Light Quarterly, the magazine that John Mella founded and edited for twenty years, would have ceased publication when John died last year, but Melissa Balmain wouldn’t let that happen. A regular contributor to Light, Balmain is now Editor of the magazine. I can’t imagine anyone better suited for the position. Not only is she one of the best writers of light verse there is—I call her one of The Three Muse-kateers, with Wendy Cope and Gail White—but she’s already shown her ability to pull together a big event. She’s the one who organized the Tribute to John Mella at The West Chester Poetry Conference. With Kevin Durkin as Managing Editor—another perfect choice—every issue of the magazine is going to qualify as “a big event.” Certainly the first issue meets that qualification, with contributors like Rhina Espaillat, A. E. Stallings, Bruce Bennett and the aforementioned Wendy Cope and Gail White, who is this issue’s Featured Poet. Also contributing are my fellow Powow River Poets A. M. Juster and Midge Goldberg. I’m proud to have one of my own poems included in such company! Here’s a link: Light
A New Morning for Light
