Wordgathering

A Journal of Disability Poetry

Volume 5     Issue 2     June 2011

Welcome

June has become the month when our journal is delayed a bit to be able to bring you the results of the annual Inglis House Poetry Contest on disability-related poetry. As a result, we are able to provide you with a double dose of great poetry. In this issue of Wordgathering you will find both the 2011 contest winners and an exceptionally strong group of poems from writers with disabilities.

We return with the writing of poets not new to Wordgathering but from whom we have not heard in a while, in particular Jim Ferris, Jennifer Bartlett, Ellen LaFleche, Kathi Wolfe, Nathan Say and Yvette Green. We also welcome the continuing work of Christopher Jon Heuer, Linda Benninghoff, Millicent Borges Accardi and Elizabeth P. Glixman. As for poets new to Wordgathering, we are very happy to be able to introduce readers to the work of Jillian Weise, whose poetry is well known in the disabilities community, as well as that of poets Kara Dorris, Jim Bell and Ruth Lehrer.

Two poets in this issue, Jennifer Bartlett and Ellen LaFleche, are also the subjects of our Wordgathering interviews. Their contrasting styles provide readers with two different approaches to poetry. The essayists in this issue are Saundra Adams, RD Armstrong, Nancy Scott and Michael Northen. The first three contributions are personal essays while Northen's discusses the work of poet Tom Andrews.

Providing book reviews continues to be an important focus of Wordgathering. This time around, we take a look at the latest books by four very diverse poets: Millicent Borges Accardi, RD Armstrong, Jim Ferris and Gray Jacobnik, whose volume is reviewed by poet Barbara Crooker. In addition to works already published, we alert you to two important upcoming books, pioneer poet Laura Hershey's final collection and the exciting new anthology of disability poetry Beauty is a Verb.

Wordgathering continues to seek 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. Wordgathering can be found on Twitter, where you can receive updates related to the field of disability literature. We can also be seen on Facebook.

The Editors

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This site is maintained by Michael Northen.