Editor’s Notes

Greetings dear readers,

The November issue of Bywords.ca features new work by four poets. As Karen Massey writes in her poem, Superlunar, "tonight…we aim for beauty." It's a troubled time in the world with terrible tragedy in the Middle East and in Europe. Adam Meisner, in his poem, writes of "a language lost to the dark hour attic of our own." Andrew Lafleche's poem "defeated" reflects the continued struggle of nature and humanity, despite the odds. "I am purple and I don't understand" by Tanya Rakhmilevich is a poem on alienation. The role of art in these times can be to empathize, to commiserate, to illuminate and ultimately to reflect on and transcend our troubles through beauty and provocation. I hope you enjoy the poems.

We had a great celebration in October at the 2015 John Newlove Poetry Award at Maxwell's. Thanks to the Ottawa International Writers Festival for hosting us once again and to all the participants, the audience and the City of Ottawa. For those of you who are current or former Ottawa residents, students or workers, please submit your poems for publication on Bywords.ca to be considered for the 2016 award. Read the guidelines first! Our judge is Alberta poet Kimmy Beach. Consult the Newlove Award section of the site for more information about the award. Congratulations to Ronald Seatter, the recipient of the 2015 award and to honourable mentions, Paddy Scott and Scott MacAulay. Thanks to the 2015 judge, BC poet, Matthew Rader.

Thanks to our selection committee this month:

Wes Babcock
Robert Martin Evans
Jason Lamantia
Anne LeDressay
Fiona Mitchell
Kemisha Newman
Leslie Smith
Carol A. Stephen
JC Sulzenko

If you have comments, questions, suggestions or a mug of mulled wine to offer as the nights grow cold, please contact me at amanda@bywords.ca.

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Amanda Earl