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Somerville Photographer Marc Occil: His work blazes out at you with an emotional spectrum
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Recently I caught up with Somerville photographer Marc Occil. I was struck by his photographs of the “Occupy Boston” protests in Boston. He generously answered some questions that I sent his way.
January 22
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A poem written by yours truly – just before the city started to transform itself – for better and worse.
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Review of Lee Varon’s new poetry collection ‘The Last Bed’
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Review by Off the Shelf Correspondent/ Jean Flanagan
Lee Varon’s fourth poetry book, The Last Bed, published by Finishing Line Press is a stunning and intimate portrayal of a mother who never gives up on her child with substance use disorder.
Varon shares heart-wrenching images of every step in her courageous battle to save her child. She is thrown into an unknown world we would never choose for our children.
January 15
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Diana Rose Lynch is a language teacher who teaches writing at Boston University. The Ekphrastic Review published her first poem in 2020. Her poetry was recently featured at Dogtown On My Mind: Reading and Discussion Celebrating Dogtown in the Writer’s Imagination Today. Discover Gloucester published two of her Dogtown poems in celebration of Gloucester 400. In addition, 400 Stories Project published her poetry in 2023 celebrating the unique history of the city of Gloucester. When she is not teaching, she writes poetry, gardens, and hikes. She lives in Ipswich, MA and is currently working on a collection of poetry.
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Artist Barbara Marder Brings Intense and Bold Color to the Bloc Cafe in Union Square, Somerville
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I have been a patron of the Bloc 11 Cafe since its inception. And over the years, the paintings and photographs on the walls have attracted my interest. While munching on my everything bagel and updating a syllabus for classes I teach at Endicott College, I noticed a number of vibrant watercolors of scenes from Boston and just beyond. Well, I was on it like the proverbial hornet, and I decided to ask the artist for an interview.
January 8
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Olivia Darmanin (she/her) is a junior Mathematics Secondary Education major at Endicott College from Worcester, MA. Outside of academics, she is heavily involved in theater and has been a stage manager and sound designer, in addition to other roles, for ten productions on campus. She has recently begun to explore creative writing, and is honored for the opportunity to be published.
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What?! No Massachusetts State Poet Laureate?
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I am on the board of the New England Poetry Club, and at a recent meeting one of our board members wondered why we don’t have a state poet laureate. In December, we had a wonderful reading with New England Poet Laureates, and we all were very impressed with the work that they have done. A friend of mine – a former state legislator – tried to push a bill through many times, but it was considered “fluff.” Hey, don’t we have a state donut? This couldn’t be a money issue, because most laureates get grants of only a couple of thousand per year, and I believe you get a lot of bang for the buck. And it is a damn shame that our state that has a rich literary history does not have one.
January 1
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Poet Daniel Kitmanyen writes: “I’m an Endicott College student in the class of 2026. I study environmental science and want to work in conservation. I love poetry because it’s a great way to express yourself.”
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Somerville Artist Michael Silverman: A consummate coffee–doodler
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Recently I caught up with Michael Silverman, one of the many artists in our creative burg. He writes, “My wife and I are both artists in Somerville in that we try to draw something every day at a coffee place. Over the last 6 years or so we have a stockpile of thousands of drawings. The whole thesis we have is to have fun with it.”
December 18
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Meg Smith is a writer, journalist, dancer and events producer living in Lowell, Mass., and who spent part of her childhood in Somerville. In addition to The Somerville Times’ Lyrical Somerville, her poetry has appeared recently in The Cafe Review, The Lowell Review, Muddy River Poetry Review, Poetry Bay, Acropolis Review, and many more. She is creator of Poe in Lowell, honoring Edgar Allan Poe’s three visits to Lowell, and a board member of Lowell Celebrates Kerouac. She is author of six poetry books and a short fiction collection, The Plague Confessor. She welcomes visits to megsmithwriter.com.
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‘Homage’ by Kathleen Spivack
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Review by Dennis Daly
Spanning oceans and multiple generations, Homage, Kathleen Spivack’s newest collection of poems, delivers a movable feast of poets and other influencers of her estimable artistry. Spivack’s narratives celebrate famous poets, musicians, painters, and booksellers, many of whom she personally knew and some before her time, as well as teachers, a lighthouse keeper, and other oddly interesting individuals.
December 11
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Our poet writes: “My name is Sofia Swan, and I’m a 19-year-old student from Saugus, Massachusetts, currently attending Endicott College. I wouldn’t call myself a poet, but writing has given me a new way to explore my thoughts and emotions. Unspoken Weight is a poem about noticing the struggles in others and recognizing how trust and connection can feel both fragile and transformative. It’s a reflection on how we carry emotions and experiences, often without words, and how vulnerability can lead to deeper understanding. Writing this poem allowed me to put those feelings into a form I hope others can connect with.”
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Poet Heather Treseler discusses her award-winning new collection ‘Auguries & Divinations’
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I have been a Board Member of the New England Poetry Club for a few years now; and I remember judging our Motton Book Prize with other board members. When we came to discuss Heather Treseler’s poetry collection, Auguries & Divinations there was a hands down love for the book. We were impressed with her facility with language, the music of her work and the deep layers of the lines in this insightful new collection. So after she won the Award, I decided to interview the author, and she generously agreed.
December 4
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Jake Tringali is published in over 50 journals, and his poetry has appeared in various art installations. His first poetry book is Poetry for the Neon Apocalypse, which was nominated for an Elgin award. Host of The Outskirts Poetry Podcast. Co-founder of the Roslindale Film Society.
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‘Women and Children First’ by Alina Grabowski
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Review by Off the Shelf Correspondent Ed Meek
A creative literary take on the mystery novel
In Egypt when someone dies, relatives hire professional mourners to help the family and friends grieve. Jews sit shiva for seven days after the death of a close one. For many of us though, there is a funeral mass and service. Then, we are expected to get on with our lives. Alina Grabowski delves into the way women in a small town process the tragic death of a high school girl.
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