Valentine's Day Story Archives - West Virginia Public Broadcasting

Author Publishes 7th Poetry Book In Time For Valentine’s Day

Just in time for the Valentine’s Day season to kick in, local author Khary Tolliver has love on the brain, recently publishing his seventh book, “Effortless Love,” a book of love poems and relationship affirmations.

Originally from the Bronx, New York, Tolliver moved to Hagerstown, Maryland, at 12 years old.

He credits a single poetry journal assignment to changing his life and making him into the author he is today.

“I just took that assignment and kept running with it. We had to keep a poem journal. I kept my journal going up until today,” Tolliver said. “I had six previous books before this, and the first two were about everything — life, my son, love, everything. Around the time my third book came, the feedback I was getting from the first two books — and definitely the second book — they liked the few love poems I had in there.”

After receiving feedback, Tolliver thought, “I can do a whole book on love poems,” because he had a lot of poems written since high school.

“For my third book, I just did a whole book of love poems, and that was good, so I did another one. And I just kept going,” Tolliver said. “I love being able to express feelings and hopefully, inspire others, too. I hope to inspire others to write poetry, and I have done that to a few anyway.”

Tolliver said that this seventh book is a book of love poems but also relationship affirmations, reminding readers of some of the simple things in relationships that can be easily forgotten.

As a writer, Tolliver took the self-publishing route.

“Self-publishing is the way to go, for me,” he said. “I am not trying to be a millionaire off of these books. I just hope to touch people. I hope to inspire people, maybe change someone’s ways with my writing.”

Tolliver explained that while he writes to inspire, he writes for himself, not for an audience.

“It is just my feelings, feelings that I see in other people’s relationships, my imaginations, some of my own experiences,” he said. “That is how I write: I put that all into one, and I get what I get out.”

Those interested in hearing some of Tolliver’s poems can also view some readings on his YouTube channel, where Tolliver reads his poems from the pages of his publications.

“One thing I learned so far on this journey is to be able to take criticism,” Tolliver said. “When I write, these are my thoughts, my opinions and my feelings, and I don’t think anyone should really judge you on your feelings and your thoughts. Everyone thinks of love differently and life differently. I don’t think anyone should be judged for that.”

With an ultimate goal to touch lives with his poetry, Tolliver hopes his poetry in “Effortless Love” and his other books will encourage readers to take a step back and live and love intentionally.

“Love is a beautiful thing,” Tolliver said. “Instead of getting the usual — the flowers, candy, teddy bear — get them something different this year, a book of love poems.”

“Effortless Love” and Tolliver’s other poetry books can be purchased online at www.amazon.com under his name.

After 67 Years Of Marriage Couple Shares Advice On Love

Here at West Virginia Public Broadcasting, there is a man who works at our station who has become something of a legend. Frank Stowers is a part time host of our classical music programming. Roxy Todd sat down with Frank and his wife of 67 years, Emita Stowers, to hear their story.

***Editor’s Note: The following has been lightly edited for clarity.

FRANK STOWERS: Our having met and married is almost like a fairy tale. Emita came to the states for a couple of years to study, and then had just gone back to Mexico and started working as an English-Spanish secretary, when I appeared on the scene to participate in a work camp, somewhat like the Peace Corps, run by the Methodist Church, in the mountains of Puebla. And at the end of that summer, I was so taken with the experience that I decided to remain in Mexico and do graduate work in Latin American studies. And so it turns out she spent two years in the states, and I spent two years in Mexico.

We met in the Methodist Church in Mexico City, in the choir.

EMITA STOWERS: I was always singing in the choir. And their rehearsal was every Wednesday or Thursday, and I was sitting there in the rows, and all of a sudden, somebody was touching my hair. I had long hair. And I turn around and there was Frank (laughs). And I didn’t say anything, and he didn’t say anything. But then, after rehearsal, the whole group went out and had some coffee in some of these coffee shops around the church. So that’s how we met then. We started talking.

Q: How many years ago was this? How long have you two been married?

ES: It is 67 years ago.

Q: Wow.

FS: People wonder how a relationship like that could last for 67 years. It’s been easy. She’s a great wife, a wonderful mother, and she’s my best friend. And besides, we are thoroughly married. When you marry in Mexico, no first thing you discover is that there is complete separation of church and state. And so we were married in a government office. And then a month later we married in the church. Of course, the reason for the time lapse is she had to have time to have her papers fixed in order to be able to come to the states. But it was rather cute because during that month’s time, she didn’t know whether to call herself Mrs. Stowers or if she was still in Miss Sanchez. But that was really an interesting experience because things are just reversed down there. The man holds is the rehearsal ceremony. And no mom just shows up. Our relationship I think is unique. It mean to spend enough time in the states, and she came to love Americans and things in this country, the language, the literature, all the things that represent the United States. I in turn, I fell deeply in love with everything related to Mexico. I love the language, the literature, the history, the music, the customs, I could have remained there and been perfectly happy. So we had an awful lot in common from the very beginning that I think we just created, glued and stuck us together, we enjoyed too much of the same things.

There was one other thing, since we’re talking about Valentine’s Day and romance. It was the custom while I was there, and it probably still exists, that if a fella has a girlfriend that he really cares about, he will take a group of friends or maybe a professional band and you serenade under her window at night. And there were several guys in the church choir that were dating at that time. And we all went out and sang under our girls’ windows. Now the interesting thing is that if for some reason, the girl is not too pleased with this, she could follow up by dumping water on the guys from her window. Fortunately, that never happened to me (laughs).

Q: Was there a song in particular you remember singing beneath Emita’s window?

FS: Well, there’s one in particular Roxy. Imagine, on a moonlight night. You’re standing in your window, and your sweetheart is down below with his friends. And they’re singing this song. It’s one that folks in this country know pretty well. It’s called “Estrellita”, or “Little Star”.

The words to this song are:

Little star, come down and tell me that you love me a little

Because I can’t live without your love

You are Little star, my beacon of love.

Come down, and tell me that you love me just a little

Because I can’t live without your love

That’s typical of love songs in Mexico. And that is a very romantic experience.

Q: And Emita, do you have any advice on how to keep a relationship like this going, after all these years?

ES: Well, in the first place we love each other, and that’s very important. And you just have to trust each one as we, as the time goes by, and adjust to the living. Because, you know, neither of us had been married before, and it was new for both of us. But then it was not difficult. It was easy because we trust each other, and we love each other. And we wanted to have a nice marriage. Sometimes when we are in different places and they know that I am from Mexico and Frank is American, they want to know how come we have lasted so long. And if you trust somebody and love somebody, you don’t have any problems at all.

FS: I think the important thing is that you have to think of the other person. As long as you’re wrapped up in your own interests and your own concerns and your own activities and shut the other person out—that can almost guarantee problems. But if you live with the other person always in your mind, and you are concerned about making life better for that person, no matter how many years go by, that’s almost a guarantee of a successful marriage. She’s a great gal, and I do it over again.

Q: Frank, you do classical music here at West Virginia Public Broadcasting. Is there a song that you can think of that symbolizes your relationship with your wife, or the romance that you guys have had?

FS: Yes, right. He had to have to say that he took a piece called “Lisboa Antigua”, or “In Old Lisbon”. It was quite popular in Mexico in the 50s. And was played frequently in places where we would go dancing, and it soon became our song.

12 Valentines for the Mountain Stage Fan in Your Life

Love Mountain Stage with Larry Groce? Love someone who loves listening to Mountain Stage on NPR Music and West Virginia Public Broadcasting? Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered this Valentine’s Day.

In the great and public radio punny tradition of #NPRvalentines, the Mountain Stage crew has come together to craft 12 valentines for the live performance radio fan in your life. You can print’em, send’em or share’em on social media (just make sure to tag us @mountainstage). Now, on to the Mountain Stage lovefest…

Mountain Stage monitor engineer Richie Collins.

Drummer for the Mountain Stage band Ammed Solomon.

Mountain Stage’s house sound engineer Jimmy Raines.

Mountain Stage crew member Lance Schrader.

The Mountain Stage band’s pianist Bob Thompson.

Mountain Stage assistant producer (and host of WVPB’s A Change of Tune) Joni Deutsch.

Mountain Stage associate producer (and keeper of the tickets) Vasilia Scouras.

And because he’s just too cool for school, another V-Day card featuring Mountain Stage’s Bob Thompson.

Have any punny Mountain Stage valentines to share? Leave a comment below or tag us @mountainstage on social media! And if you’re looking for another way to show your Mountain Stage love, support this program and your favorite public radio station.

Love Letters From Thomas, W.Va., Addressed: "Dear Fellow Human"

Valentine’s day isn’t a favorite holiday for all people- especially not people who aren’t in a romantic relationship. But what about a bundle of unexpected letters, written by strangers from a little town far away? Well a town in West Virginia is about to receive about 700 love letters. These letters express well wishes- even for those who claim to be left out of Valentine’s Day.

Last year, folks in Thomas, W.Va. hand-wrote hundreds of letters to send to another small town that was chosen, basically, at random. The idea was to remind people that someone out there, someone they’ve never even met, really, and genuinely cares.

Gail Snyder lives in Madrid, New Mexico. Last winter, she was one of the people who received one of these love letters. “It was this total surprise, and everyone had their own private experience of going to their mailbox and finding this mysterious thing in the mailbox. It was addressed to fellow human being,” Gail recalled.

The front of one of the cards. Courtesy of Carol Carpenter.

Back of a card. Courtesy of Carol Carpenter.

These whimsical letters were part of a community art project, organized by Art Spring. Audrey Stephenson is an AmeriCorps volunteer who helped organize the project. “Well I thought it was an amazing idea right off the bat. Just what a sweet thing to do,” she said.

Seth Pitt first had the idea. He’s an artist who co-owns and operates The White Room Art Gallery in Thomas.

“I used to write letters to strangers. And I thought it would even be a little more impactful if everyone was sitting around in a room together, all trying to send out good will to their fellow humans on this earth. I do think that a large part of this project, its goal is to not feel so isolated from one another,” said Seth.

"It gave us all hope I think. You know, hope that we aren't just these isolated communities struggling."-Gail Snyder, Madrid, NM.

People who live in the towns of Thomas and Madrid learned that they do share some similarities- they’re both former coal mining towns, which have had to find other ways to survive when the coal mines in their towns shut down.

One town in the desert and another in the Appalachian mountains, somehow connected by these little pages of art.

“It gave us all hope I think. You know, hope that we aren’t just these isolated communities struggling,” said Gail Snyder.

So last year, the residents in Madrid were inspired to start their own project, and they sent similar letters to a small town in Arizona. So far, Gail says, they haven’t heard back.

The back of the Christmas tree drawing. Courtesy of Jane Cassidy.

But some of the people in Madrid have actually formed pen-pal relationships with people in Thomas.

“One of the coolest stories was one of the kids around here she sent a little piece of her art. And it landed in the mailbox of an artist who lived out there. And the lady replied to her and kind of critiqued her art and told her what she liked about it. And that prompted the girl who lived here to send her another piece of art. And they’re still exchanging letters to this day,” said Seth.

The last few weeks, Seth, Audrey, and other folks in Thomas have begun another letter writing campaign- this time for residents of a small town in West Virginia. “I don’t know if I want to tell you the town because then they’ll all know that they’re coming. And we’d kind of like it to be a surprise,” said Seth.

So for now, we’ll leave it a mystery for you to ponder. But I will say this, all you cynics out there, watch out. Because a stranger could disarm all of your objections to Valentine’s Day with a singular, unexpected love letter, reminding you that someone out there, someone who doesn’t even know your name, sends their love.

We’ll find out where Thomas sends their letters this year in a few weeks, when they receive their letters. interviews the recipients. If you want to try this in your town, Audrey Stephenson and the people in Thomas strongly recommend that you first contact your local postmaster for assistance. Mass mailings can be very complicated, especially those that are being sent to rural route box holders.