Editor’s Notes

Greetings Dear Readers,

Happy Holidays! The last issue of the year features eight poems in which you will find at least two bellies (cat and branch); a back (camel’s); skin and bone; foreheads, cells, necks, hair, and hairdo (bird), face; feet, antlers, hooves (stag’s). If you’re feeling somewhat discombobulated with the latest pandemic news, perhaps you can pull yourself together by reading some poems. And if you end up with antlers on your head, you’ll be in the right spirit to celebrate the season somehow.

I am very lucky to be able to work on Bywords.ca. I have only ever missed one issue: when I was in hospital during my health crisis in November, 2009. And Charles still managed to keep things going and even posted an editorial which asked readers to send me cards and letters, which I very much appreciated. Bywords.ca has always been a welcoming home to me and all being well, to you too. I am very grateful for the welcome and support given to Bywords by Ottawa’s literary community and beyond.

During these unsettling times, I feel especially glad to be able to usher a new issue of Bywords.ca into the world every month, with the help of our selection committee and our webmaster, and all of the poets.

Thanks to our selection committee this month:

Jesse Aubin
Dan Boland
Chris Johnson
Sarah Kabamba
Margo Lapierre
Stephanie Mason
Kemisha Newman
Jade Riordan
Marjorie Silverman
Carol A. Stephen
JC Sulzenko

Thank you, poets for another year of poetry that has made us laugh, cry and sigh, and helped to make me feel less alone. The poems stay in the archives for a year, so take a read of the year in poems and perhaps you will feel less alone too.

Thank you to event organizers, booksellers and publisher for contributing to all our poetry needs.

Thank you to our John Newlove Award Poetry Reading participants, to the Ottawa International Writers Festival for hosting us, to the Ottawa Public Library for the tech support.

Thanks to the City of Ottawa for our funding once more this year.

I wish you all a calm and joyous end of the year.

If you have suggestions, comments, questions, or rum-soaked fruit cake to offer, please e-mail me at amanda@bywords.ca.

Amanda Earl
Managing Editor

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