Not Summer

On my wildflower calendar, it's the official first day of fall. Outside, it is, too!--a blue sky, breezy, coolish day. And, yes, leaves have begun to fall...

I celebrate with the fall issue of IthacaLit, a new journal with an opening theme of Journeys, and a deep identification with Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca and journeying hero who returned home disguised as a wandering beggar.

Editor Michele Lesko lives in Ithaca, New York, and begins her journal celebrating the fall colors of the northeast and the "art that takes you home," in this first issue being the bright-colored art of Lin Price, who teaches painting and drawing at Ithaca College.

Guest editor Sherry O'Keefe, a wonderful poet and blogger herself, has helped to gather a set of poems that take us various places and do bring us safely home.

Yes, I am in this issue, with a train journey poem, "Train Delayed by Lingering Fall," and a dog poem, "Golden Retriever."

You can find them both here, on one page, a nice layout aspect of IthacaLit!  I love how the page captures the silver and the gold in these poems! (You might have to wait a bit for the banner art at the top to upload, but it's worth the wait.)  So many fine poems, an essay, an interview--so much to enjoy in this inaugural issue of IthacaLit.

I appreciate the editors' view of art and their suggestion about how to enjoy it:

“Please sit down with your favorite cup & journey to that home inside you, reached when we connect with powerful writing and strong images. The best art holds a slightly different journey with each visit. Read, stare, reread, keep staring...it's there.”
I hope you'll take their advice!

Golden Retriever standing, Tucker, by Edward, thanks to Wikimedia Commons, and Golden Retriever, jumping, by ShreddingTex, via Creative Commons Attribution License 3.0, also via Wikimedia Commons.