Editor’s Notes

Greetings dear readers,

The December issue focuses on trauma and memory, whether it's the subject of Keith Garebian's Poetry is Blood, reviewed by David Bateman or poems of abuse, anxiety, family or an overdose This is a tough time of year for many people and I'm glad that this issue reflects that instead of the vacuous xmas jingles endemic of this time of year.

Are you grieving or troubled or is someone you know having problems? Don't forget that the Ottawa Distress Centre has two 24-hour phone lines to help you in times of distress and crisis.

DISTRESS LINE 613-238-3311;
CRISIS LINE: 613.722.6914; 1.866.996.0991.

If you live outside of the Ottawa area, you can go to Crisis Services Canada which has a network across Canada with a 24/7 toll free number: 1-833-456-4566.

Community outreach is an important part of Bywords' mission. In the past we have held fundraisers for the Cornerstone Women's Shelter and participated in the AIDS/HIV Walk for Life. Starting this year, we have been working on a guide to accessible literary, spoken word, storytelling and nonfiction venues. We have been working with disabled poets and artists in Ottawa and elsewhere.

The goal of the events calendar has been to ensure that no one in Ottawa misses an event because they didn't know about it. The goal of the guide is to ensure that no one is excluded from an event because of barriers to their attendance. The first edition of the guide will focus on Centretown and will be available on the site as a downloadable pdf document you can share. The guide is aimed at organizers of events so that they prioritize accessibility. Stay tuned for its release by the end of the year.

Thanks to our selection committee this month:

Wes Babcock
Robert Martin Evans
Margo Lapierre
Fiona Mitchell
Kemisha Newman
Catina Noble
Jade Riordan
Ben Toner
Rob Thomas

Please welcome our newest selection committee member, Jesse Aubin, a prolific Gatineau writer of poetry and prose.

On behalf of Bywords.ca, I wish to thank those who have submitted and contributed poems to our monthly magazine, our volunteers, event organizers, local booksellers and business owners and staff, and all of you for supporting Bywords.ca.

I wish you a joyous and peaceful solstice and a happy new year.

Amanda Earl

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