April 1, 2021
One year ago today we published our very first issue. I described us as “giddy” at the time. And we were. We were all on lockdown, yet still optimistic in ways that seem foolish a year later. But what are we as writers/poets/artists if not hopeful beings?
We chose this issue’s theme because WEATHER is something that connects all humans. It’s the most frequent “small talk” topic because every day of our lives the weather impacts our moods, our physical comfort, our travel, our plans, and (more and more) our very survival. As with other themed issues, it’s always lovely to see how our contributors interpret that theme. The words and art in this issue are poignant, frightening, joyful and beautiful in all the ways human experiences are poignant, frightening, joyful and beautiful.
Human experiences are also diverse, so (as always) we bring you contributors from a multitude of backgrounds. Today we bring you work from poets and artists living in 11 countries: Australia, Canada, Columbia, England, Germany, Ireland, New Zealand, Nigeria, Scotland, Spain and the United States (including poets in 11 states); as well as one self-identified “vagabond” who lives and travels globally. You will also find both established and emerging poets/artists. We want contributors who have not been published before to feel as welcome as those who have received grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (and yes, we have both in this issue). And in keeping with our mission of providing a space for often marginalized voices, you will find in these pages the work of BIPOC, LGBTQA+, and neurodivergent contributors.
One more thing, which I also shared in our previous issue. We publish both new and returning contributors. This is important to us because there is a lot of discussion on social media about continuing to submit to journals that have previously rejected you. We can’t speak for the others, but at Feral we absolutely want you to “submit again.” Of the 50 contributors in this issue, 45 are new and 5 are returning. Of the 45 new contributors, 9 have been previously rejected. Keep trying, we want and need your creations!
Thank you to Amanda and Narmadhaa for your hard work and passion. Thank you to our brilliant contributors. And thank you, readers, we hope you enjoy the weather!
Beth Gordon
Managing Editor