Haverhill

Poet Comeau Tells a Cautionary Tale in His Latest, ‘Unfinished Story’

By Raymond F. Comeau, PhD | March 6, 2025

Editor’s note: Haverhill native and poet Raymond F. Comeau recently released a poem he calls “Unfinished Story.”

Comeau reaches into history to tell a cautionary tale of a king’s abuse of power that turns, in his words, “followers into serfs.” The poem begs the question, Will the subjects of the crown rise up and take back their inherent rights? Adding to its contemporary significance, the “Unfinished Story” comes the year before the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution that overthrew British rule under King George III. Comeau, now of Belmont, is a retired dean and current lecturer at Harvard University Extension School. He is also a trustee, emeritus, of the John Greenleaf Whittier Birthplace in Haverhill. Unfinished Story
There was once in a fabulous land
A free people who elected a king
Charismatic and brimming with lies
He ruled by sowing discord
A bowling ball scattering pins
Turning Christians into anti-Christs
And followers into serfs
Pledging fealty and doing his will
Now imagine if you would
This story going on
More rumbles with justice
In forums that count
More battle declarations
Against foes of lesser bulk
More vengeance more lies
And suffering without a thought
All noted on page upon page
Will it also be written
That people stood up
© Raymond Comeau January 2025

Haverhill

Poet Comeau’s Latest ‘Standing Up’ Urges Truthful Action in Spirit of Whittier and Other Greats

By Raymond F. Comeau, PhD | January 14, 2025

Editor’s note: Haverhill native and poet Raymond F. Comeau’s latest work, “Standing Up,” encourages citizens to think about the value of truth and freedom in a democracy and compels them to act for the benefit of all. The poet alludes to Haverhill’s favorite son, poet John Greenleaf Whittier who stood up himself against political corruption, worker exploitation and slavery. Comeau, now of Belmont, is a retired dean and current lecturer at Harvard University Extension School. He is also a trustee, emeritus, of the John Greenleaf Whittier Birthplace in Haverhill. STANDING UP
Danger was there
Even as a child
When you crawled like a lizard
At the mercy of every rug
Then struggled to climb the couch
And finally
You took a single wobbly step
That changed it all
For grown-ups it’s a different scene
A job a reputation
Family and plans
Cicero stood up in ancient Rome
Making the sacrifice
For us the likes of King Thoreau
Whittier and Parks
Now we’re the ones
Will lies humiliate truth
Tyranny freedom
And silence democracy
© Raymond Comeau December 2024

Haverhill

Poet Comeau’s ‘The Children’ Speaks to the Juxtaposition of War and Hope

By Raymond F. Comeau, PhD | December 22, 2024

Editor’s note: “The Children” one of the latest works of Haverhill native and poet Raymond Comeau speaks to both the horror of war and the hope of Christmas. The timely poem acknowledges the tragedies and devastation in Gaza and Ukraine, but extends calming, if not thought-provoking, words. Comeau, now of Belmont, is a retired dean and current lecturer at Harvard University Extension School. He is also a trustee, emeritus, of the John Greenleaf Whittier Birthplace in Haverhill. THE CHILDREN
Where are they now
The children
Mashed
Like bloody potatoes
In Gaza Ukraine
And hellholes around the world
And buried in boxes as shabby as war
Then gone
Except for a few grieving hearts
But where are they now
Would you believe
That each is a sun
In heaven
Singing and praying
Like the angels they are
For us
©Raymond Comeau December 2024

Haverhill

Poet Comeau Offers ‘A Note to Politicians on Beautiful Truth’ in Latest Work

By Raymond F. Comeau, PhD | November 25, 2024

Haverhill native and poet Raymond F. Comeau has been reflecting on the world around us—both the natural one and the one people create. His latest work, “A Note to Politicians on Beautiful Truth,” speaks to the times and the intersection of suffering and words. Now of Belmont, Comeau is a retired dean and current lecturer at Harvard University Extension School. He is also a trustee, emeritus, of the John Greenleaf Whittier Birthplace in Haverhill. He read some of his works last month when the Haverhill River Bards met in downtown Haverhill.

Haverhill

Poet Comeau Releases Latest Work, ‘Ivy and the Tyrant’

By Raymond F. Comeau, PhD | May 14, 2024

Editor’s note: Dr. Raymond F. Comeau is a WHAV Wavelengths contributor, offering timely and topical wisdom and food for thought. A Haverhill native, and now of Belmont, Comeau is a retired dean and current lecturer at Harvard University Extension School. He is also a trustee, emeritus, of the John Greenleaf Whittier Birthplace in Haverhill. Ivy and the Tyrant
We used to have fun
But after elections it started
By creeping along the foundation
And railings on the porch
Then up doors
Siding and windows
Onto the roof
Family and neighbors
We all tried pulling it off
Experts were called chemicals used
Not a single
Green tendril unstuck
Our house is a prison dome of leaves
And inside it’s getting worse
Breathing’s bad
Darkness everywhere even media
Can’t make it in
My wife like an automaton
Just walks around the basement
With my daughters who cling for life
God help us what did we do

© Raymond Comeau May 2024

Haverhill

Poet Comeau Reflects on Gun Violence in New Work, ‘Bodies in our Times’

By Raymond F. Comeau, PhD | April 10, 2024

Haverhill native and poet Raymond F. Comeau, reflecting recently on 656 mass shootings last year, laments the growth in gun violence in his latest poem, “Bodies in our Times.”

Now of Belmont, Comeau is a retired dean and current lecturer at Harvard University Extension School. He is also a trustee, emeritus, of the John Greenleaf Whittier Birthplace in Haverhill.  
Bodies In Our Times
Every epoch has its bodies
And painters shaping a name
Like Botticelli
Whose bodies helped fashion the Renaissance
And David
Who gave Napoleon’s a noble look
But it’s noticeable
That our bodies have bullet wounds
Especially in crowded spaces
Like schoolrooms and malls
Cinemas and concert spots
Where journalists these days anticipate
AR-15s
And screaming bodies falling in mounds
Do you remember Guernica
Picasso’s painting of rabid war
Not too far from our favorite films
(Like paintings in our times)
Whose tantalizing bullet-sprayed scenes
Are as American as credit card debt
© Raymond Comeau January 2023

Haverhill

Timely Reminder: Poet Comeau Discusses Horrors of ‘Collateral Damage’ During War

By Raymond F. Comeau, PhD | December 29, 2023

As a Russian poet was sentenced Thursday to seven years in prison for reading his anti-war poetry, Haverhill native and poet Raymond F. Comeau brings to WHAV his latest poem discussing “Collateral Damage” during the current wars. Comeau, a former president of the Trustees of the John Greenleaf Whittier Homestead, says his latest work is “written in the spirit of the fighting JGW and William Blake, it expresses outrage and disgust with the idea and practice of collateral damage, and shame that we humans can be involved.”
Collateral Damage
Imagine a boy
Running blindly through rubble
His cranium a bloody mess
Or a mother
Alone against a wall
Who suckles her child
As missiles zero in
And imagine they’re multiplied
Like cancer cells out of control
And disposed of in batches
Like dead cows
Casually in sly official words
Good God we slaughter innocents
As easily as we shave
Even with empathy on our sleeves
And lessons of history in our minds
And in our hearts religions galore
That teach us love
Satan himself will glorify this
© Raymond Comeau 2023