Category: Good Morning Gloucester
2025 Winners Announced in Poetry Without Paper Contest at Award Ceremony
The Sawyer Free Library proudly announced the winners of the 2025 Poetry Without Paper contest during an inspiring awards ceremony held on Tuesday evening, June 17, 2025, at the Gloucester High School Library. A standing-room-only crowd of friends, families, and community members gathered to celebrate Gloucester’s young literary talents. The evening featured moving readings from the student winners, showcasing both creativity and emotional depth across all age groups.
Now in its 23rd year, Poetry Without Paper continues to ignite imagination and passion for writing among Gloucester’s youth. This year’s contest, themed New Chapter, New Stories, New Beginnings, invited students to reflect on fresh starts and new possibilities—a timely prompt as the Library prepares to move into its newly renovated and expanded space.
From nearly 200 submissions, winners were selected from three categories: elementary, middle, and high school. The contest awarded over $1,000 in prizes, including Cape Ann gift certificates for top winners and poetry books for honorable mentions. In addition to certificates and public recognition, winning poets were invited to appear on The Writer’s Block with John Ronan, a 1623 Studios production. Their work will also be featured on the Sawyer Free Library’s website.
The awards were presented by former Gloucester Poet Laureate and contest co-founder John Ronan, with newly appointed Gloucester Co Poet Laureate Heidi Wakeman. Together, they honored the accomplishments of the young poets and emphasized the importance of poetry in giving voice to the next generation.
“For more than two decades, the Sawyer Free Library has fostered a love of poetry, providing young writers with a space to express themselves,” said Library Director Jenny Benedict. “This year’s entries were particularly powerful and deeply reflective—proof that poetry continues to thrive among Gloucester’s youth.”
John Ronan shared in his opening remarks, “Over the years, we’ve received thousands of poems from hundreds upon hundreds of students. And this year—like every year—I was once again impressed by the maturity, insight, and intelligence in their work. These young poets are paying close attention to the world around them and are sharing their hopes, fears, and reflections through poetry.”
Heidi Wakeman followed by saying, “Poetry is a powerful way of expressing language,” and added, “What a great night for Gloucester as we celebrate these talented young writers.”
The Poetry Without Paper contest is open each spring to Gloucester students in grades K–12. Participants are encouraged to explore a theme but may write on any topic in 30 lines or fewer.
For more information about Poetry Without Paper, to read the winning poems, or to learn more about Sawyer Free Library’s youth programming, visit www.SawyerFreeLibrary.org
The Sawyer Free Library extends heartfelt congratulations to all participants and winners and looks forward to the continued growth of Gloucester’s young literary voices.
Sawyer Free Library: 2025 Poetry Without Paper Winners
Elementary School Winners
1st Place: Laszlo Jablanczy, Plum Cove, Grade 3, “Bird House”
2nd Place: Freja Hinderlie McLanahan, Beeman, Grade 2, “The Worst Life of Bad Luck!”
3rd Place: Sophia Deoliveira, West Parish, Grade 5, “Take care of Your Self”
HM: Ilani Mione, East Veterans, Grade 5, “Moving On”
HM: Sigrid Fishburn, West Parish Grade 4, “New Chapter”
Middle School Winners
1st Place: Iona Fishburn, Waring School, Grade 7, “A Poem for Francie”
2nd Place: Yenssi Erazo, O’Maley Innovation Middle School, Grade 7, “Doubts that Won’t Go Away”
3rd Place: Elizabeth Olson, O’Maley Innovation Middle School, Grade 8, “My Chance”
HM: Addy LeClaire, O’Maley Innovation Middle School, Grade 7, “Heal the Woes”
HM: Kendall Brown, O’Maley Innovation Middle School, Grade 7, “Growing My Wings”
High School Winners:
1st Place: Aleena Brown, GHS, Grade 10, “Where I Belong”
2nd Place: Emma Wilt, Essex North Shore Agricultural & Technical School, Grade 11, “Reflection”
3rd Place: Lacey Barry, GHS, Grade 9, “Surviving”
HM: Emma Hoke, GHS, Grade 9, “Notes Between the Margins”
HM: Vivian Payne, Essex North Shore Agricultural and Technical School, Grade 9, “Canary in the Coal Mines”
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You Want That Savage Tan? Get Down To Castaways For Their Special Blend Tanning Oil
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First Look Video Interview: LL Bean Beach Box On Pavillion With Deanna Penn Collins
July 1–September 5, 2025
Get outside with L.L.Bean all summer long! We’re bringing complimentary gear, exciting events, and more to some of the season’s most popular destinations.
L.L.Bean Beach Boxes
Borrow whatever you need for more fun in the sun.
Available at these locations:
MAINE: Popham Beach | Crescent Beach
MASSACHUSSETS: Revere Beach | Red Jacket Beach Resort | Beauport Hotel Gloucester
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I Got An Eyeful On My Trip
As I was going through my images from my trip to Maine, I noticed a theme developing. I took several photos in which eyes were the “focal point”. I do find eyes very intriguing. As you know, they are said to be windows to the soul. In the case of the eagle, I was fortunate to catch him with one eye closed, then open again. Looking into these eyes, I have no doubt about animal souls. Which is your favorite?
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Suddenly, resplendent. Summer blue days #GloucesterMA
photos: Good Harbor Beach. Long Beach. Inn at Good Harbor Beach. June 20, 2025. The weather forecast for next week is more unbroken fine summer weather for beach and Fiesta 🙂
Photos: June 19, 2025. Mesmerizing fog then the sun broke out and the sky was cloudless and blue. And June 12th.
video clip: Unusual seagull line up. They usually tuck in clumps along Long Beach for weather events.
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My beautiful wife Katelyn Ciaramitaro Has Buyers For Your House
Contact her-+1 (978) 473-0922
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We shall lose the battle but we’ll win the war! Scenic bustle on the eve of the Battle of Bunker Hill 250 reenactment. Checkout the map and schedule! Stage Fort Park #GloucesterMA.
Battle of Bunker Hill 250th
ON the eve. Events all day Saturday and Sunday.
Website schedule here. Map “V” is for Viewing Areas
Meanwhile, a street hockey game is underway
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Sugar Mags Breakfast Sandwich
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Video Interview: What Brought These Reenactors To Gloucester From So Far Away? What makes this weekend so special? Who is paying for them to stay here and participate and more!
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Maine Moments
Now Arriving…
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Surfside Subs Friday 6/20 🍕🍔
𝓣𝓸𝓭𝓪𝔂’𝓼 𝓢𝓹𝓮𝓬𝓲𝓪𝓵𝓼
🍕Half price on any “16 In Pizza
🎉Additional Specials for today!
🦞$19.99 Lobster Rolls
🍔 $4.99 cheeseburgers w/ Chips & Pickles
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Happy Friday Cape Ann From Salty’s Bagels!!!
We picked up some gorgeous scallions from @marshviewfarm at @backyardgrowcery this week and we’ll be featuring them in our scallion schmears this weekend! 
Open Sat & Sun at 1 Whistlestop in Rockport. 8:00 am – sellout.
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The Sad Tale Of Gary The Gannet
Gary the Gannet (Northern Gannet) is a regular to the nesting grounds at Machias Seal Island. It’s a pretty woeful tale of this male Northern Gannet returning to the island year after year to build a nest to attract a female partner with NO success…..year after year….all we can imagine is that he must exhibit some serious Gannet red flags to the ladies to go so long without a partner. It gives the term empty nest new poignancy. He seems quite majestic to me, but I’m not a Northern Gannet. More photos and story details on Facebook at Pat D’s Photos and Adventures.
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Look at the beautiful Flowerbuds arrangement sent to our house yesterday!
If you know someone who could use a smile, let us know. We grow and put together bouquets of flowers for our neighbors and community- Free of charge! Reach out and get to know us!
Follow them on Instagram- https://www.instagram.com/flowerbudsrockport/
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St Peter’s Novena Day 4
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St Peter’s Club Mural Unveiled Artist Christopher Quinlan
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Beach fog
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Maine Moments
June Gloom…
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ART SHOW OPENING AT COSMOS GALLERY
Gallery hours during exhibition:
Friday, Saturday, Sunday: 12 – 5pm and
By appointment: office@capeanncosmos.com
For the summer attractions, COSMOS Gallery in Gloucester will host two shows featuring the works of collage artists. This medium has no boundaries—it can be two- or three-dimensional; comprised of any texture, surface, or material; created by any number of methods. The unifying talent among the artists: ingenuity.
The first show, ASSEMBLE I, will open on Friday, June 27 and feature the works of four artists: Brad Greenwood (Los Angeles), Hans Pundt (Gloucester), Matthew Rose (Paris), and Meredith Anderson (Gloucester). Each artist brings a unique approach to the art form. Their aesthetics tend toward the surreal, humorous, beguiling, wry, strange, and erotic. COSMOS Gallery will exhibit a multitude of pieces from each artist, price range $3,000 – $100.
ABOUT THE ARTISTS
BRAD GREENWOOD
Brad Greenwood received his BA from Ursinus College in 1989 and his degree in painting from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts in Philadelphia in 1996. He has had numerous solo exhibitions, including Eat the Wolf in November 2012 at La MaMa Galleria and Unauthorized Biographies at Mixed Greens Gallery in November 2013. A solo show Partly Fiction featured ten years of works on paper and opened at New York’s Steven Amedee Gallery in May 2019. In 2021, a solo show of his new collages was presented at The Nook Gallery at Counterpoint in Los Angeles. Greenwood has also shown in numerous group exhibitions in New York and Philadelphia and has curated multiple shows for HERE Arts Center in New York.
HANS PUNDT
Hans Pundt is an artist and a retired estate horticulturalist on Cape Ann who has created a portfolio of renowned landscapes and intricate assemblage artworks since the early 1980s. His creative work in nature has been honored by awards from the Passage Flower Show in Salem, the Topsfield Fair, and the Boston Flower Show. Hans’ two- and three-dimensional artistic works were launched from his Granite Hill studio beginning in the late 1990s when he was part of the Local Colors co-op. He went on to exhibit at local businesses, Flat Rocks Gallery, Rocky Neck, the Clark Gallery in Lincoln, MA, the Glenn Urquhart School Gallery, and the Cape Ann Museum outreach project.
MATTHEW ROSE
Matthew Rose graduated from Brown University (1981) with a degree in Semiotics/Linguistics. Influenced by Americans Ray Johnson, Jasper Johns, Joseph Cornell and a handful of French surrealists, he has created a rich life as a visual artist, author (both as journalist and novelist), and traveler/curator. Rose has become renowned for his collage work and prefers paper—“its texture, how it absorbs or not paint, how it rots.” Many of the materials Rose uses come from his walks of the Paris streets. “There is a sensibility here [in Paris…] an openness. It’s easy for me to work here. The street gives me a lot of stuff.” Most any day of the week, Rose can be found in his studio near Montparnasse, manipulating paper, wood, canvas, but has been seen trekking the world, with projects and shows taking him to Israel, Sri Lanka, USA, and Mexico.
MEREDITH ANDERSON
Artmaking and creativity have always been vital components of Meredith’s life—embedded in her DNA and in the turpentine-scented home in Rockport, MA where she was raised. After completing art studies at Hunter College and working as an art mover, in 2000 she returned to Cape Ann with husband and son, and built a local reputation in graphic design and jewelry creation. Today she freely explores material and form, moving between painting, sculpture, and assemblage. Her work comes from an essential and intuitive place and forms the interpretation of her world.
Good Morning Gloucester 