For me, January is the time when I most appreciate reliable pleasures. Now on New Year’s Day 2020, I am glad to have had the leisure to spend time with the latest issue of Third Wednesday Magazine which reliably offers both pleasure and a sense of fresh discovery.

Commencing with the Winter 2020 issue, as it begins its thirteenth year, Third Wednesday has an appealing new format for its print edition and a generous new policy of offering its digital edition for no charge. The paper edition is available for only $6.00 on Amazon. And you can download the digital version for free by going to thirdwednesdaymagazine.org.

Here’s what it looks like, with a magnificent cover by the late artist, John P. Loree.

This issue features the winning and honorably mentioned poems from the most recent One-Sentence Poetry Contest, as well as other poems (containing two or more sentences), some splendid art and photography, and fiction that made me sit up and take notice. (What can I say? I have once again been bitten by the novel-writing bug. More on that in another post.)

My own poem in the issue is called “Bitten.” I wrote it under the influence of the late lamented Mary Oliver. And yet, it is in many ways the inverse of her own work which draws transcendent insight from the natural world. My own poem is all set indoors but I do see it as set in the music of the natural world and also as transcendent. If you read it (through one of the links above) you can see what you think of that assessment, and of how the image of the glass cherry (below) features in it. You can also see a splendid line drawing in graphite and ink, of forest tree trunks, by the cover artist, John P. Loree. The drawing would, I think, meet with Mary Oliver’s full approval.

As usual, I have read the entire issue, and below I mention a few of my favorites. Also as usual, it was hard to choose which to pull out for special mention.

Several poems in this issue are ones I plan to read again. I feel certain that you will find your own favorites, but consider taking a look at “A Killing Frost Suddenly” by Marge Piercy; “Driving My Daughter to School” by Sarah Russell (a One-Sentence Poetry Contest Winner); “Indian Creek Trail” by Stephen Croft (a One-Sentence Poetry Contest Honorable Mention); “The Kahler Grand Hotel” by Jane Blanchard (a sonnet that tackles the differences between Georgia and Minnesota accents with a poignant twist at the end); and “There is Fire” by Eric Blanchard (for the way the last line is both a perfect fit yet still a surprise.)

In this issue, all the photography worked for me and gave me new ideas for taking my own photographs. To mention just one, which you really have to see for yourself, I nominate “Sand Fortress, St. Petersburg, Russia” by Diane Martin of Bangor, Maine.

The highly engaging short story, “Antumbra,” by Joel Fishbane gave me a new way to think about the ideas of the alter ego and the road not taken. It also taught me a new word–I love when that happens!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

HAPPY READING!

LESLIE