Elizabeth Clayton began teaching at the age of twenty at the University of Southern Mississippi. Presently retired, she is spending her days reviewing and preparing her works for publication. Clayton has published thirteen works (primarily poetry) since the release of her autobiography in 2007, which chronicles her struggles with Bipolar Disorder. In November, 2012, she was inducted into the Literary Hall of Fame, Sigma Kappa Delta, and nominated for the Eric Hoffer award by her publisher in early spring, 2013. She is also featured in the summer, 2013 quarter of Forward magazine, and her work, Scarlet Flow, was shown in the World Book fair, in London, England in early 2013. Additionally, on January 5, and February 9, 2014, she was featured in the New York Times “New Voices, New Perspectives” segment; her most recent work, Quiet Sheba, a trilogy, begun in 2015 was completed (two final volumes) in February 2016. For this work, she received the Golden Seal of Excellence Award from her publisher. “Knighting” the “Lesser Gods” Knowing truth is descriptive of finding place in diffused light, and it, filled, to be separated with shade and vapors - often, sunlight and clear, may be as much, the lady making her countenance, colors added, to be softened, and, then, to be taken away; but if time is allowed, the day’s steps, “will out” - “it” always does - the sainted troth, in springtime, sometime, almost, often, is achieved, the knighting of we, the “lesser gods.” The face, sponsoring the features, the will, pushes forth, and we meet to clasp, and hold, to know our absolute press toward the mark, we waiting seekers, to find the postulate of the wager, a fashioned visage, rose and ivory, dressing Romanesque leanings - our treasure, a satisfied whole, the complete, of the appointed care, an accepted knowing.

--Ah, we cannot know, in reality, until the afternoon, how much the feast has set out for us. The book, We Lesser Gods is a record of a difficult compilation of one life, one self - events, sentiments, ideas -- these formed and being accepted or rejected in their come maturity. Ideas are included at many cognitive levels, toward the consensus, said to be a choice, but a forced choice, involving components of only surmisal, balanced by the forward appendage of thought: hope. ...I must admit you have a way with words! I found your poetry interesting, and your descriptions very vivid, and with emotion. I thank you very much for sharing your talents with me...best wishes for your continued success. ...besides literary gifts you have the gift of thoughtfulness. Thank you so much for sharing your talents and gifts with others... Sister Dorothea Songeroth President of St. Dominics Health Services St. Dominic Hospital Jackson, MS

"A crown is but the open flower in sunshine's bright." Inside our thought holds most of the riddle of existence; we interact primarily with the objectively real, but always in companionship with the part of ourselves that is like an unclear halo. We know it is truly our own, but, in great part, clouded. It is the marvelous self that is non-corporal. It is the spiritual unit of our being, and while troubling and source to much sorrow, it is triumphant, as we die to its revealing, we, then, rising, as the grande phoenix out her ashes to the upward. It is truly a source of secrets, an entrance, however painful, for the Holy into our being; it allows a concept of beauty to blossom in heinous circumstance, and allows night to be born into a knowing glory, solitude, in onliness, to present honorable messages of truth. Therefore, the bog, the marsh, the heath, in purple or grey – the bramble, yet the swamp – these are familiar settings for research and truth. Our cognitive skills and their enlightening studies in classrooms, everyday walks, traumatic events, as well as alternations in natural rhythming – these we bring inside ourselves to see what we may see – perhaps a rose; the rose grows into much of itself, into its rarity of beauty, within the dark, and as a metaphor of truth, more out of solitude and personal embracing of ultimately finding.

Hard reality is a construct that is heavy in its actuality. All individuals bend under its weight and thrash about, often helplessly, to be free of its truth. At times, our behavior reverts to violence; at others, to prayer; and at times, we seek the comfort of the wisdom of those who tell of their methods of finding relief. Fable and myth are ancient steps taken to soothe troubled circumstances. Rainbows, gold, and goodness represented in beauty have often taken about themselves the power of salvation, as the white hart representing Christs’ presence here on earth.