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Monday, June 08, 2015

The Endicott Review Spring 2015

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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