For several years in the late 1990s, the Hellenic Culture Society (HSC) of Lowell offered a poetry workshop for its members. The objective was to explore how poetry could be used as a way to preserve people’s memories. The participants imagined that poetry would be an effective way to reach levels of memory that could not be reached by other means. The effort resulted in dozens of poems drawn from the personal, family, and community experiences of the workshop writers. Some poems explored neighborhood and ethnic life in the early twentieth century in Lowell. Other work reflected on travel experiences tied to the writers’ identities. The workshops were not limited to people of Hellenic heritage, thus the voices reflect a rich cultural mix. Poet and editor Paul Marion of Lowell led the workshops. The writers met in each other’s homes around the city, typically coming together once a month to share their work. Several people took part in more than one workshop, with a core group participating in all the workshops. The poems represent a range of approaches, from traditional forms to free verse poems.

The Editors

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