Long Island, New York. Here are a few more photos of Longwood High School and its students, courtesy of our unofficial class archivist, the indispensable Carrie Schor. These would be shots of the International Student Organization, between 1988 and 1990.
I miss skinny 1980’s ties.
Thanks again, Carrie! 🙂
Long Island, New York. Here’s a set of incriminating photos from someone who really should be named our class archivist — Carrie Schor (formerly Carrie Harbach). I believe most of these come from our junior and senior years (1988 – 1990). But I’m not sure. That snow-colored, skinny little gnome Nolan in the red Adidas t-shirt looks considerably younger than a high school student.
That shot at the beach is of a couple of members of the International Student Organization.
More next week.
Image credit: Andre Carrotflower, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
The past year was the best ever for poetry and commentary, with publications in the United States, Britain, Ireland, Germany, India and Bangladesh — along with a short story publication in Chile.
You can find all the links to my 2025 poetry and commentary at the link below. Thanks for coming along for the ride. 🙂
Forest Park in Queens, New York.
Maud Newton, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
My father was a poet too. He wrote this for my sister Kerry for her 16th birthday.
There are a couple of references here that might be confusing … Longwood was the name of our high school. (Students were known as “Lions” and the cheerleaders were “Lionettes.”) And my sister wore an eyepatch when she was very young to correct a vision issue.
“Kerry,” by Robert James Nolan
I’ve a daughter (name of Kerry), she is my second born,
She’s as pretty as a sunset and as graceful as a fawn.
And, though not really a healthy child (we once thought she was dying),
She beat all the odds against her, ’cause she tried (and kept on trying!)
When just a babe, she had to wear a patch upon her eye,
And she wore it, though she couldn’t understand the reason why.
She wore it when she played jump rope, and jacks and Barbie dolls,
She wore it playing hide-and-seek in Forest Park’s green knolls.
She wore it when she went to school (I know THAT was hard to do.)
She wore it and she didn’t complain (hey girl, we’re proud of you)!
Now she’s all grown up and popular (her friends are always callin’).
And at school it is for Kerry Jeanne the boys are always fallin’.
She is a famous Longwood Lionette and a rising Longwood Track star,
And everyone who knows her says, “That girl is sure to go far.”
And Kerry’s quite the baker (baking is a family trait).
She makes chocolate chocolate-chip cookies that really are first-rate.
She can swim like a fish and dive like a seal with hardly a splash or bubble.
And does gymnastics routines with an elegant ease (though the times tables still give her trouble).
There’s a whole lot more that I could say about our Kerry Jeanne,
And the tings that she’s accomplished (though she’s still not quite sixteen).
But instead I’ll ask the question. “Kerry, wouldn’t it be fun …
“To memorize the times tables before you’re 21?”
(Marc A. Hermann / MTA)
I’m so happy today to see my poem “Contagion is a Despot Poet” featured by Bulb Culture Collective!
Thank you again, Ms. L. M. Cole and Mr. Jared Povanda, for selecting my work. 🙂
Suffolk County, New York, late 1980’s.
I had Ms. Hateau in the 10th grade, Mr. Bigham in 11th and Mr. Anderson in the 12th.
These pictures come courtesy of my great old friend, Carrie Schor (who was Carrie Harbach, back in the day).
[Update — my alumni who do NOT have dementia have reminded me that I had Bigham in the 10th grade, and Hateau in 11th.]
Local Gems Press has selected my poem “Like White Plumeria Petal” for its upcoming Empire Poetry Verse collection. While I am always grateful to be included in the publisher’s anthologies, I am especially happy to see my work in a volume specifically dedicated to poets from New York.
The launch event for Empire Poetry Verse is scheduled for May 18th in Greenlawn, NY. The book is also available for preorder here at the Local Gems Press website.
Thanks once again to James P. Wagner for allowing me to be a part of this important creative community!
Eric Robert Nolan, Author 