The new issue of The November 3rd Club is up! It’s a great issue and I don’t just say that because it has one of my poems in it. The online literary journal has been publishing quality literature with a political slant since Fall 2005, in keeping with its mission is to “up the ante” of literary political writing. It publishes poetry, fiction and creative non-fiction that carries a political message and rises above rhetoric and rant. The editors make no bones about their politics, and the magazine’s mission is stated in their tag line - Literary Values in a Political Age.
We live in a world where poetry and politics make strange bedfellows, and we sometimes forget that it hasn’t always been that way. Once upon a time, the poets and novelists and playwrights regularly used their various stages and pulpits to poke a finger in the eye of society and stir the political pot. These days, the places for high quality political poetry have dwindled. The newspapers don’t print poetry (unless it’s sent by Ted Kooser). Few mainstream magazines print poetry any longer. Most literary journals are more concerned with “style” of poetry than they are wit subject matter. And to top it off, far too many political writers, be they poets or pundits, have slipped into the habit of using rant and rhetoric rather than solidly good writing. For the editors at The November 3rd Club, poetry and prose that tackles political issues with creativity, solid writing skills and clear thought are - or should be - the hallmark of political literature. If you’re not sure what that means, check out the Winter 2008 issue of The November 3rd Club and find out.
Contributors: Carlye Archibeque, Gustavo Arellano, Madeline Artenberg, Marcus Bales, Oscar Bermeo, Robert Bohm, Aurore Borealis, Roland W. Coryell, Brian Dauth, Rita Dove, Barbara Caridad Ferrer, Ragan Fox, Gerald George, Kirpal Gordon, Saurabh Gupta, Sam Hamill, M. Ayodele Heath, Joy N. Hensley, Bob Hoeppner, Jason Jonker, Marty Mcconnell, Chris Mooney-Singh, James Navé, Theresa C. Newbill, Cristin O’keefe Aptowicz, Sherman Pearl, Deb Powers, Keith Roach, Elizabeth Ross, Iris N. Schwartz, Skip Shea, Frank Sloan, Marc Solomon, Arthur Sze, Edwin Torres, Tony Williams And Sholeh Wolpé.
