Editor’s Notes

Greetings Dear Readers,

This month’s issue features poems that all have in common the need to care about one another and the world. We are kept up at night thinking about the war in Ukraine and elsewhere, Covid-19’s continued destruction, and the effects of climate change. In the submissions we receive, I am seeing a lot of poets trying to grapple with these issues while at the same time reaching out to comfort, empathize and articulate what we’re all experiencing. I find poetry to be essential always but especially in times of crises. I hope the poems in this issue serve as small offerings of joy, commiseration, and humanity.

One of my jobs as managing editor of Bywords.ca is to ensure that we provide a welcoming space for BIPOC, 2SLGBTQ and D/deaf and disabled poets and readers. A recent comment by poet and champion of advocacy and inclusion Jagjeet Sharma on the Bywords.ca Facebook page reminded me of the importance of ensuring that we offer a diverse and inclusive space. In a follow up e-mail exchange, Jagjeet emphasized that Ottawa has many talented people of colour who are writers. In her words: “You have to hear them and include them. They may not be as articulate in the English language, but they may be in their own languages.”

I take this reminder seriously and have thanked her for it. It is up to me to ensure that we provide a diverse and inclusive publication that represents Ottawa. Clearly, I am not doing enough in that area, and I will endeavour to do better.

Thanks to our selection committee this month:

Dan Boland
Chris Johnson
Sarah Kabamba
Margo Lapierre
Stephanie Mason
Kemisha Newman
Jade Riordan
Marjorie Silverman
JC Sulzenko

If you have comments, questions. suggestions or ideas about how to sleep better at night, please e-mail me at amanda@bywords.ca.

Amanda Earl
Managing Editor

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