From the Ether
editor’s note
*
On Gratitude
I went walking this morning in hopes of clarifying some ideas I had for this
column. A walk can be a terrific resource for problem solving, whether how to
unknot a poem I’m working on, to revive myself after hours at the computer, or
as in this case, to discover the way into something I want to write. By the time
I got out the door, the fog’s early morning shroud had lifted, heady scents of
jasmine and wisteria filtered the bright, cool air, and the lately returned
mockingbird was having at it. Spring in northern California, and the weekend
under my feet. I remembered a phrase I’d just heard Peter Malae read from his
new novel,
What We Are, an anecdote the main character repeats to himself:
breathe out gratitude. That didn’t seem so hard; I could breathe gratitude in
and out on such a morning.
Getting this issue out has been a particular challenge. We’re an all-volunteer,
otherwise busily occupied staff of editors; it’s actually somewhat of a miracle
we pull the DMQ Review together issue after issue. My hopes of producing an
issue in time for National Poetry Month were seriously hampered, however, by my
own schedule, the recent release of two books, the annual AWP conference held
this year in April, and finally, taxes. Taxes took out our hardworking, unnamed
webmaster, but here we are with a terrific issue for which I am most grateful to
the collaborative efforts of all our staff
, including a new addition, Dean Rader. And, it’s still April!
But the idea to consider gratitude at all came about two weeks ago as I began to
order the poems accepted for Spring 2010. I do this the way I order poems for
any collection. I lay them out around the dining table and begin to circle—reading, rearranging. It was the sight of these poems stretched around the table
that moved me to gratitude for the talent, work and hope each represent. It’s
a full issue. On the table lay 26 individual gestures of the creative human
spirit, of the poetic mind, of the conviction that poetry matters. What a
privilege to play some part in the process of bringing this good work to the
public view. What a thing to be entrusted with this task.
I have gratitude, too, for the talented artists who issue after issue share
their images here and enliven our pages and minds. I’m pretty damn excited by
featured artist
Charles Farrell’s marvelous collage and photomontage. Wild and
wonderful!
It’s my hope, and I believe the hope of all the editors here at the DMQ Review,
that this issue will offer you many opportunities to breathe in poems, our
uncommon language, and to breathe out gratitude for the words and worlds shared
here.
Sally Ashton
Editor-in-chief