Mantis 19 (Spring 2021)
“A figure in which secret things confide”
In Memory of Eavan Boland
From the Editors
And with their own hands quarried from hard words
A figure in which secret things confide.
Poetry, among many other things, gives us something to turn to as we grapple with the pain of loss. Perhaps for this reason, it is especially difficult to find the right words to confront the loss of a poet. A strange emptiness lingers, as silence steals in the echo of a long-cherished voice.
In the spring of 2020, the literary world suffered an especially heavy loss with the passing of Eavan Boland—one of those rare writers one wouldn’t hesitate to call exemplary, and that hardly needs an introduction here. For Eavan’s poems not only secured her place on the pages of literary history, but did so without ever compromising her exceptional resolve to wonder, to question, to speak up and, whenever necessary, to rectify. “I value what the canon did,” Hope Schmalzried remembers her saying, “But I don’t disvalue what it didn’t.”
As Eavan’s life and career unfolded from Ireland to the Bay Area, her mastery and critical acumen gave her words a way into the hearts of readers all around the world. And during her tenure as Director of Stanford’s Creative Writing program, her thoughtfulness and care proved just as instrumental in inspiring and nurturing generations of
students and poets.
Many would be better suited to commemorate such an incomparable artist, teacher, and mentor. Tat is why we have decided to offer this space to those who knew Eavan during her time at Stanford. The poems and stories gathered in this closing section are their tribute to Eavan’s memory and to the legacy that lives on in her work.
It’s a small gesture, but one that we extend with gratitude. We hope you will appreciate this opportunity to meet Eavan again in her words and those of all the friends, colleagues, and students who miss her so dearly.
Jason Beckman & Lorenzo Bartolucci
From the Director of Creative Writing at Stanford
Dear Readers,
I am deeply grateful to Jason Beckman, Lorenzo Bartolucci, and everyone at Mantis for all their work assembling this tribute in honor of our beloved colleague Eavan Boland. As many readers will know, the recent publication of The Historians was a crowning achievement to Eavan’s sixty-year career as one of the most important poets in the
English-speaking world, and a pioneering figure for women writers everywhere.
Since she came to Stanford 25 years ago, Eavan has been a guiding spirit and fearless leader of the Creative Writing program, beloved for her mentorship and deep devotion to generations of young writers. As one of Ireland’s most important poets, she has also been celebrated around the world for her ability to weave myth, history, and family
into exquisite lyrics.
Eavan’s sudden death this past spring was a shock to our entire community and we continue to grieve the loss of a life-changing teacher, a visionary director, and a dear friend. Among her great gifts to Stanford was the thriving and diverse community of writers she built, and as we move into a new era, the excellence of the program is a monument to her decades of tireless work.
We are all grateful to have this rich gathering of poems, tributes, and recollections of Eavan, and know she would have been pleased to be remembered by so many people who love writers and writing, and who believe in the vital work we do.
With warmest wishes, and all good health,