It’s just six months out: 40th reunion, “Carpe ’78.” I know I’m getting excited! Heightening my anticipation is the fact that this will be a three-class affair—’76s, ’77s and ’78s together again after all those years. (Yes, we’re the babies.). I am sure there will be many faces that I haven’t seen for four decades, which is a big part of the fun. Even if you are rarely seen at reunions, this one will be special—please try to make it. Genet Ide Duke came back for her very first reunion four years ago and had a blast. “What an incredible joy it was to see my classmates after all these years! It was as though I was reuniting with long-lost family—with brothers and sisters. It was clear to me in June of 2013 that these many years have infused in us all deeper character and wisdom, easily gotten or not—a beautiful thing to witness. I am very proud of my classmates.” I look forward to see Genet and, I hope, you too!

As part of the reunion Gar Waterman and Nora Odendahl ’77 are organizing an alumni artists and authors event for ’77s and ’78s. They are putting out a call to people in the two classes who want to participate. “Whether your creative work is a profession or an avocation, we hope that you will share a sample of it with fellow attendees,” says Gar, himself a sculptor. The program will include a formal program with readings and presentations on Friday, June 16, an art exhibit, an online directory with images and audio and video from the artists and authors, and a personal challenge: to produce a new piece whose theme is appropriate for the occasion. This event is open to artists and authors in a wide variety of media—sculptures, paintings, textiles and photos, as well as premieres or previews of plays, films and fiction. If you are interested, please reach out to Gar at gar@garwaterman.com or Nora at nora.odendahl@gmail.com

Alfred Nicol has a new book of poetry out, published this past June by Able Muse Press. I loved this excerpt from his poem, Pensées Pourries.

Empire makes for better art.

Armies from across the border

—helpful in restoring order—

benefit the poet too.

Epic needs a Bonaparte;

elegy, a Waterloo.

Alfred has published two other collections, Elegy for Everyone (2009) and Winter Light, which received the 2004 Richard Wilbur Award. His poems have appeared in Poetry, The New England Review, Dark Horse and many other literary journals. He lives in Newburyport, Massachusetts, with his wife, Gina DiGiovanni.

Lastly, David Martin has been elected executive director of the American Board of Orthopedic Surgery. David is a professor of orthopedic surgery at the Wake Forest School of Medicine and the former director of sports medicine at Wake Forest University. Congratulations on the new post!

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—Rick Beyer, 34 Outlook Drive, Lexington, MA 02421; rick@rickbeyer.net