This triumphant 25th issue is marked by generous representations from many Mudfish writers, such as Stephanie Dickinson, Doug Dorph, Tim Macaluso, Richard Fein, Paul Wuensche, Dell Lemmon, Tom Hunley, Angela Schmidt, Robert Clinton, Paul Schaeffer, Joyce (Chunyu) Wang and many others.
For the first time, we have a single artist whose work adorns these pages. Jack Pierson’s nakedly gorgeous and varied art unifies all of Mudfish so that it reads like a single poem, a moment’s thought.
Stacy Spencer, the winner of the 18th poetry prize judged by Vijay Seshadri and the two honorable mentions, Elisabeth Murawski and Ann Robinson set a standard of excellence from which there is no decline. From first to last the voices touch you with their intimate revelations.
You read one poem and think, ’yes, this is what poetry is, ’ and then you read the next, and think, ’no, this is what poetry is, ’ and you are right every time.
Ann Robinson writes: "What a beautiful book. Starting with the cover. The layout, the poems. All. I am so proud to be in it. I was especially taken by the last poem, haunting and beautiful, full of what we know and don’t know, down to the bone."