Mark Tochen is a retired pediatrician and medical administrator. He has written poetry since his adolescence. He has been published in medical journals, and his poetry and personal essays have been published in print and on line. His published poetry has appeared in eleven Poets Choice anthologies, and his essays in two Free Spirit prose anthologies. He served two years as a general medical officer in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnamese-American War and has lived most of his adult life in the Pacific Northwest. In retirement he and his wife live along the Columbia River in Washington State.

Testimonial about the publisher:

Finding Poets Choice was like finding a treasure; the books  are  beautifully assembled. The pages are a dwelling of delight, with writers from many countries assembling. Theme-centered anthologies await the poet. The international reach is amazing— housed in Mumbai, now with a New York headquarters, and printed in many countries all over the world. The leadership of publisher Akshay Sonthalia is also  amazing.  I am pleased to find a writing home with Poets Choice.

How Poetry Helped Me:

An old friend said that my writing sustains me.  I write poems about sorrows and sunsets. Poetry is the language within me. Poetry is the vehicle that helps me and my life partner escape our ordinary life for a little while.

Credit – Helen Tochen in the picture.