Editor's Notes

Greetings Dear Readers,

This month’s issue features poems that seek something or someone, and several are poems of grief and remembrance of loved ones. I hope you enjoy the issue.

I had the pleasure of attending a recent open mic organized by the Carleton University Poetics Society. Poetry is alive and well in the Nation’s Capital with people of all ages writing and sharing their poems at open mics. For me, the open mic is an important contribution to emerging and established writers’ creativity. We try out our writing in front of audience members, many of whom we may not know personally, and we share our urgent thoughts and feelings about the state of the world. The experience is one of sharing and community and it is enriching. Open mics are prevalent throughout Ottawa, especially downtown. Some focus on poetry, while others are more focussed on music, but also include poetry. I urge you to attend open mics in your community and share your work, engage with the work of other writers and be part of this thriving creative circle.

We are grateful for funding received from the City of Ottawa once again this year. This funding allows us to pay our artists, which is vital for any literary publication.

Thanks to our selection committee this month:

Dan Boland
Sarah Kabamba
Margo Lapierre
Stephanie Mason
Kemisha Newman
Colin Quin
Jade Riordan
Marjorie Silverman
JC Sulzenko
Kuna Zero

If you have questions, comments, suggestions or ice-cold beverages to share, please contact me at amanda@bywords.ca.

Amanda Earl
Managing Editor

For regular event updates, please follow me on Bluesky or join our FaceBook fan page.