Editor's Corner

By Mary E. Adair

Winter!!

Well, where is it??? Winter, that is! This may be the end of the Millenium---or as most mathematicians and my mother says, we may still have a year to go, but is it going to stay this hot??

We have had summer temperatures in the afternoon all through December.. Or to be strictly factual, there have been a few isolated "cold" days, but warm for the most part. Now here we are in January and still having 80 plus degree weather in the afternoons, even if it gets down to 25 or so at night. But as a transplanted Texan, I usually welcome warm weather, so this isn't really in the nature of a complaint. Just wondering.

Been wondering when we were going to get this Winter issue wrapped up and online too---it is the pits having to reset things that we want to preserve and share since all were lost from the domain back in the early Fall. So, I think we shall just continue to add them along as we get our hands on the hard copies, either from the authors or from print outs their families made of the previously published writings. I am happy that we got part of Mike's story on his military experiences back with this issue and hope to get it added to soon. More than likely, I will get the interview with the professional diver re-typed and coded to publish next issue, but meanwhile, we have some very good reading for everyone with new material.

Thanks to our columnists, who are on the ball every time, we have some great insights and thoughtful offerings for you to consider. From Cassandra's beautiful prose describing her corner of the world, to the useful recipe in Leo's cooking column couched in a humorous spiel that leads you step by step to serving up great Super Bowl fare, to the practical advice from Connie Anast, the inviting reviews by Cheri, and enthusiastic comments from Astrid---we know you will benefit from each one.

One of our new authors, an intriguing guy himself, writes some very intriguing poetry with a few poems to be carried this issue, and others will surely be included in the future. So don't miss Kenneth Rea Berry's free verse, some of which I consider the best such, I've ever read.

Mary E. Taylor, who writes lovingly of her childhood days, had a tribute to her mother among the stories previously published and lost which we have found and are republishing. Our friend Phillip Hennesy brings more poems to our pages, and we added some of our favorites from earlier issues. Another new author for us, Richard Kizer, with keen wit and a wicked insight, presents his take on the origin of togetherness in the story Genetic Predisposition. Also reappearing this issue is the remarkable poem Life's Conundrum, by Robert Beaty, which came to him the morning his daughter Betsy passed away in the afternoon. And Thur sent another delightful poem for this issue.

As ever I enjoy people and the variations in them. . . the different ways people think and look and act. I am most distressed when confronted with bigotry in any form and hope that our pages will continue to present opportunity for all writers to see their work online for others to enjoy. The limiting factor we have at the moment is only that we must accept and work with the English language. But we invite all writers to submit what they wish, and we will do our best to work with them toward publication. Would that there were never sadness between people; or wars between people because of the different ideas, or races, or colors. Long ago I wrote this poem and still feel the same way. . .

What Colour Will the Souls Be in Heaven?

What colour will the souls be in Heaven?
Which hue will the Lord truly bless?
Like mists rising, or like dewdrops,
Tinted as the rainbows we quest. . .
What colour will the souls be in Heaven
When our bodies are all laid to rest?
The Lord may not choose to have colours. . .
The Lord may be weary and sad
Of all of the fuss made 'neath Heaven
O'er the shades in which our bodies are clad. . .
So maybe whatever we are here below,
Will change when we go to His home. . .
What then of the prejudiced people?
Will they choose to stay then, or roam?
As sunlight that sparkles
'Cross the ripples of a stream,
Just prisms of Light
With no feature, nor face. . .
All colours-but blended. . .
Wholly (Holy) made a team . . .
Will these be the souls in that Heavenly Place?
Mary E. Adair, 1989

Enjoy the New Year . . . Enjoy each other . . . Enjoy Pencil Stubs Online