A whale ship was my Yale College and my Harvard. - Herman Melville, Moby Dick
I read Moby Dick for the first time in 1977, the year my son was born. I've read it every summer since then, sometimes closely and sometimes not so closely. That line jumps out at me every time. Life is in the doing, so here we go.
First off, a big thank you to Richard Foerster for stepping in as guest editor of this issue. In addition to being a wonderful poet and a wonderful person, he's the author of nine poetry collections, most recently With Little Light and Sometimes None at All (Littoral Books, 2023).
He is also an editing, proof reading, formatting Swiss Army Knife. He has worked as a lexicographer, educational writer, typesetter, teacher, and editor of the literary magazines Chelsea and Chautauqua Literary Journal. He sent me the poets he had selected on the day he said he would. He delivered a copy-edited, perfectly formatted file on the day he said he would.
Most importantly, he's given us a memorable issue of Hole In The Head and much-needed space for the editors who are working diligently to keep up with submissions for The Charles Simic Prize.
Take a close look at the striking cover art from Pia Quintano and the messages, almost wiped off the face. Breathe. Heal.
Breathe. Heal.
Our readers for the past 365 days
As with every issue, I give thanks to the hard-working crew down at Hole In The Headquarters: Bill Burtis, Nancy Jean Hill, Marilyn A. Johnson, Jere DeWaters, Michael Hettich, Tom Bruton, and our newest associate editor, Mike Bove.
I have scoured every name, every punctuation mark, every line break in every poem....and still I know those pesky typos, misspells, and quirky formatting issues are lurking. Think of this as an old Persian rug, most beautiful because of its flaws. And when you find one please let me know and I'll try to mend it. editor@holeintheheadreview.com.
One last thing. While you CAN view Hole In The Head on your phone, it's really not designed for that. For the full experience, please view on a computer screen or, even better, on a tablet.
We'll be back November 1 with more of this hole thing AND announce the winners of The Charles Simic Memorial Prize.
What I'm Listening to
I sang this (acapella!) as my wedding vows nearly five years ago to the shock and dismay of those in attendance. But not to my bride and that's what counts the most.
Happy anniversary, Autumn...come rain or come shine.