Scott Harney Poet

Dear Doug,

Thank you so much for writing, and for your friendship with Scott and interest in his work, then and now. Six feet of separation\u2014yes, in more than one sense. Scott is no longer with us, although not yet six feet under, as you\u2019ll read in this short essay I wrote as a kind of epilogue to the work on the book\u2014

https://www.arrowsmithpress.com/place-of-rest

Did Scott show you any of his poems back in the McLean days? What you say about getting in touch with your own mortality as a result of Scott\u2019s death reminds me of what RW Emerson wrote after Margaret Fuller died (she was 40, he was 47)\u2014\u201cI hurry now to my work, admonished that I have few days left.\u201d He lived another three decades! May we survive this pandemic to write at least a bit more.

Gratefully,

Megan

From: Doug holder
Date: April 29, 2020 at 2:17:22 PM EDT
To: "This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it."
Subject: The Blood of San Gennaro

I just got the book. Wonderful that you did this. Scott and I shared the 73 Bus in Harvard Square going to and from work. We both worked as mental health workers at McLean. We were also enrolled at the paralegal program at Boston University. We would often talk about poetry and other things at work or on the bus. He was a passionate about poetry, and a very kind and gentle man. Your intro was very informative\u2014it fills in the pieces about Scott. The poetry that I have read so far is quite evocative. I think the last time I saw Scott was at the Newton Free Library Poetry Series that I host\u2014you were there, and one of my former professors from Harvard Extension\u2014Joyce Van Dyke. He was always looked like the picture of health\u2014tall, handsome\u2014I was surprised that he died relatively young. It brought me in touch with my own mortality\u2014as we were peers in age and in some way sensibility. I am glad that in a small way I encouraged him to send his work out, as you mentioned in the Introduction. We all live in six degrees of separation\u2014but now of course it is six feet\u2014Doug Holde