Editor's Note

We're very excited about our Spring issue, but also very tired. Although we're only a quarterly with an aspring annual print edition, We find ourselves putting a lot of hours into it designing the issues, talking with contributors, attending conferences and literary events, soliciting columnists and ideas, doing publicity, thinking at night how to make us better, more accessible, unique. In fact, we have immense respect for our colleagues who somehow do this monthly in addition to their full-time jobs and lives: Susan over at Lily, Aaron and Savannah and the folks over at Hobart, Dave and the gang over at Barrelhouse, Matt and his posse over at Thieves Jargon, and countless others who would not fit on this webpage if we lined them up for a shout out.

If this sounds like a farewell, or a hiatus, it's not; don't worry. It's just an acknowledgment that our ambition always overwhelms our actual time and talents, which is how it should be. But we want them to begin running closer. And that means finding help with graphic design, web design, publicity, poetry editors, drinking partners. If you've got a few hours a week burning a hole in your pocket, give us a shout. We could really use you. You'll have our eternal gratitude and respect. And if you live in the greater Baltimore/DC/Philly area, we'll buy you a beer. A good one. Don't be alarmed that our brewing pride is National Bohemian. (And hence comes the flood of e-mails defending the taste of Natty Boh.)

But really. Think about it. So what you need to know about the Spring issue: our featured artist is Baltimore photographer Joe Giordano. If you live in B'more, you might have seen his shows at Gallery Imperato or the Creative Alliance or his fashion photography. You might have even perused his webzine, Gutter. Giordano's work elevates and celebrates the familiar with a kind wit and affection. And what can I say: I love polka. Writer justin sirois, founder and creative director of narrow house print & recordings, supplies us with his five favorite multimedia pieces (and yes, he bears a striking resemblance to Ulysses S. Grant). Gary Lehman brings us Jean Toomer in this issue's Biography. And, to kick off our new flash fiction section, we're printing Joseph Young's newest flashes, hot from his computer.

Thanks again for plugging us into your browser. Thanks for the love. And remember, we give the love back—in the JMWW Anthology Volume Two, coming out later this year. So if you haven't sent us your best work for consideration, please do. It'll look good between our pages. And you get a free copy and an invitation to read at the launch party.

Finally, check out our new links page over on the contents page, replacing our undernourished blog, which was gently retired and given a proper sendoff. If you'd like to be included, please e-mail us your link. And don't be offended we forgot you. We just didn't have time to do an exhaustive mental search of our favorite links and jotted down the few that we could. But we know the hard work that everyone puts into this effort, this celebration of art, literature, life. In closing, we think AC/DC said it best: For those about to rock, we salute you.

Jen Michalski, Editor