Dear Readers,

Just as driving or dreaming are times of liminality, so was our experience of culling poems while searching out which would grace the first issue of this new literary journal. Then, as though on a road one has traveled in dreams, certain poems surfaced with voices both familiar and fresh and we knew we had found the landmarks we were looking for.

What a range of submissions: from internationally revered poets to poets just entering the scene. In this launch issue of Mason’s Road there is a broad array of poetic voices spanning from the metaphysical to the world of a Joseph Cornell painting; from a red shoe to a bake sale; from a poem to a pear. There are raw voices of a love affair, and gentle voices of nature and silence. There are voices that integrate form and content seamlessly, whether capturing the essence of Joan Didion or the symbolism of a haircut. Still other voices capture the experience of leaving a Kafka paperbook behind on a train or surviving a father’s abuse with a deaf sibling.

It has been an inspiring and deeply rewarding experience to edit this very first issue of Mason’s Road. We thank everyone who submitted, even those whose voices are not included here. Much of the work was compelling and it was a difficult selection process. We hope you enjoy it as much as we have.

With warmth and gratitude,

Kelly Coveny & Annabelle Moseley
Poetry Co-Editors