from those who are 60 and older. This population is often forgotten about, cast aside, dismissed, but they are the reason we have what we have and are where we are and we need to respect that. One thing about wisdom is that we cannot claim it as our own. Wisdom is something that we have gained from our life experiences intertwined with the life experiences of those who have come before us.
Book available at Visit https://www.poetryislifepublishing.com/recipesofwisdom
Rolanda also has 2 poems in this new anthology, "Only Being You Unfiltered". This anthology serves as a collection of stories from authors across the globe, all of whom have shared their unique perspectives, struggles, and thoughts in the most unfiltered and genuine ways possible.
It can be purchased on amazon - Only Being You Unfiltered: The Truth Behind the Voices
Story Corps has had Rolanda's interview to it's new initiative "Brightness in Black". Rolanda was interviewed in 2015. See below for the link-
A celebration, a truth-telling, a showcase of the richness and complexity of Black life in America—with your stories front and center. For too long, Black stories have largely been framed as one-dimensional and over simplified, failing to show the full spectrum of our humanity and experience. Which is why Brightness in Black is handing the mic to the Black community across the country and inviting us to share our personal stories of aspirations, connection, triumph, resilience, and gratitude.
Here is the interview-
https://archive.storycorps.org/interviews/lsk001057/
We are happy to announce that three of Rolanda's submissions was included in the exhibit - "Brooklyn Is" is featured at the Brooklyn Historical Society at the Brooklyn Public Library -
9 Adams Street (between John and Plymouth) Brooklyn, NY 11201
All submissions are on the in-person projection screen as well at the exhibit but they pop up at random. She submitted to Downtown Brooklyn, Bed-Stuy and Crown Heights categories.
And the web page for all of the submissions, including hers to Brooklyn Is... is now live: https://www.bklynlibrary.org/brooklyn-is/
About My Books
Grandma's Hands
Shonda is heartbroken. She just lost her mother, and now she has to move away to live with her grandmother, which means she will miss her friends and her favorite teacher. But her teacher shares something with her that helps Shonda.
Today, millions of children are living with millions of grandparents and other relatives without their parents. You may know one of these children or the relative caring for them. They are not alone! We support the children, and we applaud these caregivers not only on Grandparents’ Day (The Sunday after Labor Day in September) but every day.
Purchase on Amazon https://a.co/d/0XNtVIA or Author House https://www.authorhouse.com/en/bookstore/bookdetails/781856-grandmas-hands
Beneath His Everlasting Wings
"Wonderfully inspiring, Beneath His Everlasting Wings is a collaboration of poetry, testimonies, and essays of encouragement and accomplishments through faith in God. Listen as an author tells of how malicious words that should have dampened her vision, caused her to conquer her fears and propelled her to accomplish her dream. Witness other authors recount their incredible experiences; these journeys include one woman's trip to Africa where she comes to realize her "life's purpose;" and another woman's walk of faith after being diagnosed with cancer. Discover many more triumphs of faith. This is an exceptional devotional that is a source of empowerment and enlightenment which the reader can continue to draw from for many years to come."―Allison Neckles
All Things - Winner of the 2023 Poetry Is Life Book Award
ROLANDA T. PYLE is a licensed social worker and works in the field of aging with seniors, caregivers, and grandparents raising grandchildren. Rolanda is the author of the books - Grandma’s Hands - a children's story book, Finally - a collection of inspirational poems; and the compiler of and contributor to Beneath His Everlasting Wings, a collection of devotionals. Her work has been published in religious and community newspapers, magazines, anthologies, collections and journals. In April 2004, New York's Daily News named her one of the "100 Women Who Shape Our City." Her favorite scripture is Romans 8:28. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose.”
This is the fifth winner of the Poetry Is Life Book Award
Purchase Here: www.poetryislifepublishing.com/all-things