The Open Issue

The poems and poetic writing in this issue explore many of the sentiments that often seem to accompany this season of quiet change. Within these pages, you’ll find explorations of grief, of what it means to feel always in flux, of the bittersweet dependability of cycles, and returns and retellings.

Moni Brar opens and closes this issue for us, with two poems that speak to beginnings, endings, and the need to never stop examining. Griffin Epstein tells us an “Origin Story.” Recent winner of the 2021 Bronwen Wallace Award for Poetry, Zehra Naqvi, dreams of a world that “breaks into tenderness” for a loved one. As is the case with so many of the best poems, much of the work within these pages explores both the heights and the depths of human emotions and relationships.

We’re excited to share work in this issue from a number of poets appearing in CV2 for their first time, including Kimberley Orton, whose poem “Louise” is sure to delight and beguile. We have poems written in French by Brian Cullen, Sophie Drukman-Feldstein, and Tabitha Spagnolo. We’re also proud to share Jaime Black’s 2020 Lina Chartrand Award-winning poem, “they tried to bury us,” and the winning poems from this year’s CV2 2-Day Poem Contest. In addition to all of the stunning poetry, we have an interview with Shaun Robinson, conducted by Rob Taylor and accompanied by a selection of Shaun’s poetry. We also have reviews of Doyali Islam’s heft, reviewed by Karen Quevillon; Brandon Wint’s Divine Animal, reviewed by Charles Brown; and Dorothy Field’s How Light Edges, reviewed by Peter Taylor.

We hope you’ll find and take comfort in the light within these pages. In the food. In the magic. We’re entering a darkening season, but for that we can offer a lit candle. It’s a cooling season, but for that we can offer the warmth of wise words.