Editor’s Notes

Greetings Readers,

The weather has been bleak, there's been a rotten flu bug going around. This time of year it's hard not to succumb to the blues. Camus is often quoted as saying that "In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer. And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there's something stronger - something better, pushing right back."

Poetry and other art forms are humanity's way of pushing back. I hope you enjoy this month's poems which do just that. And right around the corner, as the weather keeps pounding us with its dreary flakes and ice, is Ottawa's annual festival of poetry, VERSeFest. Czech, Irish, Galician, French, Danish, American and Canadian poets will fill our city with sound and linguistic feats of amazement for one week. Buy your passes and tickets at VERSeFest.ca and push back against winter and despair.

I am pleased to welcome two new members of our selection committee: Tanya Mead and Rob Thomas, and welcome back a returning member, Leslie Smith.

Thanks to our selection committee this month:

Wes Babcock
Robert Martin Evans
Jason Lamantia
Anne LeDressay
Tanya Mead
Kemisha Newman
JC Sulzenko

If you have comments, questions, suggestions or a warm night in July to offer, please contact me at amanda@bywords.ca.

Amanda Earl
Managing Editor

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