VINCENT FERRINI

 

Gloucester’s great poet VINCENT FERRINI (1913-2007) became Poet Laureate of Gloucester in 1998, capping a half-century of literary achievement in the city. Ferrini’s seven book poem Know Fish (1979-1986) uses fish and fishing as metaphors to explore and embrace all that is Gloucester. Know Fish and Charles Olson’s Maximus poems together give Gloucester its own unrivaled body of epic poetry. Ferrini and Olson were friends, and Ferrini is addressed directly in the Maximus poems. Vincent Ferrini grew up in Lynn, MA, and his notable first book, No Smoke (Gloucester MA: Curious Traveler Press 1999 rpt. ) depicted Lynn during the Depression. Throughout his years in Gloucester, Vincent Ferrini was vocal in civic affairs and wrote a steady stream of influential plays and books of poetry.

Know Fish provides glimpses into Ferrini’s poetic experience of Dogtown. “Wat Dogtown Doan Tell” tells of a mystical lunar ceremony in Dogtown using phonetic spelling to create a secretive tone in the speaker’s voice, “ Dogtown Songs” is a series of short poems and “The Priestess of Dogtown,” imagines a positive feminine presence for Dogtown, perhaps to counterbalance all the peculiar women in Dogtown lore.

Hear Vincent Ferrini tell "What a Poem is Made Of" and what life is all about in "Foreknowing"

from: Know Fish : Books IV & V – The Community of Self ( Storrs, CT : University of Connecticut Library ) 1986.
courtesy: Vincent Ferrini