Wordgathering

A Journal of Disability Poetry

Volume 6     Issue 4     December 2012

Welcome

As Wordgathering ends its sixth year we are glad to be able to say that since our beginning, we have published the work of over 230 poets and helped to encourage the work of these writers through more than seventy book reviews. This issue continues to introduce readers to the poetry of writers new to this journal including Ann Carson, Nina Crowin, Monika Dryburgh, Catherine Edmunds, Kevin Honold, Aby Kaupang, Sandra Lindow, and Jason Teeple, as well as to that of Laurie Clemens and Daniel Sluman, two poets previously introduced by Mark Burnhope in our first reading loop. We also welcome back past contributors Jennifer Bartlett, John Lee Clark, Ann Eustace, Kathryn Jacobs, Marie Kane, Kim Roberts and Kathi Wolfe. Two poets have provided us with bilingual versions of their poems, Michelle Fernandez (Spanish) and Cristina-Monica Moldoveanu (Romanian).

We continue our attempt to make readers aware of current disability-related fiction in our book reviews section. Three of the books reviewed, those by Catherine Edmunds, Gretchen Henderson, are novels. Two other reviews take a look at the first books of poetry by two British writers, Joshua Davies and Daniel Sluman. We've also included brief excerpts from Ringman's and Henderson's books.

The essays in this issue are by Teresa Blankmeyer Burke, Terry Tracy, Claudia Vesterby and Michael Northen. They are a varied group, described more fully in our index to the essays. On that page the reader will also find links to interviews with three exciting experimental poets, Amber DiPietra, Denise Leto and Rusty Morrison. The Art section follows up on our September issue's look at Haverford College's "What Can a Body Do?" project with more pictures and discussion of that event.

Finally, the reading loop, our newest feature, is hosted by Daniel Simpson who discusses issues with poems by blind writers through a look at the work of Stephen Kuusisto, Lynn Manning, Nancy Scott and David Simpson.

The world of social media makes it increasingly easy for us to share work and ideas. We hope you'll check in with us on our Facebook page where we hope you will join us with your comments about the journal or about poetry and writing in general. Wordgathering can also be found on Twitter where readers can receive updates related to the field of disability literature by following us @wordgathering.com. We'll follow your work as well.

As always, Wordgathering seeks work that develops the field of disability literature. We invite the submission of poetry, short fiction, and essays that discuss poetry from a disability perspective or that contribute to the theoretical development of the field of disability literature. Submission guidelines are provided at the guidelines link on this page. We value our readers' opinions and hope you will send your comments to us at comments@wordgathering.com.

The Editors

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