VPR's Nominees for "Best of the Net, 2007"

Sundress Publications currently is considering nominees of poems published in online journals during the last twelve months for its annual “Best of the Net” anthology. Earlier this year Sundress published its first edition, which included many remarkable works displaying both the wide range and fine quality of poetry now appearing in a multitude of Internet magazines during 2006. The editors of Sundress deserve praise for correctly bringing greater recognition to the developing presence of quality poetry online.

When invited in 2006 to submit candidates from Valparaiso Poetry Review for the anthology, I reluctantly withheld participation merely because I maintain a high regard for every poem selected to be in VPR, and I felt uncomfortable—as the editor who accepted all the poetry—choosing some pieces to be honored over others. Indeed, as an editor I value all the poems and depend on all the poets in VPR much the way a writer relies upon each letter of the alphabet for a full expression of self. Yet, I also regretted not being able to allow VPR and its deserving poets an opportunity to reach a larger audience through possible inclusion in the anthology.

Therefore, this year I decided to note the numerous comments (concerning poems appearing in the new issues) that I have received in correspondence from readers or submitting poets throughout the past twelve months. In this way, I obtained a sense of readers’ response to the poetry in VPR’s pair of recent issues in Volume VIII (Fall/Winter 2006-2007 and Spring/Summer 2007), which are eligible for the upcoming 2007 edition of the Sundress “Best of the Net” anthology. Based upon a compilation of those observations by VPR’s readers, I have been able to offer the editors of Sundress three poems for consideration from each of the two issues in Volume VIII of Valparaiso Poetry Review, and I am pleased to announce the following nominations:


Volume VIII, Number 1: Fall/Winter 2006-2007

Nick Bruno: “Malinconia”

Jared Carter: “Prophet Township”

Frannie Lindsay: “Walking an Old Woman into the Sea”

Volume VIII, Number 2: Spring/Summer 2007

Michelle Bitting: “The Exterminator’s Wife”

Anne Haines: “Swallowed”

Diane Lockward: “Temptation by Water”

I would like to extend my congratulations to each of the nominated poets. At the same time I wish to express my appreciation to all the contributors whose works have appeared in VPR this last year, as well as in past years. I also hope this post encourages readers to continue communicating their feedback on writings in the journal, commentary I always enjoy receiving. In addition, I am grateful for all the ongoing support Valparaiso Poetry Review has received from contributors and readers during its eight years of publication, and I look forward to much more good poetry in the future from other contributors I hope readers will find equally as entertaining, engaging, and enlightening as those they have chosen to compliment in their past correspondence.