Views and Mechanics Publisher's Note Editor's Note Review of Paint It Black Review of The i Tetralogy Poetry Zoology By Patricia Murphy Framed Gift By Sheila McLaughlin Sikorski Friends 'n' 'at or Ode to Pittsburghatory By Betta Risa In My Father's Shoes By Richard Fein Freedom By Skip Shea Fiction Quitting Time By Barbara Archer Tumbleweed By Thom Brennan Maternal Instincts By Diane Kimbrell You Should Write People Dead By T. M. Warfield Spring Fling By Patricia Murphy About the Contributors © 2007, River Walk Journal and respective authors and artists. All rights reserved. Do not use or reproduce without permission. River Walk Journal, Inc. Board of Directors Chairman - Elizabeth Ross Vice Chairman - Joseph Koch Secretary/Treasurer - Geri Stock-Ross Editorial Director - Patti Kurtz, DA Literacy Director - Vacant Policy Director - PA State Rep. Jess Stairs Advisory Board Chairman - Patti Kurtz, DA Asst. Chairman - Dan Lachenman, PhD Samuel Hazo Christopher Leland Edwin Yoder Joseph Bathanti Journal Staff Publisher - Elizabeth Ross Editor-In-Chief - Joseph Koch Sen. Fiction Editor - Patti Kurtz Sen. Poetry Editor - Neeldhara Misra Sen. Creative Nonfiction Editor - Brenda Coxe Copyeditor - Kathy Skaggs Contributing Editor - Robert Dittman Blog Contributing Editor - Maggie Koster Publicity Director (PA) - Geri Stock-Ross For information about submissions, visit http://www.riverwalkjournal.org/subs.html. Questions about promotions, subscribers' services, and advertising should be sent to publisher@riverwalkjournal.org. River Walk Journal, Inc. is a non-profit corporation run entirely by volunteers. For information about volunteer opportunities and internships, visit VolunteerMatch. |
Editor's Note Joyous various winter holidays all, and welcome to the Jan/Feb 2007 issue of River Walk Journal!. I hope my little note here finds all of our readers old and new safe and well at the close of one year, and the start of a new one. This issue’s poetry offerings mirror the optimism that comes with a new year, with just enough realism to keep everyone’s feet on the ground. Patricia Murphy’s “Zoology” is a short, sweet comment about love and cats. Sheila McLaughlin Sikorsky gives us” Framed Gift”, a note about what exists within a picture frame, and what does not. Betta Risa’s “Ode to Pittsburghatory” is a loving, whimsical tribute to the Three-Rivers city. Richard Fein's “In My Father’s Shoes” shows us a still-life between father and son. Rounding out poetry is “Freedom” by Skip Shea. His poem is another upbeat piece, showing us the minor triumphs in the everyday all around us. For fiction we have “Quitting Time” by Barbara Archer. Her piece explores the tensions and undercurrents to be found in the relationships in a small town, and how our protagonists examine them in their own lives. Thom Brennan’s “Tumbleweed” is a bit reminiscent of surreal shows like “The Twilight Zone”, where what appears like ordinary office drama is actually quite a bit more. Diane Kimbrell’s “Maternal Instincts”, Patricia Murphy’s “Spring Fling” and T.M. Warfield’s “You Should Write People Dead” continue that theme each in their own way. “Instincts” shows the difference between the world of adults and children, how both age groups can misunderstand each other, and the troubling results. “Spring Fling” is an interesting twist on an older theme, the idea of a summer romance. “You Should Write People Dead” takes us into the mind of an ordinary person, engaged in the (one would think) ordinary, reasonable practice of journal writing. Where the journal ends up taking us, as well as the rest of this issue, is worth a look. Enjoy, and have a great New Year. Joseph Koch |