Innocence shines in this issue - more than a dozen younger world poets are included - flanked by Experience in the form of Forrest Gander, Dara Wier, and several of the most revered French poets. Also, with this issue Slope begins the regular endeavor of blending new poetry written in English with translations and "national" features; there's no shortage of engaging writing of these kinds at this moment. We're planning to chock future issues full of Croatian, Serbian, young Australian, young British and Czech Republic poets. Our ears are turned toward multiplicity, daring and urgency; we think the poets in Slope 9 exemplify these qualities.

- Ethan Paquin, 4 March 2001



SLOPE - WHERE MOVEMENTS HAPPEN

Slope is a bi-monthly, online journal devoted to contemporary poetry being written around the globe in English. We print only new, original and previously unpublished poems. Contributors hail from countries including Australia, England, Wales, Canada, New Zealand and the United States. We encourage new and emerging writers, while continuing to publish award-winning and established poets.

Slope occasionally features "sampler" issues. Recent examples include Contemporary Women's Poetry (Issue 6) and New Welsh Poetry (Issue 8); upcoming are selections of Croatian (Issue 10) and Serbian (Issue 11) poetry. Poets featured and/or forthcoming in Slope include James Tate, Forrest Gander, Franz Wright, Heather McHugh, Dara Wier, Eric Pankey, Eugen Jebeleanu, Matthew Rohrer, Joe Wenderoth, Mary Jo Bang, Ron Silliman, John Kinsella, Ross Martin, Rebecca Wolff, Margot Schilpp, Pam Brown, Kevin Hart, Lee Upton, Peter Minter, Brian Henry, Katy Lederer, Drew Milne, Mark Bibbins, Bob Hicok, David H.W. Grubb, Susan Schultz, Louis Armand, Christine Hume, Javant Biarujia, and many others.



WRITERS' GUIDELINES

The editors invite electronic submissions of 2 to 6 poems in experimental and traditional styles.

All poems submitted must be previously unpublished and accompanied by a brief biographical note. Unsolicited poems, reviews and poems in translation will be considered year-round. Please query before sending reviews.

Rights revert to poets upon publication. All poems (c) 2001 the poets. The editors kindly ask that poets credit Slope should their work be re-printed elsewhere.

Unfortunately, we can not at this time offer payment for any work accepted.



SLOPE EVENTS & NEWS

Slope's New Welsh Poetry issue was held up as an example of internet publishing to aspire to at the Welsh Union of Writers weekend conference in Wexford, Ireland, held in late February. The Academi (Wales' National Literature Promotion Agency and Society of Writers) joined forces with the WUW in this, the first meeting outside Wales for both literary organizations. Along with a number of sessions on the cultural politics of the two Celtic nations were readings by Gillian Clarke, Dermot Bolger and Paul Durcan.

The New Welsh Poetry edition continued to garner publicity in that country, as it was featured in prominent journals including Poetry Wales and a470.

On January 12,
Gallery Bershad - named 2000 Art Gallery of the Year by The Boston Phoenix - hosted a Slope reading/concert/party. Some 70 braved the harsh Boston clime to take in readings by Franz Wright, Sean Singer, Matthew Zapruder and Peter Richards. Also performing live were The Figments (Natural Disaster Records). Check back for information on future readings at Gallery Bershad.

May 3 and 4, 2001: The University of Massachusetts at Amherst hosts "Big Small Press Fest 2001," a weekend of readings, panels and receptions featuring alumni of the UMass MFA program (and their colleagues) who have gone on to edit journals and presses. Slope will be represented in a panel discussion on electronic publishing. The public is invited. Keynote speaker: David Lehman. Among the magazines and presses present: Fence, Jubilat, Rain Taxi,Conduit, Nerve, Painted Bride Quarterly, Paragraph, Verse, La Petite Zine and more. For details, visit the
Verse Press web site.

A print collection of poems published in Slope is being planned.



MASTHEAD

Editor & Founder:
Ethan Paquin
Australia Editor:
Michael Farrell
Designer: Steve Palmer,
76design