In his poem “La montana rusa” (Roller Coaster), Chilean poet Nicanor Parra warns his readers not to hold him responsible “si bajan echando sangre por boca y narices.” (“ …if you come down bleeding from your mouth and nose.”) His graphic words are a paean to the power of poetic language.
This entire issue of Eastman Living is a paean to the extraordinary ability of words to entertain, to inform, to persuade and to transform. It is with words that young Joseph Giordano, grandson of Eastman residents Joseph and Valerie Giordano, pays tribute to our community. We pay tribute to long-time Eastman Living photographer and writer Renee Gustafson on the publication of her exquisitely beautiful book, Wildflowers of Grantham, which highlights the natural beauty of our spring and summer landscape and offers valuable information about each of the local, natural treasures. (You can purchase a copy of her book, an absolute must for walkers, wildflower enthusiasts and budding naturalists, by accessing the Grantham Garden Club’s website www.granthamgardenclub.org. A portion of the book’s proceeds will be given to the Grantham Garden Club scholarship fund, which supports the education of local students in areas of study connected to the land and our environment.)
And speaking of local treasures, did you know that the Valley News, our lifeline to what’s happening in the Upper Valley, has strong Eastman ties? We recognize the importance of its words in our lives and cheer the Eastman residents who work so hard to maintain its excellence.
So, be entertained by a playful description of the Brook Trail and by an exploration of the importance of mnemonic devices in our lives. Be informed about the myriad languages spoken by our residents and by the unique experience of one resident to feel words. Be persuaded by Peter Hope to get out there and take a walk and by the accomplishments of Eastman’s youngest residents that all is not lost: language and learning are alive and well. We hope, also, that you’ll be transformed by the poetry and prose within these pages. We may not take you on a roller coaster ride but, perhaps, we’ll change, just a little bit, the way you look at our world.
Judy McCarthy
mccarthy.judy@gmail.com
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