Author Archives: Ellary Allis (Blog Writer, SevenPonds)

“Danny Boy” by Frederic Weatherly (and Rory Dall O’Cahan)

Despite its murky history, the quintessential Irish lament is a beloved funeral song

Oh Danny Boy, The pipes, the pipes are calling From glen to glen, and down the mountain side. The summer’s gone, and all the roses falling, It’s you, it’s you must go and I must bide. So begins the infamous … Continue reading

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“Grief” by Matthew Dickman

Dickman imagines his grief as a purple gorilla paying him a visit

Matthew Dickman’s exquisite poem “Grief” imagines grief as a purple gorilla that one must befriend. The poem starts with these lines: When grief comes to you as a purple gorilla you must count yourself lucky. You must offer her what’s … Continue reading

Posted in The Next Chapter | Leave a comment

“A Kids Book About COVID-19” by Malia Jones

Portland publishing company releases free e-book for children

“A Kids Book About COVID-19” is a free e-book to help adults talk to children about the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). As we all process the global pandemic in real time,  parents may find themselves struggling to provide comfort and … Continue reading

Posted in Lending Insight | Leave a comment

Mental Health And Collective Trauma During The COVID-19 Pandemic

Safefuarding your mental health in the midst of a crisis

It will take some time for us to see the extent of the mental health repercussions of the coronavirus pandemic on the general public. In less than three months, the spread of COVID-19 has created a global, political and public … Continue reading

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“Dog’s Death” by John Updike

Updike's poem recounts the tragic loss of a beloved family pet

John Updike’s “Dog’s Death” is a heartbreaking poem in which the narrator describes the final days of his dog’s life. It’s a poem about death, loss, showing dignity in the face of death, and the battle between nature and nurture. … Continue reading

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“You’ll drift apart, it’s true, but you’ll be out in the open, part of everything alive again.”

- Philip Pullman
Posted in A Rite of Passage | Leave a comment