Off the Beaten Path - Boston’s Touch of Class: Poet Mary Millis

Mary Millis autographs her books at Emmet’s

“Such feasts! The laughs of many a jocund hour
That shook the mortar from King George’s tower;
Such guests! What famous names its record boasts.
Whose owners wander in the mob of ghosts”
~ Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr., about the Omni Parker House Hotel in Boston.


While I’m waiting to gather some really good photographs to post about my weekend trip to Boston for the 2010 Robert Benchley Society gathering, I thought you might like a glimpse of a wonderful poet, who lives near the Omni Parker House Hotel. Her name is Mary Millis. She is not yet famous, but I know that she will be and Mary adds a delightful touch of class to the area.

I ran into Mary accidently at the Church on the Hill. While the others in my group went on a walking tour, Mary and I decided it was too hot to walk and snuck off to Emmet’s Pub at 6 Beacon St, for a light lunch. We already had bagels with butter, jam, and cream cheese, cake, donuts, coffee, and juice at the church; but just entertaining the thoughts of possibly walking two miles made us hungry and our feet decided on their own to quit for the day.

I was staying at the Omni Parker House at 60 School St., which used to be the hang out for famous writers such as Hawthorne, Longfellow, and Thoreau. Little did I know that the real inspiration was only a half-block away.

The Hotel was lovely; the service was excellent, as was its overall ambiance. I won’t rate the room, as my mother always said “If you can’t say anything nice, don’t say anything.” All I can say is that Superman changed outfits in bigger five-star phone booths. So, we sought some solitude at Emmet’s. To me, it was such a pleasant coincidence to meet up and have lunch with a local Boston poet. BTW, the clam chowder at Emmet’s is the best.

Mary loves to inspire people. Unlike most poets, she is very outgoing and in tune with people. We shared family stories, fiascos, and laughs over coffee. We both have grown children and grandchildren, who make our lives enjoyable and interesting - most of the time.

We exchanged books. She was gracious enough to autograph her books for me at the pub, as I read some of her poetry. She is a great photographer and uses her pictures as illustrations. Mary is just beginning to research and learn how to use social networking, so she does not have a blog, or a Facebook/Twitter account. I will let you know when she does.

In the meantime, I will share just one of her many poems from “On Wings of Wind:”

Friendship is a Tree

A friendship is itself sincere
And rooted as a tree.
It probes the heart in search of truth,
It seeks integrity.

Its fertile seeds draw nourishment
Where God has placed His hands.
The changing seasons, full of life
Give strength where friendship stands.

The tree grows stately and serene
Its budding leaves increase.
The fruits of friendship blossom forth,
To bring us joy and peace.

And just as in a time before
New seeds will fall and drift
To settle in another heart
And share their precious gift.


So far, Mary has authored “On Wings of Wind, “In Harmony With Heaven,” and “A Matter of Significance.”

I made a new friend! Mary is going to look me up on Twitter (@rosevalenta) and Facebook when she joins. Its great going off the beaten path sometimes, isn’t it? It makes life so much more interesting and inspiring.

If you would like to buy copies of Mary Millis’ books before she goes online, just send me an e-mail egret100@comcast.net and I will put you in touch; or you can write to her via snail mail at 130 Bowdoin St., Suite 1805, Boston, MA 02108.

If you would like to purchase an autographed copy of my book "Sitting on Cold Porcelain" just click on the "Add to Cart" button on the left panel.