I met Marc Levy a few years ago while running the Salem State Veteran Writers Workshop. He is a decorated Vietnam veteran and world traveler as well as a published author of fiction and poetry. His writing, as well as his comments and critiques in those workshops were always thought provoking and showed a crystal clear way of cutting right through things. He is one of those authors who, after reading a passage or a story, you think, “How does he do this with words?” His writing pulls you in with an intensity that always makes you question reality for a moment, often capturing and conveying emotions and states of mind that feel viscerally real. In person, he is a kind and humble man. When speaking with him you often get the sense that behind his eyes are cataloged thousands of stories and events he’s lived through, each vivid and worth hearing. However, ever the writer, he often listens and observes more than speaks. His example, both in person and on page, have been standards that I hope to some day approach in my own life and writing.

His website, Medic in the Green Time is a skillfully crafted and curated collection of stories, anecdotes, and information. Not only his own writing, but also that of others fill its pages. I highly recommend spending time searching each page of the site as it always has something new and illuminating. From this collection, he has recently published a “Best of” anthology. Alongside his writing is that of other fantastic writers, many who have found their words on his site. I am honored to have a poem of mine published in this anthology. If you’d like a copy, it can be found on Amazon.