THE ANTARCTICA REVIEW

Editor's Note

The theme of The Antarctica Review's premiere issue takes a look beyond the limits of physical, psychological, and spiritual realities. The poems in this issue consider people, places, concepts, thoughts and feelings that take us past the concrete realities of everyday into realms less frequently explored. Some travel into remote geographies, such as Donna Browne's surprise at her encounter with a glacier in Alaska; Scott Jenkins looks at nearby but less-traveled parts of the Delmarva Peninsula. Carl F. Thompson Jr. travels in circles in V ESC = SQ. ROOT (2GM/R), giving new meaning to the phrase “beyond the Beltway.” And Ivan Ammalto, Making the Worst of the Best, takes us on a wild spin into outer space, reverses gears to look at some of the minute molecular secrets of cellulose and hemoglobin, and then takes a sideways tack to peep at the mating habits of mantises.

A number of the poems examine our experiences of death and near death, or journeys of the mind and spirit into unexplained or inexplicable territory. The pieces in this mosaic are varied in kind, in approach and in spirit; we hope each of you will find something that speaks to you.

We also take great pride in presenting to you our First Annual Poetry Contest winners, starting on page 102 with a brief introduction from this year’s judge, Edith Shiner. We are delighted that Ms. Shiner also provided us with one of her poems, published on page 167.

We hope you will find much to ponder as well as deep reading pleasure as you browse through this issue of The Antarctica Review.

—Christopher J. Walters