Issue 25
Reality is not always probable, or likely.
— Jorge Luis Borges
While reading submissions for this issue, I found myself drawn to poetry written by non-native English writers. “Summer Day” was written by Maria Barnes who writes mostly in Russian. “Fishing Magic” is a memory from childhood written by Wei Zheng who lives in China. “How to Be a Prism and Not Shatter” is inspired by the life-transcending Hebrew poetry of Yona Wallach, and written by Daniel Niv. “Preemptively to Parse” is written by Heikki Huotari, who is a retired math professor. Math is an alien language also.
I discovered through poetry an invisible string that connects us all, and spirals up toward the heavens or our consciousness. I read these poems over and over again and each time, a new glimmer of understanding slips through the veil.
I am so grateful for the all the poets who share their work. Even the poets who are not published. Because when they do they share their voice, imagination, and reality. And as readers of poetry we are gifted with another dimension of life.
All poetry is life-affirming. All poetry is magic. The magical string that connects us all is made up of emotion and language and art.
Here is another collection of poetry for you. I hope it opens a new door within your psyche.
Claudia Dawson, Founding Publisher & Editor
October 2021
Contributors: Robert René Galván, Federico Federici, John T. Leonard, Michelle McElroy, Casper Kelly, Serge Lecomte, Wei Zheng, Dennis Maulsby, Maria Barnes, Walter Weinschenk, Megan Cassiday, Oisín Breen, Daniel Niv, Heikki Huotari, Judith Serin