From the Editors:
Side of Grits
Volume 1, Issue 1
"We Deliver"
"We Deliver"
| When I was first asked to write something for this section I said the same thing I said when asked to be poetry editor in the first place, “Sure”. But sitting here now I have no idea what to say. The writing in these pages says more than enough. While the words speak for themselves, allow me a few moments of self indulgence…. I am a writer myself after all. First off, there is the title Side Of Grits, along with the theme and imagery within obviously depicting the Americana of the greasy spoon. Nearly nothing is as quintessentially American than the greasy midnight dive. The little diners and truck stops littered along interstates and forgotten back roads miles away from hip coffee shops and five dollar cappuccinos. It was places like these where me and my buddies would stumble in drunk at 3am to write poetry, read poetry and discuss poetry with never ending cups of stale black coffee (and a side of grits). It was here with the drunks and deviants, night owls and long distance truckers that we fleshed out our own American myth through the written word…… poems that had nothing to do with academia or big city literary circles but everything to do with blood and experience. We could not lose. That’s the attitude I had when I took on responsibility of poetry editor here at Side Of Grits. Within these pages you will find some of the best small press writers working today, fleshing out their own myth and weaving a literary road map that will take you through big city jungles to lonely back roads of America, even across the pond and back again. I enjoyed my small part of putting it together and I hope it shows. So grab a booth and your favorite strong drink and take a look at the menu, we have something for everyone. --Wayne Mason |