Autumn Issue Editorial
The poets in this collection have had it with the superficial mass culture that decorates the juggernaut of empire. The poets in this issue are tired of living with degrading work and the dread of layoffs, bad leases, crushing debt, and the erosion of any illusions of security.
These are the well honed words of the overtime slaves and the out of work, the fixed-income poor and those falling through the canyon-like cracks left in the wake of decades of crooked politics and cynical cutbacks in social spending.
These are the voices on the periphery. Those of us desperately clinging to the crumbling edges of destitution, of sanity; forced from job to job, from house to apartment to street in the trail of tears on which or class is driven for the enrichment or others.
These are the voices of horror and rage at the lies and murderous crimes of torture and needless war perpetuated in our name.
These are the trenchant words of a society at the breaking point. Just as the dying glory of Autumn marks the end of one season and the beginning of another, the rising rage reflected in this issue is indicative of the collapse of a misguided and criminal power which can be even more dangerous in its dying throes.
This is a perilous and historically significant time as our politcal system and our ecology reach a tipping point. The poetry in this issue does not occur in a vacuum. Even here in the conservative bastion of Virginia there is a marked increase in political activism as mainstream citizens look for answers and for a rational alternative to the insanity of a corporate dictatorship out of control.
We believe that people act out of our culture and its vision. It has never been as important to support progressive culture and to bring our vision to fruition through active participation in organizing and working for progress in our communities.
As we begin our ninth year of publishing this journal, we are continually grateful for the input and support of you, our readers and look forward to your comments, poetry, and much needed support in the future.
These are the well honed words of the overtime slaves and the out of work, the fixed-income poor and those falling through the canyon-like cracks left in the wake of decades of crooked politics and cynical cutbacks in social spending.
These are the voices on the periphery. Those of us desperately clinging to the crumbling edges of destitution, of sanity; forced from job to job, from house to apartment to street in the trail of tears on which or class is driven for the enrichment or others.
These are the voices of horror and rage at the lies and murderous crimes of torture and needless war perpetuated in our name.
These are the trenchant words of a society at the breaking point. Just as the dying glory of Autumn marks the end of one season and the beginning of another, the rising rage reflected in this issue is indicative of the collapse of a misguided and criminal power which can be even more dangerous in its dying throes.
This is a perilous and historically significant time as our politcal system and our ecology reach a tipping point. The poetry in this issue does not occur in a vacuum. Even here in the conservative bastion of Virginia there is a marked increase in political activism as mainstream citizens look for answers and for a rational alternative to the insanity of a corporate dictatorship out of control.
We believe that people act out of our culture and its vision. It has never been as important to support progressive culture and to bring our vision to fruition through active participation in organizing and working for progress in our communities.
As we begin our ninth year of publishing this journal, we are continually grateful for the input and support of you, our readers and look forward to your comments, poetry, and much needed support in the future.
posted by Jaded Prole at 8:28 PM
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