By Carle Johnson

Stanley Kunitz dedicated his poem “My Mother’s Pears” to Greg and Carol Stockmal of Worcester.

One stanza of the poem is this grateful thank you to them:

“Those strangers are my friends
whose kindness blesses the house
my mother built at the edge of town…”

From the hallway to the kitchen of his Worcester home, Greg Stockmal noticed people peering in from the windows on the front porch. Nosey neighbors? Prowlers? Call the police?

Are the paintings on the wall worth a daylight break-in attempt?

When Greg stepped out on to the porch, the man began talking before Greg could ask a question. “We’re sorry. We didn’t think anyone was at home. We are on our way to Vermont and had heard about your home. We just wanted to take a peek inside on our way.” Continue reading The house on Vernon Hill: poet Stanley Kunitz’s childhood home and Greg Stockmal’s beloved sanctuary →