Ronald E. Moore, a TCU graduate, world traveler, businessman, and poet, published a collection of poems this year through TCU Press, and honored TCU with a reading from If In Later Years.

Almost one hundred TCU alum, students, faculty and staff, friends, and fans of Moore attended the reading, soaking in the journey of Moore’s life written in poems.

The event began with an introduction from Dr. Dan Williams, honors professor of humanities and director of TCU Press, followed by readings from If In Later Years by Moore, questions from the audience, and ended with book signings.

“He is a great poet, philosopher, musician, business professional, and humanitarian,” said Williams. “Publishing this remarkable book of poems, If In Later Years, I count as one of my achievements at TCU Press.”

If In Later Years is Moore’s second collection of poems. The book is infused with his observations as a world traveler visiting 104 countries said Moore.

Vice Chancellor Emeritus of TCU, Larry Lauer, attended the reading as a long time friend of Moore and fan of his work.

“The book is diverse and has a lot of different messages in it, but it’s really about a journey,” Lauer said. “It’s about real travel on the one hand, but travel metaphorically too. It represents that life is a journey.”

Moore gave a special thanks to deceased Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Colquitt, a professor emerita of English at TCU, who helped Moore for years with his poetry.

“She knew how to say what she wanted without destroying me,” Moore said. “I learned from her that with philosophy you tell, with poetry you show.”

At the end of the reading, every member of the audience stood up and applauded Moore’s poems and life.

During his professional life, and after receiving one of TCU’s first MBA degrees, he became an extraordinary successful businessman, serving as an executive in several surgical care centers before launching his own business, Surgex, in 1991, Williams said.