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Marty Giovan

    Marty Giovan had been practicing as a registered poetry therapist facilitating the art of poem-making for more than 2 decades.  She had a masters degree in Creative Arts Education and was also the author of Mind Mender, a "how to" source book for expressive interventions. She had been a poet in the school system in Rhode Island and in the Virgin Islands as the "hidden agenda" in English classes. Mind Mender was also used with poetry in elderly groups. Marty was best known for her collections of creative and life-affirming poems written by prison populations. She conducted a seminar, Poetic Medicine, at All That Matters in Wakefield.

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2021 Update:  AUGUST 6, 1927 TO MARCH 3, 2020 -  Just learned of Marty's passing.  Lynnie Gobeille was kind enough to send a link to her obituary ( Marti Giovan's Obituary )

An excerpt from "In My Last Hour" by Marty Giovan:

In my last hour I wish to be like the swans
That float on my pond.
Dusk descends
Regal fullness reflects
In the stilling of the wind
Until their emergence into the space
Between the light and the darkening water.

 

 

Marty's origami microchaps & selected poems are available below.

Origami Microchap

Poems 

Want Ads

   

Click title to download PDF microchap

Marty Giovan 2011 CVR Want Ads

Who will know me
If I don’t advertise?
Having crossed over
Troubled waters
To the kinder dreams
Of being a fun-loving
“Poetry Lady”

Wanted:  House Friend

A ‘house friend’
Must love horror movies
Purple walls
And cats in bed.

Must know hot to rub tired toes
Wear few clothes
Pack picnic munchies
Field my images
And plant my field!

I like long walks
To gather wood
To start warm fires
Over hot rum toddies

I am a talker
And a listener
A kisser and a snuggler
Come and be my house friend
Call, if interested
A MISFIT
 

Am mother of five
Lover of wild flowers
Have been sought after, wooed and wed
Am wan on wrong choices
Have traveled rough roads
Now eager to seek joy, not troubles
A believer in magic and mischief
And once in a while a “misfit”
Am looking for a soul mate
Who loves warm weather
And good companionship

 

 

WANTED - Ring Master

Experienced ring master
Should also be
Freak show barker
Bare back rider
Snake charmer
Fortune teller
Certified animal analyst
Must enjoy stars in children’s eyes
Does not mind sweeping up popcorn
If available visit us in person
When the circus is in town

WANTED - Circus Person

A circus person
Who can pitch big tents
Promote local show
Sell tickets
Control excited crowds
Must love big cats
Dub in as a clown
Fly the trapeze
Be at ease with elephants and antelopes
shooter - Experienced trouble
Finder of lost children
Be willing to travel
Consider the circus as home

Intangible Collectibles

Over rocky roads
And stormy shores
I’ve collected toil and spoils
That form bridges of memories
To help me cross over
The troubled waters
To the peace of green
And kinder dreams

Marty Giovan © 2011

My Vegetable Family

   
Click title to download PDF microchap
 
Mary Giovan CVR 2010 Vegetable Family
 
The Prompt:
 
Tell us about your family
with you in it.
 

My Mother

My mother was an avocado pear,
A hard, green skin.
Sometimes when she was ripe
We made guacamole dip
Enough for the whole family.
Sometimes she’d peel herself too soon
Becoming slippery, tasteless and gooey.
We were always glad when the
Avocado season was over

My Cousin

My cousin was a watermelon
Full of black, slippery seeds
That could choke you
When you slurped her juices.
Once we poured a fifth of vodka
Inter her pink, ripe roundness.
We thought it would mellow her.
That’s when she joined A.A.!
 


Me

I am a coconut,
headed rust - A round ball of hard
But opens nicely when dropped from a tree
Knocking sense into me
So I don’t end up in frozen piña colada

 

My Father

My father was a white, Irish potato.
He mashed easily
With plenty of cream and butter
But he’d get lumpy
When we were late for dinner.
Then my mother would scrape him
Off the plate
For tomorrow’s leftovers.

 
Marty Giovan © 2010