Vincent Ferrini
Gloucester ’s great poet VINCENT FERRINI (1913-2007)
became Poet Laureate of Gloucester in 1998, capping a half-century
of literacy achievement in the city. Ferrini’s
seven book poem Know Fish (1979-1991) 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. The depth of Ferrini’s connection
to fishing and the harbor is seen in three poems from Know
Fish. “The White Underbelly of the Fish” shows
the poet’s zest for life, the prose poem, “A
Preface to the Art of Fishing” summarizes the force
driving the creation of Know Fish and in “The
Harbor,” the poet speaks to the harbor lovingly.
