From the Editors

In Anchorage, we are digging out from deep snow—30 inches in just a few days. The whole town has the vibe of a ski area. Snow like this muffles everything. Except my dog who must be heard. We Alaskans are still turning like dogs settling into the deep dark for long sleeps. But fingers tap keys, and the hours of light increase by minutes every day as we work to get this bright issue into print. Yes, there is a springtime. We have heard rumors of light and green.

Contests, We Have Contests— We have winners, too—so many winners! First, from the Order and Chaos contest: Many thanks to David McElroy who was our judge. This issue begins with the three top winners and the other selected poems. Pushcart: We picked six for our Pushcart Nominations. These are featured on another page along with this year’s Andy Hope winner, Mary Fogarty George for “Coastal Stories: A Cycle Written in Three Parts, Part One—Your Early Life” translated into Yugcetun (Yup'ik) by Julia Jimmie. Coming soon, a contest with Poems of Place, based on a deep belief that poems and other literature create the essence of a place. And we promise this. The subsequent contest will seek poems about puppies and other beloved animals. As a new dog owner, I have exposure now to the feelings of people about their pets—the loves, the kisses, the sad good-byes. Thanks, social media.

Soiree Summer—Last summer, Cirque’s associate editor, Cynthia Steele, and I toured the Pacific Northwest in August. This led to in-person contact with many of our contributors. A feature essay in this issue details our adventure.

Hitting Thirteen This Year—This is Cirque #25 and by that count we’ve been at this now for 12 ½ years. Coming of age, in a sense. We have thrived because of support from readers, writers, poets, photographers and other artists. This issue includes our second on-going feature on artists whose work has made the journal beautiful. Sheary Clough Suiter and Nard Claar have contributed to the aesthetic of most issues and it’s delightful to share more about them as interviewed by Cynthia Steele.

Out There in the Out There—Thank you for all you give us: writing, images, financial support. We are still largely run by volunteer energy. But the engine of support comes from “out there in the out there” to quote the title of Jerry McDonnell’s story collection (Cirque Press).

And when I look out there now, dark has settled over the deepest snow in years, six-foot icicles glimmer, and inside, the pup paces, sure there is something better for him beyond the door. This small husky is a guard dog. Not a cuddler. He prefers his perch by the window, keeping an eye out for all things sinister. He’s keeping us all safe. Happy New Year.

— Sandra L. Kleven, Publisher/Editor

With Michael Burwell and Cynthia Steele

Cirque: A Literary Journal for the North Pacific Rims

Sandra Kleven and Mike Burwell, Editors Cynthia Steele, Associate Editor

Paul K. Haeder, Projects Editor

Signe Nichols, Designer

Published twice yearly near the Winter and Summer Solstice Anchorage, Alaska

Our mission: to build a literary community and memorialize writers, poets and artists of the region.