The Endicott Review
Volume 32, Issue 1
Spring 2015
Copyright © 2015 by
The Endicott Review
Softbound, 60 pages, no price
provided
Review by Zvi A. Sesling
The first thing you
notice about The Endicott Review
(Endicott College in Beverly, MA.) is a cover photo of a bleak broken
pier, snow and cold water, a bleak reminder of what is behind us and ahead of us as well. The next thing is the quality of the writing.
So let us begin with
Emily Pineau whose work I always enjoy, enough so that I once
nominated her for a Pushcart Prize for a poem she published in my
online journal, Muddy River Poetry Review.
Ms. Pineau has an easy going style, a degree of truth mixed with
insight and a story to tell that is often intriguing, and sometimes a bit
mysterious. Her offering in the ER is “Tone it Down”
Sleepovers used to be dance
music,
movie popcorn,
small sips of
Oh-My-God-I just-tried-beer
and trying to forget
what it tastes like.
Sleepovers used to smell like
makeup and body sprays, and
feel like leather purses
we would wear to the mall
at night.
Sleeps had 2AM secrets, and
“Pleas tone it down, girls”
laughter.
Sleeping bags were
rolled up
with “I think I might love
him,”
and braided hair.
Now sleepovers are nights
we sleep in the
same bed, watch a bad
TV movie, and coax the cat
to sit between.
We turn the lights out at
11, and turn on our sides.
Back to back, body to body.
The feeling of your own
outline
being colored in by
your best friend sleeping
next to you.
In the morning there is the
good morning yawn
that is more like
“Nice to see you again.”
We lay there and stretch –
the cat is on me.
“I actually like that
movie,”
she says to me
“Ya know, I did too.”
Jacqueline Llerena’s
ADD is not about mathematics, and again there is an inner truth being
presented to the outside world. It would be nice if people who are not
familiar with ADD read this poem and then did some research into it to get a better understanding of it.
ADD
Attention Deficit Disorder
Everything is worth having a
thought about.
Anything will grab your
attention,
But only something better
does.
Distraction everywhere,
A truly hidden gift.
Multiple thoughts a once.
A mind that never stops
thinking.
Full of wonder and curiosity.
The best excuse for
procrastination.
Creativity in its finest.
If only it could all be put
to use.
There are a number of
excellent poems in the this semi-annual magazine, Katey O’Hara’s
“Squeeze” is one, so is Cristine A. Gruber’s “Listening to a
92-Year-Old Woman Discuss the Process of Pain.” “Football
Players” by Julia Cirignano is an interesting take on boy-girl
relations, sex and love. Also take note of “Sunday Evening” by
Kendra Czernicki, “Our View” by Andrea
Mountford and Jane Dutcher’s “Crime TV,” which pretty
much summarizes more than 50 years of detective stories and murder
mysteries in their various forms.
Of course my selections may
not be your choices, which is why you should get a copy of
The Endicott Review’s 2015 Spring Issue and discover poetry and
poets you like.
And while you are at it, look
at the many very fine photographs in this issue.
Finally, kudos to the
editorial board: Kimberly Pavlovich, Editor-in-Chief, Victoria
Pulvidente, Alex Munteanu, Ariana Mackey, Brenna Shanahan and Quinn
Waddell.
Also to the Faculty Advisory,
Daniel Sklar, Faculty Editor, Doug Holder, Photography Editor,
Michael Miller and Cover Art, Kelsey Drought.
__________________________________________
Zvi A. Sesling
Reviewer for Boston
Small Press and Poetry Scene
Author, King
of the Jungle (Ibbetson St., 2010) and
Across Stones of Bad Dreams
(Cervena Barva, 2011)
Editor, Muddy
River Poetry Review
Publisher, Muddy River Books
Editor,
Bagel Bards Anthologies 7& 8
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