Introduction to Issue 39

“ On some great and glorious day
the plain folk of the land will reach
their heart’s desire at last, and the
White House will be adorned by a
downright moron.”
H.L. Mencken

The world as knew it hasn’t ended as I feared might happen. Hasn’t ended yet. All bets are off after Jan 20th.  Beware, All ye who enter here….as Dante posted on his home page for The Inferno. 

That being said, we are still dedicated to bring the best and most diverse selection of poetry we receive. Some our favorite writers return: Juliet Cook with her band of collaborators, Stepen Bett (CAN), Rose Mary Boehm (Peru) and Mark Young (AUS). Several of our favorite’s also make return appearances: Ron Kortege, Tony Gloeggler, Kelley Jean White, D.E. Steward, Scott Ferry, John Muth,  Max Heinegg, Jakima Davis, David Chorlton, Barbara Ungar, Linda Lerner, Kyle Laws, among many others.  First timers include veteran poet, Shelia Murphy, Ryan Quinn Flanagan, and Tobi Alfier. Dan Grote writes to us from prison again Thank you to all for your fine submissions.  And mostly, thank you to Jennifer Lagier for her hard work coding the work and maintaining the fine presentation for your work. Last but not least, to Gene McCormick for all the Art!

Please make note that the next submission period has been changed to March and April of 2025.  The sooner you submit after March first ,the better your chances are, before my brain overloads on poetry. Books are always welcome. Also note new Fall submission dates: Aug. 1-Sept. 30, 2025.

One last note is three publications that I think are of particular interest to our readers in this current political climate:

The National Book Award for poetry in 2024 went to Misab Aby Toha, for his collection Forest of Noise. This heart stopping collection gives a human face to the devastation of the ongoing horror that is Gaza.  His previous book, Things You Might Find Hidden in My Ear, should be read in conjunction with this year’s Forest of Noise. Why is this bombing campaign, the slaughter still going on?

Former contributor Bunkong Tuon, recipient of a Pushcart Prize for his poetry based on his escape from the Khmer Rouge, has published a novel of his experiences as a stranger in a strange land, that is as a refugee in America: Koan Khmer. (www.nupress.northwestern.edu) We are all refugees now. Everyone should check out this extraordinary book.

Howard Debs and Matthew Silverman eds. New Voices: Contemporary Writers Confronting the Holocaust, Catalyst House, www.vmbooks.com. Both editors are former contributors to Misfit and I have an ekphrastic poem in the collection which remains and probably always be the most difficult poem I have ever written. The Holocaust should never be forgotten and we should recognize that It Could Happen Here. Fnid this collection, read it, and weep. Photographs, poems, essays, prose, all if it devastating.

A bit of sad news: Issue 39 is dedicated to: Dave (D.E.) Steward, R.I.P.