THE EDITOR'S DESK by Ellyn Wolfe

What inspires you? What grabs your brain cells and urges you to sit down at your computer to write? Where does that inspiration come from?

Anything can get you going—a vivid dream, eavesdropping at a coffee shop, a photo on Facebook or Twitter. One person who inspired many of us was the speaker at our last DWVG meeting—the poet Howard Feigenbaum. How do I know this? Almost fifty percent of the submissions to this issue of Straitjackets Magazine were poetry. Usually it’s one or two, maybe three.

Not all of us understand free or metrical verse. Some avoid it completely. I encourage those of you who fit into this category to expand your worlds by reading each of the poems offered here. Try reading them aloud so your ear can pick up what your mind might miss. Ask yourself before and after—what inspired the writer? How were they able to compress grand thoughts into a few succinct lines? What message is on the surface? Is there a deeper one below? Read their bios for some clues. Then, introduce yourself to the poet at the next meeting and start a conversation. What an opportunity to meet someone new and open yourself to inspiration.

Look for the new column in our magazine, “My 10 Favorite Books.” Each edition will feature titles that inspired a DVWG member. Thank you, Jim Hitt, for your suggestion.

We also thought it would be fun to hold a competition among the members. On the Table of Contents page, find “Writing Contest.” Create a story or poem inspired by the photo “Blue Gate” for the spring 2019 edition, and we’ll publish what we consider to be the best one. The guidelines are in the posting.

Enjoy this issue of Straitjackets Magazine, a labor of love from the editors, Judie Maré, JoLynne Buehring, Cheryl McGuire, and me.

Ellyn Wolfe, Managing Editor

Straitjackets Magazine