Category: Non-fiction

I hate open casket funerals. Grandpa looks more alive now than he did before he died. His hands are fastened together on his chest over a smart black suit jacket. They’ve tastefully applied rouge to his cheeks, like the final flush of life. And if you … Continue Reading

On a warm, slightly overcast Tuesday morning at the end of November, I go to the Haymarket Café in Northampton to meet with local writer Sally Bellerose. She’s the author of the acclaimed 2011 novel The Girl’s Club and numerous short stories, mostly in … Continue Reading

Ada B. Wells is not her real name, but she talks about Ida B. Wells who refused to give up her seat on the train long before Rosa Parks could even ride the bus without her mother. We had just met, and her furry top hat sat over her hair. She was lament … Continue Reading

Martín Espada graciously agreed to be interviewed by GCC student and Plum intern Tommy Nielsen. The interview took place on March 21, 2025, in Shelburne Falls, MA. Below is a transcript of that interview, which has been lightly edited. TN: I read that … Continue Reading

 “How long are you back for?” It was a question I would be asked a million and one times. “Are you home for good?” was only asked about half a million. “No,” I would tell them. “I’m only home for about two weeks. I go back at the end of the month.” The … Continue Reading

A newsletter came in the mail in the fall of 1993. On the front page of these stapled mimeographed pages, there was a photo of a boy in a wheelchair with a trophy from Challenger Baseball, Little League’s program for kids with disabilities. Ten-year-ol … Continue Reading