Welcome to Issue V, Volume VI: May 2015 of Connotation Press: An Online Artifact!Here at Connotation Press spring is all up on us, in our nooks and crannies, tousling our hair. We’ve already welcomed our first tulips, crocuses, and lilies. The grass is flush and the trees are following suit.
Normally, I’d like to ramble a bit more here about the weather or the garden while carefully avoiding anything too political like writing about how when I read “those people” comments online regarding the folks in Baltimore I get sick to my stomach and immediately hate the author, or when I think of how we have a ridiculous group of crusty old power mongers deciding whether gay folks have the same rights as the rest of us in a country where our nearly biblical-in-status rules of law forbid making any law that is intended to single out a particular individual or group so why is their right to marry even an effing question, or how two disgusting revisionist asshole brothers are expected to spend over $850,000,000 US on this coming Presidential election, out of their own pockets no less, a number that only represents about 1% of their total wealth, in order to force their own sick political agenda on those of us just trying to catch a fair break at work and a good buzz with friends on the weekend.
But we’ve got a wonderful issue this month and I’m more inclined to get on to it than ramble and rant anymore (yeah, right), so let’s kick this pig and see what it’ll do!
Our Who’s Who column A Poetry Congeries with John Hoppenthaler holds up its share of the bargain this month with an outstanding lineup of top notch contemporary poets. John launches the column with new poems by, and an interview with, the brilliant Sharon Dolin, and then treats us further with new offerings by Betty Adcock (!!!), Rodger Kamenetz, Barbara Jane Reyes, Rick Campbell, Lisa Olstein, Jerry Wemple, Tess Taylor, and Kevin Carey. Also, don’t miss John’s preface this month—another insightful look into the life of a working American poet. Welcome to all the new authors this month, and great job, John!
Meg Tuite’s new fetish column Crazy Rabbit Review dedicates its space this month to a tribute to one of the most beloved contemporary authors for those of us here at ConPress, the amazing Kate Braverman. Shot for the most part on especially crappy cell phones with poor lighting and even worse noise conditions in and around Santa Fe, New Mexico, some place woodsy, rocking taverns surrounding the 2015 AWP Convention in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and from the heart, this one is all about respect and love. Meg & I extend a grateful THANK YOU to everyone involved in this project. Enjoy!
Drama Editor Kathleen Dennehy brings us a patronization-free look at what it must be like in the life of the wives of political figures whose husbands were shamed for acts in direct conflict with the religious beliefs in the powerful one-act with a “heart punch of a plot,” Faith, by Dee Ann Newkirk. This one is a flat-out trip, kids. Thrilled to be publishing it! Welcome Ms. Newkirk and great job, Kathleen!
Erica Goss takes our video-poetry column The Third Form to Australia this month through the work of two talented and rising filmmakers: Jutta Pryor & Marie Craven. We have interviews with the artists and a grip of stunning videos including poetry by Lori Lamothe, Jenene Ravesloot, A.M. Thompson, and Nic Sebastian. Thanks, Erica!
Our all things travel column IS BACK this month as Nicholas & Freddy venture out from their lives in London, where Nicholas is a real estate agent to the stars and has recently been seen on a popular real estate TV show, and take us along for a trip to discover Marrakeck, Morocco! Gorgeous pictures and tantalizing text await as the boys visit all the grand old city has to offer—in a reasonable amount of time and on an appropriate budget, of course. DO NOT MISS status on this one, kids. GREAT job, Nick, and welcome back, boys!
Book Review Editor Julia Bouwsma helms her column this month to deliver a review of Immigrant Model, the powerful new collection from the genius of Mihaela Moscaliuc. Mihaela is a dear friend of Connotation Press along with many of our editors and she has both guest edited a column for us and graced our pages with her work. We could not be more thrilled with her new poems in Immigrant Model as we have watched her voice mature and strengthen with each new collection. Thanks for the terrific review, Julie. And here’s to your water pipes finally unfreezing—this is the month!
Finally, our how does he afford that! look at the best that wine has to offer column, A Drinker with a Writing Problem, by John Turi, goes over-the-top with this month’s sublime selection: the 2009 Marcassin Pinot Noir. John personally wrote me in advance of the column to let me know this one was special, but see for yourself. His column is free for the taking, but the wine is not.
And remember, on the 15th of the month we’ve got our regularly scheduled Poetry, Fiction, and Creative Nonfiction columns along with a special treat that has been highly anticipated by the staff here at ConPres. We sure hope you come back to celebrate with us!
That’s about it for now. I’m going to continue enjoying the spring and all the beauty it backhands by sinuses with this time every year while doing my best, at least for the weekend, to ignore all things political and crazy and love the ones I’m with.
Connotation Press: Charles Simic Was Right
