.jpg)
Recently, the Ibbetson Street Press of Somerville, MA. published an anthology of Arlington Poets, titled " The Silver Notes: Poets of Arlington, Mass." I spoke with one of the editors of this book, Jean Flanagan. Flanagan is the poet laureate of Arlington MA, and is an accomplished poet and publisher.
Do you think Arlington has been overlooked as a historic city, and a city of poets? If so, do you think this anthology in some way addresses that?
Arlington is equally as important as Concord and Lexington to the American Revolution. The Battle of Menotomy was fought on what is now Massachusetts Avenue, the main street, in Arlington. The British were retreating to Boston and Patriot soldiers were converging along the road from neighboring towns. It was a running battle, where guerilla-like warfare behind trees, rock walls and houses, by the Colonials, and multiple flanking movements by the British, led to the high casualties in the day of battle.
At the historic Jason Russell House, near the center of Arlington, 11 Colonials and 2 British soldiers were killed, one of the bloodiest encounters of the day of fighting.
The Arlington 250 will highlight Arlington as both an historic town, as well as a wonderful place to live, work and write poetry. The anthology addresses Arlington as a city of poets. The poets here have written poems about Spy Pond, the Reservoir, Menotomy Park, the Meadows, the Bike Path, Jason Russell House and other sites in town. The cover of the anthology is a photo of the Flagstaff, a sculpture by Cyrus Dallin.
The anthology was edited by the poets Andy Oram. Philip Lewis and Steven Rapp. How was this collaboration? What were the criteria for poems to be published in this anthology?
Led by Andy Oram, we worked well as a collaborative team. Each of us were assigned a group of poems and worked with the authors to prepare them for publication. Andy particularly focused on some of the historical selections. We also incorporated photos from some of the authors into the anthology. We worked closely with Steve Glines at Ibbetson Press, who kept us informed and cognizant about meeting deadlines.
As a group, we decided to take at least one poem from every poet. Poets could submit up to three poems. We felt strongly that we wanted to be inclusive and to encourage town poets, no matter the level, to express themselves and to participate in a completed published product. I didn’t want to say to anyone you are not a poet. My job as poet laureate is to engage an interest in poetry throughout the town which includes reading, writing, studying with other poets, and a ton of hard work.
Spy Pond, among other locations, is a source of inspiration for some of the poems. What do you think this body of water evokes in poets. There seems to be something seminal about it.
Spy Pond was formed more than 10,000 - 15,000 years ago when the Wisconsin Glaciers retreated and melted in New England. In 1960, a tusk of a 43,000 Wooly Mastodon was fished out of the pond. It is an ancient place that precedes any human habitation. In the 19th century, ice from Spy Pond was shipped around the world from its waters. Spy Pond still invokes many emotions whether it be the peace you feel walking around the pond, paddling a canoe or watching the fireworks on Town Day. The opportunity to write about nature, the birds that sweep in, the swans and ducks and the places like Spy Pond is fodder for a poem. It also helps citizens get in touch with rhythms that transcend its suburban present back to of ancient days.
Hemingway once wrote that the suburbs are a ' land of broad lawns and narrow minds.' But it seems here that the minds here are broad. Do you think there is a prejudice against suburban poets? The suburbs are sometimes viewed as a limbo, between vibrant cities, and rural areas-- but one can write poetry anyplace.
A poet can write a poem anywhere about anything. The suburbs are full of people with open minds who might work in the city all week and want the peace of walking the bike path or the Reservoir on a warm sunny weekend. Arlington is just as vibrant as a big city. There are gardens, fine eclectic restaurants, lively pubs and taverns and busy coffee shops. You can walk to many places and the MBTA buses run from Harvard Square to the Lexington Line. There’s a stunning library and beautiful stone churches. Most of all, Arlington is a community made up of wonderful people (and families) from all over the world. Poets who come to Arlington also bring with them their own dreams histories, memories and journeys. All of these are deep depositories for new poems.
I noticed that Steve Ratiner, the president of the New England Poetry Club had a poem in this collection. From a quick view I can see a number of NEPC people in this collection. Do you have close ties with the club?
I have been a member of the New England Poetry Club for close to 50 years. I have known several of the past presidents. Mary Buchinger Bodwell and Hilary Sallick were the first readers at our New Book and Open Mic series that takes place the 3rd Tuesday of the month at the Robbins Library. Helping Steven Rapp organize the series is part of my duties at Poet Laureate.
I met Steven Ratiner at a reading at the Open Studios of the Arlington Center for the Arts 35 plus years ago. Steven and I now organize the Red Letter Live readings that evolved from many years of readings we organized to celebrate Arlington Center for the Arts Open Studios.
The press that published this collection, the Ibbetson Street Press (that I founded with Dianne Robitaille and Richard Wilhelm) shares the same name as an early book of yours. What is it about this non-descript street in Somerville that inspired you? I lived on Ibbetson Street, and I found the name had a sense of music and poetry to it.
My deceased husband was from Somerville. His parents were immigrants from Ireland. My mother-in-law’s family used to visit their friends and family at a home on Ibbetson Street. I became close friends with one of my husband’s cousins who related the stories that were told in the house on Ibbetson Street to me. The stories touched my soul and sparked my imagination. Ibbetson Street is a special place for me.
Kathleen Scott Molds a Statue of Her Husband Robert
Diary entry by Kathleen Scott on Feb. 18, 1912, “I was very taken up with you all evening. I wonder if anything special is happening to you. Something odd happened to the clocks and watches between 9 and 10 p.m.”
I started a sculpture of you.
Clay hard and dark, thick as ice
I pounded, molded and pinched
Until your face began to appear
Gray as a snowy sky.
I felt a devastating cold.
The night our clocks stopped.
I worked to give you
Strong thighs to keep you
On your feet
Doubled your clothing
Closed your hand
Around a compass.
Cast in bronze your statue stands
For you
Who did not make it home.
****Previously Published in The Power of the Feminine I – Poems from the feminine perspective Volume l - 2024
By the Sea at Eyeries
Beyond the sea wall
all that remains of the fishermen
lost at sea
are remnants of their nets
blue, green, and red
and one orange plastic glove.
That morning as the sky started to darken
and the wind smacked against my windows
I searched for Jim’s boat entering the bay.
When the clouds finally began to clear away
I cried with the others
by the water’s edge
and pressed purple crystal rosaries
between my fingers and thumb
until they broke
and fell
one by one
into the rocky crags.
---Jean Flanagan
****Published in Muddy River Review = 2011
No comments:
Post a Comment