Melange a Trois

The Mélange a Trois is a mixture of literary pieces that reflect the views and talents of the three authors. The bulk of the book is devoted to poetry written over the past fifty years, but several of the selections are in the form of “Shaggy Dog” stories, memoirs, songs, and “Little Poems” (modeled after the clerihew). The “Shaggy Dog” tales have been collected and retold many times, but Larry Ladd retells them in his unique style. The remainder of the work is original to this volume. Sharon Gibson a first place finisher in a Missouri State Poetry Society contest, paints word pictures of both the mundane (a lost shoe) and the fanciful (“…Ancient giant sea turtles paddle in my brain…” Texan Jim Miller spins a tale about his “Uncle ‘Coot’ Matson” and presents some of his poetry in dialects of the southwest. Most of the approximately 150 selections play happily in the sun, but each author also may deal with themes of fear, death, lost love, and heartache. When the storm clouds of life gather, one may find a kindred spirit in these writings. It is hoped that this little volume will strike a harmonious chord with you and that you will appreciate the fact that the entries have not been grouped in any fashion. The randomness of this arrangement means there may be a surprise on any page.