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Speaking for Everyone: An Anthology of “We” Poems
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Review by Off the Shelf Correspondent Dennis Daly
Use of the third person plural in poetry not only draws the writer away from the overly fashionable confessional style of versifying but adds a sense of universality and transcendence to the wordcraft. The ability to connect the emotions and thoughts of a multitude suggests either deep arrogance (in bad poetry) or collective insight and consciousness (in good poetry). There are obvious pitfalls. For instance, “we” could simply be used as a metaphor for “I.” Or the writer may project his revelations onto others without any real sapience. Eric Greinke’s masterfully edited anthology entitled Speaking For Everyone avoids the pitfalls of this genre and, in his inspired choices of good poetry, bonds together the fears and hopes and commonalities inherent in the nature of mankind.
February 19
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Carolynn Kingyens was born and raised in Northeast Philadelphia. She’s the author of two poetry books, Before the Big Bang Makes a Sound (2020) and Coupling (2021), both published by Kelsay Books. In addition to poetry, Carolynn writes essays, reviews, and short fiction. Two of her short stories were selected for Best of Fiction 2021 and 2023 by Across the Margin, a Brooklyn arts and culture webzine. Her essay There’s A Tiffany In Every Dysfunctional Family, about Somerville’s own Tiffany Sedaris, the youngest sister of David and Amy Sedaris, can be read on her Medium page along with more essays ranging from true crime to The Royal Family. This poem was first published in Red Eft Review.
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‘In the Absence of Birds’ by Ruth C. Chad
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Review by Off The Shelf correspondent Lee Varon
In this exquisite collection, poet Ruth Chad interweaves her keen attention to the details of our natural world with deep emotions of love, loss, joy, and grief.
Many of the poems in this collection (divided into three sections) focus on the poet’s mother who suffered from Alzheimer’s before she succumbed to the disease in her 90s. These poems read like journal entries with often just dates for titles.
February 12
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Dennis Daly was born in Salem Massachusetts. He graduated from Boston College with a B.S. degree and earned an M.A. degree in English Literature at Northeastern University. He has twice visited Thomas Merton’s hermitage on the grounds of the Trappist Abbey of Gethsemani in Kentucky. Daly has published eleven books of poetry and poetic translations. Please visit his blog here: dennisfdaly.blogspot.com.
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Poet Ellen Steinbaum finds beauty in simplicity
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Recently, I caught up with poet Ellen Steinbaum to interview her about her new collection, Leavings.
Steinbaum wrote me: “Leavings is my fifth collection and I’ve also written a one-person play. My work has been nominated twice for the Pushcart Prize and is included in anthologies including Garrison Keillor’s Good Poems, American Places; The Widows’ Handbook; A Mighty Room: A Collection of Poems Written in Emily Dickinson’s Bedroom; and Cavan Kerry’sWaiting Room Reader II. An award-winning journalist and former Boston Globe columnist, I write a blog, Reading and Writing and the Occasional Recipe, which can be found at my web site, ellensteinbaum.com.”
February 5
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Emma Colmary is an aspiring author and illustrator of children’s literature and is currently attending her final semester at Endicott College. Her poetic and artistic works are closely tied to her appreciation for earthly and celestial wonder. She enjoys storytelling, glitter glue, and little trinkets.
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‘Spirit Burns’ by Tina Jackson
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History comes to life in this wonderfully told story
Full disclosure, I’ve been a fan of Tina Jackson since first reading her wonderful novel, The Beloved Children. That novel, like this one, brings history to life with characters so real, complex and interesting you find yourself compelled to keep reading to learn their full story.
January 29
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Richard Wilhelm is a founding member of Somerville’s Ibbetson Street Press. A longtime resident of our city, he paints prolifically in his spare time.
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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.
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