 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Archive of Editor’s Letters:
2010 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005JUANITA TORRENCE-THOMPSON — September 2006
Taking the reins of Mobius, The Poetry Magazine (now an annual) has fulfilled one of my dreams. I am encouraged about the future of poetry based on the quality, originality, breadth and diversity of submissions. Possibly due to our publicity, I have read 600 poems and our staff has collectively read them. Poets in this issue of MÖBIUS (150) range from U.S. Poet Laureate and other award-winning poets to gifted emerging poets. However, please watch typos and don’t rely solely on spell check.
Although MÖBIUS cannot sponsor contests, high school and college student contest winners appear in these pages because it is important to encourage our poets of tomorrow by giving them international exposure.
MÖBIUS received poems from 110 U.S. cities, 35 states and Thailand, Argentina, Italy, England, Australia, Canada, The Netherlands and Ireland. We received the most foreign submissions from Ireland. New York State had the most with 43 poets.
Speaking of poetry – a blatant segue’ — for those of you who have never attended the National Federation of State Poetry Societies (NFSPS) annual convention, you are missing a poetic cornucopia. It is wall-to-wall presentations, poetry readings of prize-winning poems often by the winners, open mic readings, contests, excellent food, optional sightseeing, all rolled into a dynamic Thursday through Sunday. Next year the convention will be in Oklahoma. See www.nfsps.com
Fortunately I was invited to be a featured speaker at the 2006 NFSPS convention in San Antonio, Texas, U.S.A. My presentation on “Four African-American Poets: Their Lives and Poetry” focused on poets Rita Dove, Nikki Giovanni (who are in this issue), Langston Hughes and Renaissance man Gordon Parks. I dedicated my talk to Gordon Parks, whom I had met and who recently passed away. I was “pleased as punch,” to quote former Vice President Hubert Humphrey, that I was able to spotlight the poetry of those outstanding African-American poets and to experience the thunderous approval in the packed double ballrooms. Poets, some with tear-filled eyes, thanked me for enlightening them. I was embraced figuratively and sometimes literally throughout the convention. It doesn’t get any better than that.
While in San Antonio, I had the pleasure of meeting poet/activist Trinidad Sanchez, Jr. after he read his hilarious poetry opening night of the convention. My husband and I talked with him, read his wonderful books and took photos with this warm, friendly man. Fortunately for all of us, Trinidad sent his poems for publication in MÖBIUS before his recent passing. So enjoy every morsel. He will be deeply missed.
Before San Antonio, I gave a few readings in New York and after our return, I won 2nd prize in the Spoken Word Poetry contest sponsored by NYABJ and waltzed home with $200 lining my purse.
Please read our revised submission guidelines, which include specific line and character limits. Please also see our new Contributor Bios in MÖBIUS. As promised, here is our Board and editorial staff, who are to be congratulated for doing a yeoman-like job. Thank you for submitting. Our enthusiasm soared as we read many of your poems. Alphabetically they are:
Dominick Arbolay, Assistant Editor, has been published in La Nuez, The World, The U.S. Latino Review and Hanging Loose Press. His chapbook is The Phantoms. He moderates the peer group workshop at the New York branch of the Poetry Society of America.
Gwendolyn Mayo, Administrative Assistant. A well-read young lady who is going places.
Frances Saunders, Assistant Editor and a senior working on her B.A. in African-American Studies and English at Smith College. A member of poetry ensemble Matriotism who has performed her poetry often in New York City and taught teens the art of discovering poetry. She has won scholarships and a writing award for her excerpted memoirs.
Roger Steigmeier, Assistant Editor, has M.A. in English from New York University. Taught at Empire State College, SUNY, and Aims Community College, Loveland, Colorado. First book was published in 1984. Published in Poet, Dog River Review and many more journals.
Beverly Adams Taylor, Assistant Editor. A native of Louisiana, lives, writes and enjoys poetry in Morgantown, WV. Past president of the WV Poetry Society. Currently officer with the National Federation of State Poetry Societies. Poems in local & state journals.
Hugh W. Thompson, Fact Checker/Proofreader, taught himself to read at age 4 at his librarian mother’s knee as she read to him A Child’s Garden of Verses. Fascination with words escalated and he devoured a broad range of thousands of books and magazines. Math, science and English at the University of New Hampshire encouraged quoting poetic masters, senior computer programming and mathematical puzzles.
Our esteemed Board of Directors include:
Juanita Torrence-Thompson, President and CEO
Chereece Lawson, Esq., General Counsel
Hugh W. Thompson, Senior Vice President/Treasurer
Darrell T. Hazelwood, Vice President, A native New Yorker, is on the art department/photo desk staff at Newsday. During his years at the newspaper, he has worked in both features and news departments. He currently co-edits Newsday’s weekly TV supplement. Prior to working for Newsday, he worked in the features department for the New York Daily News, writing feature articles and music reviews. Darrell holds a degree in newspaper journalism from Syracuse University. He is also a photographer and member of the National Association of Black Journalists.
Dr. Charlotte Y. Phoenix, Secretary, serves as Director of Cultural Diversity and Staff Development at Medgar Evers College of The City University of New York. A faculty member of Medgar Evers since 1973, she is Professor in the Department of Education. She previously served as Education Department Chair, Director of the Center for Learning and Teaching Excellence, Co-Director of the Africana Resource Center, and Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. She co-authored a book, The S.A.F.E. College Planning Guide for Students Grades 9-12: What You Need to Know About Selecting, Applying to, Financing and Excelling in College (1999, 2003, 2007), has written several published articles related to teaching mathematics to children and adult learners, classroom interaction patterns in college classes, and diversity issues in higher education. She has also made numerous presentations on college teaching, diversity and multicultural curriculum development across America and abroad.
Now that you have met our editorial team and our Board of Directors, we hope you will pull up a chair and enjoy the diverse, often eloquent poetry that graces MÖBIUS. Please visit our website for your poetry samples at www.mobiuspoetry.com. To give you the most exposure we will donate MÖBIUS to selected high schools, colleges and libraries, including a few libraries abroad. We trust you will be moved to give MÖBIUSto your local library and submit your very best three poems and 35-word bio in 2007 as we embark upon our exciting 25th Anniversary of MÖBIUS, The Poetry Magazine.
My November 2005 Editor’s Letter with my editorial background, etc. can be read below, or buy the November 2005 MÖBIUS, which was my predecessor and friend Jean Hull Herman’s excellent last MÖBIUS. Also see: www.poetrytown.com.
Juanita Torrence-Thompson,
Editor/Publisher
November 2005 Editor’s Letter:
~GREETINGS FROM THE DESK OF JUANITA TORRENCE-THOMPSON~
Starting January 2006, I will be at the helm of this 24-year old international magazine, MÖBIUS, The Poetry Magazine, as new Editor and Publisher. My predecessor, Jean Hull Herman, has done a remarkable job editing this journal for 16 years. She leaves me some very big pages to fill. However, with the aid of my capable editorial staff whom I will introduce to you in the 2006 annual MÖBIUS, we will continue to be a reader-friendly magazine while striking out on some bold new paths.
A word about your new editor: I was editor at Dorf and Stanton Communications (a well respected mid-sized firm), editor of Unis News (newsletter of the United Nations International School) and editor of The Islander (newsletter of State University of New York, Empire State College). My poetry is published in my newspaper column in New York, Massachusetts, and online. I have traveled extensively and lived abroad. That, coupled with wearing many hats as poet, writer, columnist, speaker, instructor and actress, has given me a cosmopolitan point of view. I have combined my love of travel with my love of poetry, and presented readings in far-flung places like Singapore, Switzerland and at the University of Cape Town in South Africa.
Numerous U.S. venues have included Yale, Princeton, Columbia, NYU, University of Chicago, Howard and Queens College. I’ve read at U.S. schools, libraries, bookstores, community centers and Summer Festival in the Square in Manhattan. Shortly after reading Stepping Out Queens, at Queens Theatre, I was honored to readHeroic Women of Queens, at Borough Hall which was followed by a reading, Poetry Among The Flowers: Queens Meet Asia,at Queens Botanical Garden.
I was commissioned to write and read a poem for National Estuaries Day. One of my proudest moments was being honored at an assembly in 2005 as “Principal for a Day” when students recited, sang and danced to my poetry set to music.
I won First Prize in NY Public Library Poetry Contest 1996; Second Prize for three poems, Poetry Society of Michigan International Poetry Contest 2004; Editors Choice awards from Robin’s Nest and Nashville Newsletter in 1994; and many more. My poetry CD, Poetry Among the Flowers: Queens Meets Asia is available and my fourth book, New York and African Tapestries, is forthcoming. I have been published in Canada and extensively in U.S. journals such as Paterson Literary Review, Phantasmagoria, Main Street Rag, Green Hills Literary Lantern, Caprice, Identity Theory, and Pedestal.
My feature articles have been published widely in Black Enterprise as well as such magazines as YSB, Class, The Adjunct Advocate and Feelings. For further information, please visit my web site: www.poetrytown.com.
Please see our new MÖBIUS guidelines both in this issue and here online at www.mobiuspoetry.com.
Long may MÖBIUS reign!
Juanita Torrence-Thompson,
Editor/Publisher
