EDITOR’S LETTER

MockingHeart Review friends! It’s good to see you again. How’s your year been so far?

I moved down to Louisiana from the Midwest some years ago, as some of you reading this letter already know. I had started this journey with the goal of becoming far better educated, both academically and in life at large. As I made my way through grad school, learning about teaching techniques and the lives of historic poets, I also reckoned with hurricane seasons, a whole new driving culture, and one of my current addictions: crawfish. Just one of these unassuming creatures is fierce enough, but in a large group they’re incredibly tenacious crustaceans who are full of spunk and vibrancy, letting nothing tire them out. Have you ever knocked over one of their chimneys by accident? If so, you’ve probably noticed that before long they’ve built the thing right up again, letting the world breathe back into their home once more. It’s inspiring. And like Louisiana itself, so tough and hardy, they’re something I can’t get enough of–beyond how tasty they are, their never-flagging determination to thrive and seize victory is worth keeping in mind as an aspiration.

Though our Spring/Summer issues have no dedicated theme, it’s easy to notice how the poems in this issue are similarly strong-minded. From the persistent optimism conjured by childhood memories (as in Joey Nicoletti’s “September”) and the steadfast will to see the clear day ahead (Diane Silver’s “Should You Choose to Accept, Your Mission is to Find Joy”) to the bravery of standing true to one’s crucial truth despite adversity (Blair Kilpatrick’s “Dancing Is Just Walking with Attitude”), MHR 7.2 is full of admirable, persistent energy. The artists in this issue carry the vibe forward, as–among other excellent visual works herein–Martha Garner telegraphs vibrancy and zest for life in her Fantasy Birds collages. Take a look through these pages, friends, and get swept up in their fabulous work.

Good luck to you in this latter half of 2022, and thank you, as always, for your excellent work in the world.

Tyler Robert Sheldon, Editor-in-Chief