Editor’s Notes

Greetings Readers,

As I write this note, we've dispensed with Easter and the Bywords Spring Reading is almost upon us, as is the Writers Festival. Writers from all over the world are about to descend on Ottawa and local writers are climbing and descending the stairs to various venues too, to read their work. If you have the chance, take the opportunity to get to these events to meet the writers and hear their work out loud as read by them, as interpreted by them. When I think of all the writers who I would have liked to have heard read their work, it makes me realize how great it is to have that opportunity with writers who are around today. If T.S. Eliot were around to read the Wasteland or bpNichol to read the Martyrology, think of how fortunate we would be. We have to take the opportunity now to hear writers today.

This month's issue of Bywords.ca features two talented writers: Natalie King and Kerri Power. I hope you'll enjoy their poems. The Bywords Spring Reading taking place at the Dusty Owl Reading Series at Swizzles on April 19 will feature the work of Colin Morton, Claudia Coutu Radmore and Heather McLeod, along with the music of the incomparable John Carroll. Hope to see you there.

The Spring Issue of the Bywords Quarterly Journal will be launched on the 19th as well. It features the work of Caleb JW Brasset, Spencer Gordon, Marcus McCann, Heather McLeod, and Claudia Coutu Radmore.

Since April is National Poetry Month, there have been lots of readings and virtual happenings to celebrate poetry. I hope you've had a chance to celebrate poetry this month and throughout the year. I encourage you to buy a poetry book right now to mark the occasion.

Thanks to this month's selection committee:

Andrew Faulkner, Gwen Guth, Stéphanie Lafleur, Megan McGrath, Sean Moreland, and Leigh Nash.

If you have any comments or questions, or left over chocolate bunnies, please e-mail me at amanda@bywords.ca

Amanda Earl