Over the past year and a half, many lives have been irrevocably altered through illness, death, and the loss of those closest to us. Though not specific to the pandemic, our prose in this issue, a short story by Eileen Bordy, “The Sauna,” and an essay by Denise Kline, “Orbits,” distill the experience of loss and grief in quite different ways. Most notably, we are shown how grief—in whatever form it takes—makes strange the once familiar world.
The poetry in this issue, too, holds a space for what has been or will be lost, be it long-time partners (human and animal) or what we ourselves are missing or losing day to day. As indicated in the title of Julia Chiapella’s poem, we may become “unmoored.” But in their own ways, each poet focuses on finding a sense of fullness and meaning and even peace in what otherwise might be only grief.
In this season of endings and beginnings, we bring you these offerings of shared experience.
Pushcart Prize update: We announced last issue that one of BoomerLitMag’s nominees from our 2020 issues, Ron Riekki had won a Pushcart Prize. The collection, Pushcart Prize XLVI: Best of the Small Presses is now available at bookstores and online with Ron’s poem alongside other fine writers to discover and famous writers to rediscover such as Charles Baxter, Louise Glück, and Joyce Carol Oates.
Author Publications: We are pleased when we receive notices from authors who’ve appeared in the magazine about their upcoming book publications. While we’re not able to write reviews, starting in 2022, we will begin providing a roundup of new publications when we receive them. If you’ll be releasing a new book in 2022 and have had at least one piece published in BoomerLitMag, please do send us your book information. If you have any questions about what to send us, let us know.
Be well, stay safe, help each other.
Leonard Lang, Senior Editor and Adrienne Pilon, Associate Editor