The proofs for our Winter 2011 issue have arrived in the office, and the artwork by Tobin Sprout looks terrific. To celebrate the new issue (which is a euphemism for “because we want you to subscribe”), we’ll be doling out some behind-the-scenes bonus material each week. We asked all of our contributors to comment on their poems and stories, and here’s what poets Richard Lyons, Travis Mossotti, and Martha Silano had to say:
Richard Lyons: “Eyebrows” is part of a series about body parts, as strange as that sounds, and is my attempt to address tribal angst without much or any immediate personal angst. I think Zbigniew Herbert is an influence on this series. I think this because I find Continental European poets more open to irony, especially irony that doesn’t applaud itself.
Travis Mossotti: “One Act: Opening Night” is the first poem in a manuscript written in short-lined syllabics; like this one, the rest of the poems generally have short lines, simple verbs, sparse use of the more clever adjectives in the English language—literally stripping the poem down to its bare essentials to see what lives there.
Martha Silano: I’m fascinated by how clichés can abruptly transform from tired phrases into refreshing action. Gary Snyder’s poem “Thin Ice” is an example of this phenomenon: “stepped on the ice of a frozen pool . . . the sudden / feel of an old phrase made real.” To make good on a title as grandiose as “It’s All Gravy” (and yes, the title came first; I wrote it at the top of the page, having no inkling of the poem that would follow), I had to channel Neruda and his food odes, summon the cosmos, and somehow interweave these twin inspirations into one glutinous and bubbly sauce. Did I succeed? Hell if I know, but it was immensely satisfying getting ether, Newton, God, doulas, duodenums, and my Uncle Benny’s porkpie hat into one poem.
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