Meditations on the Republic is a book of poetic fiction and satire, by Ruth Ann Kirton, and is a part of the author's Vanity Toombs Chronicles series. It is a series that uses fiction to chronicle life in the African-American community from the point of view of various segments of the community, particularly those that usually go unheard. In Meditations on the Republic, Poetry from the Vanity Toombs Chronicles, Vol. 1., the author offers philosophical thoughts on the state of the Republic with a whimsical twist that imagines the U.S.A. under covert National Socialism. Through poetry she opens up a prophetic debate and discussion on Democracy in the U.S.A. from the point of view of various segments of the population that live with its results, particularly the poor. The author welcomes rebuttals and is available for speaking engagements/tours. The premise of her argument is that the State of the Union is beginning to lean towards a Socialist ideology, which may one day become a full-blown Democratic Socialist Society. She describes a world in which the government has inserted itself into the American citizen's life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness through an ever- increasing expansion of centralized government into every aspect of American life and Constitutional freedoms. Through the use of government programs that often do more harm than good, systemic corruption becomes entrenched in the culture. The author encourages government reform through due process of law and order. She inspires Americans to remain civilized and hang in there, believing that the current unrest in the country shall pass, and, as always, Americans shall overcome. She rejects the idea that to make progress Americans need to break the rules, break faith with the Constitution, and divide themselves into the "haves" and the "have-nots", "Royalty" and "Slaves". Instead, the author believes that we the people, are at our best when we keep the Union together and focus on making it more perfect, rather than tearing down its strongholds, namely the rule of law and the Constitution. The poetry in Meditations on the Republic is Ruth Ann Kirton's first published book. Some of the poems include: Meditations on the Republic Part 1 & 2, Too deep for me Part 1 & 2, Is this a con-spiracy?, To tell the T-Ruth, Why the Black Peoples are still in the Ghetto, Peasants and Po-Cats, What's left to overcome?...dumb di, dumb di, da bull "Dum Diversas"...!, and I be's compelled to say what I gots to say. (Portions written in the slave vernacular of the Antebellum South.) Ruth Ann Kirton attributes most of her success in life to the start her foster- mother Georgia Ella Coleman gave her and hopes that through her work she will show others that success is still possible in America today. Her follow-up publication from the Vanity Toombs Chronicles, Vol. 2 will be the novel September Miracle. It is scheduled for release in fall 2012 and will be available on amazon.com, on Kindle enabled devices, at the Createspace e-store at http: //www.po-catandpeasantpublishinginc.net and http: www.po-catandpeasantpublishinginc .mobi
About the Author: Ruth Ann Kirton, a native New Yorker, attended Iona College in New Rochelle, New York. She graduated with a Bachelors of Arts Degree in Philosophy, Phi Sigma Tau honors, a Concentration in Business Administration, and a Minor in History. In her senior year, she was nominated by Iona College's administration to represent the school in the nation's Outstanding Young American competition, and honor she cherishes to this day. The author's amateur journalism career began as a Staff Writer for the Ionian Newspaper's Features Department, writing weekly articles for the Iona audience. She also gained public speaking experience as a team-member and President of Iona's Parliamentary Debate Team, the Lannon Forensic Council, and as a Senior Representative to Iona College's Student Government Association. She was chosen for the Iona College Mentorship program, an honor given each year to a limited number of students during their senior year. Ruth Ann has spent many years working in the public sector and corporate America, using the skills she acquired during her years of study at Iona College. Ruth Ann was Georgia Ella Coleman's (Nana's) first foster child to graduate from college, for which she is very proud. She is forever in debt to the Coleman family for helping her complete the task and to Nana for being the first person to believe that she would one day be a published Poet. The publication of her debut book of poetry, Meditations on the Republic is a wonderful accomplishment for Ruth Ann Kirton. It is her first published work of record.