The Michigan Poet sincerely hopes your summer has been safe and filled with small moments of joy as we navigate this truly challenging time. It would seem that poetry is as important as ever as we collectively take time to slow down and hopefully observe small moments with appreciation. In a recent email to me, Foster, founder of MP, wrote that “these observations are the foundation of poetry, and great poetry serves to sharpen our senses and our sense of ourselves as we try to navigate a tragic time.” I agree wholeheartedly.

What’s New with The Michigan Poet?

Speaking of Foster, he has decided to take a step back from the role of editor and to has allowed me, a longtime friend and admirer of the publication, to step in and take the editing reigns. Jon Taylor will continue to assist with the website and with behind-the-scenes work, and Foster will still advise as I navigate the nuances of running a publication. Many thanks to them!

Summer Issue

So, this broadside is my first—I hope you like it. Colleen Alles wrote a fitting poem for summer evenings, especially in late August. Jonathan Higgins, professional illustrator, drew a beautiful banded tussock moth as a companion to the poem. I’ve generated PDF files of the 11 × 17 broadside as well as a 8.5 × 11 letter size for you to print and affix wherever you see fit. I even created a variant broadside that you may receive if you would like to commit to distributing press-quality issues of MP to your favorite public places like bulletin boards or posts, wherever you think people will stop to read it. Please email themichiganpoet@gmail.com if you are interested in distributing and would like more details.

Note from the Editor

This publication is focused on poetry, but it would be remiss of me not to offer some transparency on the selection process, especially with a new editor at the helm. I’m incredibly proud of the submissions we have received to date as I (slowly) work through responding to them, and I will never select poems simply to fill demographics. With that being stated, I will seek to fill the submission pool with even more unique voices, regardless of number of poems published, colleges attended, age, race, class, ability, sexual orientation, gender, or identity. I will also be working to broaden the scope of MP to better include the eastern cities like Detroit and Metro Detroit, Flint, and Saginaw, among others by working with writing programs in the area. As an alumnus of Ferris State University (Class of 2012), I still have love for the western side of the state and hope that MP will still be a presence in those areas, too. I am trusting that each of you will do your part in spreading the publication far and wide because MP does not advertise or self-promote in any way.

I do hope you continue to read and interact with the poems published at The Michigan Poet, which will remain quarterly for now. I also hope that you continue to support poetry, as well as all arts, in your local communities because community is as important as it has ever been. Thank you for reading.

All my best,

Michael Hylton
Editor of TheMichigan Poet