Words on Words on Lives
Where is the border between Life and Art? This issue of II asked poets to contribute verse on the general topic of “Lives”, and those whose verse was selected were asked to provide an accompanying piece of writing of whatever nature they chose to go with their poetry. As you’d expect, the range of poems submitted addressed this topic in myriad ways, and this variety is reflected in the current selection. I’ve been impressed by the poems we have included, and fascinated by the variousness, insights and surprises emerging from the companion writings.
As for the topic of “Lives”: since Aristotle at least we have had the notion that Poetry and History are closely linked. Poetry can be seen as a form of inner life-history or spiritual autobiography, in that no matter what the topic, a poem is a verbal artefact which records a stage in the poet’s developing consciousness of existence. We have tried to choose an assemblage of well-crafted poems that reflects some of the diversity and multiplicity of poets in their engagement with their lives and their verse. A selection of prose essays adds to the Life-in-Poetry Fest, further exploring aspects of how poetry and life cross-reference.
We hope you enjoy these essays, poems and accompaniments, and savour the lives they reveal. Thanks, as always, to the writers who craft and contribute the work which makes publications like this possible.
Harvey Goldner
It is a sad irony that one poet whose work appears here died during the preparation of this “Lives” edition of II. Harvey Goldner’s poem “In the Hell Hotel with Memphis Jack” was accepted for inclusion, and I wrote to Harvey requesting an additional piece of writing to accompany it. Harvey didn’t answer, so I wrote to him again, and this time received this reply: “will, try paul. i’ve really been up SHIT CREEK last couple months: operation hospt etc etc etc (see bobby byrd’s blog if you’re morbid), so aint been too creative lately...sorry, harv”. Bobby Byrd’s blog (here) revealed that Harvey had been operated on for a cancer tumour; a few weeks later Harvey was dead. I want to thank Harvey’s friends Bobby Byrd for allowing us to use excerpts from his blog as a companion piece to “In the Hell Hotel with Memphis Jack”, and Crysta Casey for permission to use her “Portrait of Harvey Goldner” as visual accompaniment to the poem. This issue of II is dedicated to Harvey Goldner.
II’s Leaving Home
Even ezines have life-cycles, and within its cycle II is proving to be a rapid developer. II, spawned by the Shit Creek Review, is now into its second issue, and is starting to flex its muscles, develop an identity, stay out late at night, and yearn for independence. II will change its name to The Chimaera and paddle its own canoe as an independent ezine. So as of the next issue, II is leaving home, doing its own thing, and adopting a new monicker. It will no longer be so closely linked with SCR, and it will have its own URL and chart a different course from SCR: perhaps heading to more salubrious destinations than up the proverbial Creek. The Chimaera will become the somewhat more wordy, less-visual-arty, general journal. What we have in mind is a miscellany, where there is poetry, satirical and humorous verse, features on particular poets and topics, critical prose, reflective prose, humorous prose, fictional prose in various genres, general cultural business, and whatever other miscellaneous things might fit into a miscellany; in other words, whatever we, the editors, and you, the contributors, blooming-well feel like.
Themes will continue to be a component of The Chimaera from time to time, but for our next edition (due out in October) poetry submissions will not be themed. You may submit verse on any subject for our general poetry section; we will also have a satirical and humorous verse section if there are sufficient submissions of that nature. As with the Shit Creek Review, we admit that we are biased towards formal verse, but we will also publish vers libre of good quality. We are also asking for critical prose on poetry and on literature in general, as well as on other topics, including historiography. Fictional, (auto-) biographical and opinion pieces are also welcome. Please read our Submission Guidelines very carefully before submitting work.
The Chimaera’s Feature section for the October Edition will focus on expatriate poets: prose essays or articles submitted on that topic will be particularly welcomed.
