Eagle Feathers #225 – Poet’s Perch

By Bob (Monty) Doherty

In the mid nineteenth century, John Townsend Trowbridge’s name on a story was said to be a near guarantee of success. He was a writer of the first degree, having scribed over sixty volumes and abundant publications, many of them adventure stories for boys. Trowbridge’s papers are housed at the Boston Public Library and Harvard University. His admirers believed that nothing written by his pen failed.

Arrests:
*

James Dooley, of Saugus, March 2, 2:22 p.m., arrested at Dickson St. on charges of possession of ammunition without FID card, possession of a firearm without FID card, and trafficking in firearms.

Jonathan Torres-Sindo, of Everett, March 4, 5:14 a.m., arrested in Boston on warrant charges of carrying a firearm without a license, possession of a firearm within 500 ft. of a dwelling, assault to murder, and possession of ammunition without FID card.

*

Article by Michael T. Steffen
Correspondent for Off the Shelf

Tucked in with a good deal of intimations of immortality, in a suggestively boundless discourse on Eastern philosophy, underscored by a belief in reincarnation, with many references to the teachings of Bapucharya, the actual narrative of Paul Steven Stone’s new novel, SOULJOURNER (ISBN: 978-1-912526-4-9, Fahrenheit Press) by contrast beds the loftiness of the protagonist David Rockwood Worthington’s consciousness in the halting mundanity of his current life circumstances, serving a life sentence in a federal prison, haunted by the memories of three failed marriages – the last by murder, hence the prison.

*

Molly Lynn Watt is a lifelong activist, educator, ukulele player and poet living in Cambridge Cohousing since co-founding it almost 23 years ago with fifty others. She has taught poetry writing at Transition House in Somerville and Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement, has two volumes of poetry published through Somerville’s Ibbetson Street Press, and has been published widely both for her work in education, travel writing and poems. Her poem Civil Rights Update was selected by the Dallas Public Schools to pair with Dr. King’s I Have a Dream Speech for all ninth graders to study. In 1958 she heard Billie Holiday sing Strange Fruit in a Connecticut nightclub just nine months before Billie died and Molly’s daughter was born. The impression Billie’s singing made on Molly catapulted her into the civil rights movement and in 1963 she was jailed with her young daughters in Tennessee for her work in the movement. Her poem, Billie Holiday Sings Strange Fruit, 1958, appears in her volume of poems telling the story of her journey in civil rights, On Wings of Song, Ibbetson Street Press, 2014. The story continues to be relevant as it parallels some of what our nation is struggling with still today. The struggle for civil rights is called our nation’s longest struggle.

In the First-of-Its-Kind Role, Director will identify and address potential issues and help drive policy around Racial Bias, Equity and Inclusion in Middlesex County

Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan today announced the hiring of Antonia Soares Thompson as the newly created Director of Racial Justice Initiatives in the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office. In this role, Soares Thompson will deepen and expand the Office’s commitment to racial justice and the fairness of its prosecutorial work, create and implement trainings and education initiatives and develop policies related to racial equity across communities in Middlesex County.

Letter she sent out today:

Today I announced I am running to become the next Mayor of Somerville. The seven years I have served on our City Council, including my two terms as our Council President, have been an honor. I am proud of what we have accomplished together, but I know that we can accomplish even more with engaged, progressive leadership. That’s why I am asking for your support.

Groundbreaking ceremony for the new Central Hill Playground in the City of Somerville, March 5, 2021.

Article by Somerville Times correspondent Jennifer Matthews

I’ve been trying to make sense of a very dear soul and friend who suddenly passed away six days ago. Hugh McGowan was an amazing person and musical artist, who touched the hearts of countless people with his gorgeous voice, incredible songs and plethora of talent. He literally embodied music and it seemed his every breath was for it. He had a long caravan of musical artists he supported, cheered on and played with.