This lifetime’s worth of inspirational poetry offers a glimpse into the lives of Blacks in the southern United States, of young men and women as they face the struggles of growing up in a world where the rules are more complicated than they should be, of betrayal, and of great joy. In the old tin-top wooden house Some nights were lonely, some days were cold. High is the price of growing old. from Growing Old by Darline Bell Written with a true voice, the poetry of Darline Bell reflects the values and experiences of a Southern author who draws her strength from the grandmother who reared her, from her daughters and grandchildren, and from her church family. You will see yourself in her poetry.