Menu
Boarding School Blues: Ch. 56 By Louise Peloquin Ch. 56: An elixir and a frappe Blanche’s head was a Tilt-A-Whirl. Buzzing voices extracted her from stupor. “Andy, get Marieanne! PF’s bleedin’ all over the place. Madeleine, help me turn her over. One, two, three, go!” Blanche didn’t need to open…
Read More »The Moth of Literary Fame: A Tale of Two Writers By David Daniel Emerson likened literary fame to a “flitting moth.” The recent imaginative-biodrama Emily reminds us what an uncertain thing a writer’s legacy can be. Dead from tuberculosis at 30, a mere year after her lone novel appeared to…
Read More »Boarding School Blues: Ch. 55 By Louise Peloquin Ch. 55: Here Lies . . . It was already the end of January 1966 and SFA was well into its daily work routine spiced, sometimes, with a little bit of play. The boarders enjoyed their morning maple butter and the chores…
Read More »In 1969, Tim Trask returned from the Vietnam War and took a job as a guard at Massachusetts Correctional Institute (MCI) Concord. The following is taken from his memoir about that experience. Other parts of that work, West of Walden, appeared on this site as Odysseus Wandering (on Oct. 4,…
Read More »In her newly released second novel, The River is Everywhere, Lowell writer-editor-author Emilie-Noelle Provost takes readers on a roller-coaster coming of age ride that is immersed in the Franco-American culture of the northeast. Ernest Benoit, the 16-year old protagonist, is shattered by the accidental drowning death of his best friend…
Read More »Boarding School Blues: Ch. 54 By Louise Peloquin Ch. 54: Airlock The return to SFA was devoid of fáilte (1). As soon as Blanche crossed the threshold, Sister Gerald ordered “leave your coat and suitcase here; prayer in the chapel now.” Like an automaton, Blanche set in motion. “It’s as…
Read More »Palmer Method Porn By David Daniel It is in the fifth carton Franny’s husband trundles up from the basement. She and Tod are downsizing. It’s a good day for it, snowy outside. So far, they’ve filled six plastic trash bags and have set aside other belongings in piles. Items the…
Read More »Our far-flung contributor Jim Provencher in Australia sent us a poem in response to my essay about hometown baseball from a few days ago (“Organized Ball”). Jim spent youthful days in Portland, Maine, playing Babe Ruth League, high school, and American Legion baseball. Here’s what he told us: “It’s weird,…
Read More »Boarding School Blues: Ch. 53 By Louise Peloquin Ch. 53: A turtle’s heart Maman and Blanche thanked Madame Briard for the lovely collation and quickly took their leave. Before bidding her guests farewell, the hostess extended another invitation. “You must return to my library once my latest accession arrives, an…
Read More »Boarding School Blues: Ch. 52 By Louise Peloquin Ch. 52: Eve of Destruction The initiation to skiing left its mark. Within twenty-four hours, indigo, violet and maroon splotches popped up all over Blanche’s and her brother’s bodies. Proud of his battle wounds, Antoine wowed Byron and Maggie by showing them…
Read More »