Editor’s Notes

Greetings Readers and Happy June,

This issue contains work by Stephen de Paul and Dimitra Xidous, poets whose influences include William Carlos Williams, Wallace Stevens and my favourite, the duende.

Next month we will be launching the summer issue of the Bywords Quarterly Journal at Swizzles as part of the Dusty Owl Reading Series. Looking forward to seeing you there.

Aside from the FIFA World Cup there have been a few literary competitions this month, including the World Poetry Slam. Congratulations go to local slam poet Ian Keteku who won the slam this month in Paris. Karen Solie, who has read in Ottawa a few times in the past few years, won the Griffin Prize and our own Newlove Poetry Award recipient Marcus McCann was shortlisted for the League of Canadian Poets Gerard Lampert Award.

Lots of great events happening this month, including the Ottawa Small Press Fair at the end of the month, preceded by the pre fair reading at the Carleton Tavern. Bywords will have a table at the fair, which starts at noon on June 26. Hope to see you there.

Thanks to our selection committee this month

Jamie Bradley
Megan McGrath
Christine McNair
Kemisha Newman
Claudia Coutu Radmore
Carol A. Stephen
JC Sulzenko
Lindsey Woodward

Thanks to all of you for reading and sending in poetry submissions. If you have comments, questions or cinnamon coffee cake for me, please e-mail me at amanda@bywords.ca