Southern Bred: Poems

by Charles Ghigna

Discover the captivating allure of the Deep South through the haunting and powerful verses of one of today's most accomplished poets.

Southern Bred is a haunting, powerful collection of gothic poems that captivate and transport the reader into the heart and soul of the Deep South. Each poem offers a glimpse into its mystery and enchantment, drawing you in with a blend of beauty and darkness. In the style of a memoir in verse, it showcases Ghigna's southern soul and his tender, yet piercing language, and affirms his place as one of the finest poets of our time. 

Genres: Poetry

80 pages, Hardcover

Published July 15, 2025

About the author

Charles Ghigna - Father Goose® lives in a treehouse in the middle of Alabama. He is the author of more than 100 books from Random House, Disney, Scholastic, Simon & Schuster, Time Inc. and other publishers. He has written more than 5,000 poems for children and adults that have appeared in anthologies, newspapers and magazines ranging from The New Yorker and Harper’s to Highlights and Cricket magazines. He served as poet-in-residence and chair of creative writing at the Alabama School of Fine Arts, instructor of creative writing at Samford University, poetry editor of English Journal for the National Council of Teachers of English, and as a nationally syndicated poetry feature writer for Tribune Media Services. He speaks at schools, conferences, libraries, and literary events throughout the U.S. and overseas, and has read his poems at The Library of Congress, The John F. Kennedy Center, American Library in Paris, American School in Paris, and the International Schools of South America. For more information, visit his website at FatherGoose.com

Reviews

[Sookie · Rating 3 out of 5]

there is charm here that's unique to the geography its set in. though am from different part of the world, our foundational response to grief, loneliness, love, are similar.

some were pretty deep while some were a miss. a balanced collection that lays deep within the skeleton of homes.

Thank you to Netgalley and Central Avenue Publishing for providing me with a free copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

[Gunner James · Rating 3 out of 5]

Southern Bred was a captivating collection of poetry that truly captured the essence of being raised in the South. Some poems were absolute standouts—easily some of my favorite pieces of writing—while others didn’t resonate as much, but that’s part of what made this collection so compelling. It’s a journey through youth, trauma, growth, beauty, and darkness, each poem offering a glimpse into a complex and deeply rooted way of life. By the end, you walk away with a greater understanding of the Southern experience, both its charm and its struggles. I’m excited to see what Charles Ghigna writes next!

[Ren Parks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Growing up in the south is both a uniquely beautiful and uniquely lonely experience, and Ghigna captures just that in this collection. So pleased to have gotten advanced access.

These poems sound like cicada song and mourning dove cries, look like heat mirages and cloud-gazing, smell like ground venison and mesquite, and feel on the skin like Christian guilt sweat and leather burn.

Read this if:
- in your family, “I love you” sounded more like “d’you eat yet?”
- you associate the smell of dust, alfalfa, and chewing tobacco with home.
- you sometimes forget slaughtering animals wasn’t a part of everyone’s childhood.
- you can count the number of times you’ve seen a male family member cry on one hand.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection feels intensely personal, while at the same time universal. I love the narrative thread and experience throughout, while the words themselves were both sometimes like wisps and sometimes like humidity.

Thanks for the ARC

[David Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are dreams in this collection. Dreams that remind the poet of people and experiences, places and emotions. Sometimes it isn't immediately clear to the reader which of these recollections are actual, and which are imagined. (Maybe the poet is thinking something similar.) This poetic account of a southern boyhood is a fairly quick read and highlights nature, sports, hunting, friendship, family. love and death. Mud and blood, deer and fish, baseball and shop class, Jesus and your best friend, fathers and grief... it's a memoir in verse.

I read this straight through in one sitting and enjoyed the entire collection. It strikes me that this particular book is one that you will want to share with your poetry-loving friends. More satisfying, though, is that you can also recommend it to the poetry skeptic and feel confident that it will surprise them and encourage them to seek out more poems for their future reading.

[Katrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Southern Bred is a deeply personal collection of poetry by Charles Ghigna. While autobiographical in nature, its themes of childhood, family, grief, memory and loss feel universal enough that most readers will find something to connect with within its pages.

Ghigna writes with a great deal of confidence, switching between tenderness and darkness without overdoing either. I personally found the more abrupt poems especially powerful. Those sharp pieces often hit hardest, capturing moments and emotions without unnecessary explanation. Jimmy’s Dad in particular was a gut punch.

The poems dedicated to his father stood out for me. They are understated but affecting, and carry much of the emotional weight of the collection.

With thanks to the publisher for the ARC.

[Catherine Pratt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful poetry. I really loved how he wrote the poems. It actually sounded like he was from the South.. I have moved to the south a few years back and this is what I put up with everyday asking what this or that means and what not. I am from Upstate NY and its totally different way of life. The poetry really does sound like a southern way. Loved it especially when the poems were memories of his father. It really touched me. If you like poetry then this is a must read.

I received a free copy of the book and is writing a honest review.

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

These poems are so delicately situated in their people, places, and atmosphere. I found the development of character quite stunning in this work. Many of the pieces read like prose. Thankful to read a new-to-me poet!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

[Hannah B · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was provided a review copy of this book.

This was a nice short book of poems to read as bit of something different in between reading some of my usual longer books. It was ok for the length it was but it wasn’t something that really gripped my attention and interested me.

[Iara Moure · Rating 2 out of 5]

Fue una lectura breve que pensé que podía ofrecer algo distinto entre libros más largos, pero la verdad es que me dejó bastante indiferente. No encontré ningún poema que realmente me llegara o destacara, y en general me pareció bastante plano. No diría que fue terrible, pero definitivamente no es algo que volvería a leer ni que me haya dejado mucho.