The plague by Rebecca Reid

Rebecca Reid is a member of Straw Dog, a farmer and writer living in Leverett on a cooperative farm.  She has never submitted anything for publication, except a poem when she was 8 that was rejected by The New Yorker, but the time has come. The plague Among the ways to see this time, I like Read More

Diaspora by Frederick E Steinway

Frederick E Steinway is a resident of the north-central Massachusetts bioregion. Diaspora is offered here as a unifying concept to explain or envision effects in the biosphere of ongoing geophysical transformation. Seeds, spores, particles…as things alive in their activity. Diaspora Rising of mist as at dawn beside the sea. Fertile milk of dust and light Read More

2020 Hindsight by Epi Bodhi

Epi Bodhi, Amherst, MA, Straw Dog Member, has been writing poetry since she was young. In the third grade, she was accused of plagiarism for her poem snowflake. Her love for writing, particularly memoir poetry, has been reawakened since joining the Writer’s Group that meets regularly at Pioneer Valley Cohousing.  2020 Hindsight What if hindsight Read More

What Lies Beneath by Christopher Queen

Christopher Queen lives in Franklin County and writes with Ruth Flohr’s creative writing group in Wendell. He has taught world religions, served as a university dean of students, and publishes on Buddhist social ethics. He wears his mask in public. What Lies Beneath  Some look deeply into eyes To scan the silted depth Where the Read More

Botch Job by Saul Huggins

Saul Huggins: Mid-fifties, spent most of the past twenty years self-employed and because of that happy fact have been able to travel around a fair bit, sometimes to other countries. Not so much at present! No real experience regarding writing, certainly nothing published. Wrote a couple of poems to pass the time. Botch Job Exposing our leaders Read More

Crown of the Rosary – Easter 2020 by Suzanne Rancourt

Suzanne S. Rancourt, Abenaki/Huron descent, is a multi-modal artist with degrees in psychology and creative writing. Her book, Billboard in the Clouds, Curbstone Press / 2nd print at NU Press, received the Native Writers’ Circle of the Americas First Book Award. Her 2nd, murmurs at the gate, 2019, Unsolicited Press. She is a Veteran. www.expressive-arts.com Crown Read More

Encounter by Lynn Olson

Lynn Olson: I moved to the Valley from Wisconsin, where I was happily retired. After an old college friend found me online, we bought an 1894 farmhouse and adopted a dog. Home. I am home. I write with the Main St. Writers, and look forward to discovering more of the writing life here. Encounter “Where Read More

Corona, you have laid me bare by Morning Star Chenven

Morning Star Chenven is a writer/musician/ choral director/mother/ grandmother. She is passionate about reversing climate change, singing in the duo “Moonlight and Morning Star,” leading The Wendell Community Chorus. She lives in Franklin County with her husband Moonlight Davis, beside the beautiful Millers River. Corona, you have laid me bare Corona, you have laid me Read More

New Day New World by Suzann Heron

Suzann Heron: A resident of Franklin Co. and new Straw Dog member, I find myself rather driven to writing. Writing is saving me at this time. It’s the lifeline I’m using to keep my head above water. The writing flows through charged with terror, redemption, calling and comfort all in an instant. New Day New World Read More

Proper Usage During a Pandemic by Marian Kent

Marian Kent is the author of three poetry collections, Heart Container, SUPERPOWERS or: More Poems About Flying, and Responsive Pleading. She lives in Easthampton (Hampshire County), Massachusetts with her family. You can follow Marian’s poetry and other missives at www.runawaysentence.com. Proper Usage During a Pandemic This week marked my first use of panic-spiral as a Read More