Celebrating Four Years: An Anniversary Note

Tuesday will represent the fourth anniversary of One Poet’s Notes, this editor’s blog for Valparaiso Poetry Review begun on January 11, 2007. Intended as a personal notebook of an editor or a poet’s journal that also presents commentary on contemporary poetry, this blog was created to complement content published in VPR and to help bring the fine works in the journal to the attention of a larger audience by announcing publication of new issues, as well as by consistently highlighting poems, essays, reviews, or interviews from the pages of VPR. In addition, the blog has often provided readers with news items and additional information relating to poetry, poetics, or various aspects of other related arts.

The past twelve months have been particularly eventful. Following last year’s celebration of a tenth anniversary for Valparaiso Poetry Review with a special issue, the end of 2010 witnessed release of Poetry from Paradise Valley, an anthology of poems selected from the first decade of VPR. This book is now available for purchase from Pecan Grove Press at its web page.

When I first wrote entries at One Poet’s Notes four years ago, I had no idea how many notes I might eventually add to the blog or how many individuals might be attracted to the web site. In fact, I honestly held a fair amount of uncertainty about how long I would maintain the habit of posting pieces to the blog or whether others might find the content in my offerings at all appealing.

As a result, I am amazed today to point out that there have been about 650 posts to One Poet’s Notes over the past four years, and statistics indicate an incredible total of about 650,000 visits to the blog. Consequently, this has enhanced the number of people examining pages of Valparaiso Poetry Review, thus supplying a greater readership for the many superb poets published in the journal, which this past year also underwent significant renovation and redesign, exhibited by the updated format evident in its most recent issue.

I have mentioned at various times that the popularity of One Poet’s Notes has been assisted by the beneficial recognition and respect demonstrated by others, especially the excellent authors whose works are represented in the pages of Valparaiso Poetry Review or those members of the online literary community, fellow editors or bloggers, who have frequently and generously exhibited their support for VPR, as well as by kind readers continually recommending to others that they ought to visit this site.

Therefore, I am delighted by this chance to communicate a statement of thanks, once more, to all who repeatedly have been readers of One Poet’s Notes. I hope you will continue to return regularly to discover entertaining and enlightening entries. I again express my appreciation for the time you have taken to view this blog and for the numerous comments of encouragement I have received from readers. Indeed, I offer a wholehearted note of gratitude to each of you.