Happy New Year and welcome to ASP’s second issue of its Literary Journal. Bit startling, I know, who’d have thought there’d be a second issue? Especially as the first one came out against the odds. We seem to have set a bit of trend there, as the second one is out by the skin of its teeth too. Thank you Covid and the new lockdown; working with three high dependent children is challenging at the best of times, not least of all when you’re trying to get your journal out to the self-imposed deadline. But here it is, for your edification. We hope you enjoy it as much as, if not more than, the first issue.
If visual art is more your cup of tea, we have some real dazzlers this issue; in the prose section we have a first time writer, who I’m sure will impress you, a couple of authors who maybe becoming ASP regulars, as we do like the work they send us & a number of new authors, whom we hope will share their wares with us again. The written word this issue is eclectic, but all there to take us away from the woes of the current world. We have all new entries in our poetry section, although one name should be familiar to you from Issue #1 – our very own Guest Poetry editor, George - good to see him back in whatever role he has chosen for the moment.
As both George and Jackie will attest, I am not the world’s best judge of what constitutes good poetry, which is why I accept my failing in this venue and bow to their knowledge, however, (and hopefully not condemning them for this acclaim) I did particularly enjoy ‘Granny Pat Dreams Her Last Performance’ & ‘La Fête’.
And finally, can we say a fond farewell and very big thank you to Jackie Biggs, for her excellent stint as Guest Poetry editor. We were so inundated with poetry this issue that we are considering a hiatus on poetry submissions for next issue (#3), so that we may yet be able to present the work in our back log. Stay tuned for a final decision on poetry for Issue #3.
So, dip in, stay for as long as you like, or have time for. Remember we are always here, so if you only have time for one poem now, maybe another time you’ll have time for a longer stay. Enjoy, have fun and we hope the content remains with you long after you have left.
Dogs Darnborough, Editor-in-Chief.