Wordgathering

A Journal of Disability Poetry

Volume 1     Issue 4     December 2007

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Essays in this Issue

In an effort to encourage dialogue about disability poetry, Wordgathering continues its selection of literary essays. In this issue you will find:

• John Thomas Clark, Othering
• Ellen LaFleche, Happily Ever After
• Michael Northen Amaryllis and the Philly Festival: A Biased Report
• Omosun Sylvester, On Poetry
• Sharon Wachsler, Disability Culture

Several of the essays in this issue explore sources of disability poetry, looking both to individual experience and to the experience that cultural background brings to writing. Clark looks at the effect that Celtic literature and traditons have had on his work, while Sylvester discusses his work as a continuation of the oral traditions he learned growing up in Nigeria. LaFleche describes the use of fairy tales and prose poems as vehicles for raising issues about disability. Breath & Shadow editor, Sharon Wachsler uses her editorial experience to try to describe just what disability culture is. A final essay by Michael Northen describes the role of the Amaryllis Theater Company in the recent Philalephia Disability and the Arts festival.

If any of these essays spark you to react with original work of your own, we would like to hear from you. Feedback about the essays that you read here helps the editors to make decisions about selections for future issues. Please send your comments to comments@wordgathering.com.

This site is maintained by Michael Northen.