Literary Review: 42opus

For my literary journal review, I chose to read the online literary journal, 42opus - http://42opus.com/ . Since the journal is published online, it is extremely accessible to most of the population, and it may strike a particular interest to writers newer to the literary scene (to gain a sense of what good published works are like). It is archived in quarterly issues, but new writing from both contemporary and classic writers is added to the site on a few times a week. There are sections of poetry, fiction, nonfiction and art, but for the reason of time constraint, I focused solely on the poetry composing the publication’s volume 9, no. 3. The layout on the page avoids a plethora of images and designs that many online publications overuse; it is very clean and simple, which reflects the publication’s commitment to quality writing that can move the minds of readers, emotionally and spiritually. The editor of the publication is Brian Leary, a poet and software programmer, who has been published in a multitude of literary journals, including Best New Poets 2009, Washington Square Review, and the New Orleans Review. Leary and the editors of specific writing departments are interested in receiving work that embodies a unique point of view; writing submitted should “negotiate, document, enliven, reshape one experience of living,” doing this with an awareness of literary history. Most of the poems published by contemporary poets are either in prose form or written in free verse. I believe that some of the poems written by poets we read from 21st Century American Poets, would fit the mold of what this publication is looking for, like Joshua Clover. Clover raises questions about society in his poetry (ex: Year Zero), and he ultimately invokes new ways to perceive and regard living in today’s modern world. Although I believe many young writers have the capability of potentially being published in a literary journal, the work accepted by this journal is mostly written by writers who are taking on the task of earning their MFA or have it already.

My favorite poem from 42opus’s volume 9, no.3 is Jess Burnquist’s Seminars in Art. The poem is written in prose form, and it is separated into three divided sections, each with its own subtitle. She begins her poem with a quotation from Vincent Van Gogh: “It is stormy and rainy, and that makes the calm inside even greater.” The three sections are titled Still Life with Orange, Line as a Narrative Factor : A Conversation With Myself, then Van Gogh, and Spontaneous Creation, Easily Achieved. In each section, Burnquist integrates memory and unique metaphors to relate her experience to color and art. My favorite section was the second section of prose (Line as a Narrative Factor: A Conversation With Myself, Then Van Gogh) because she writes about her body, revealing its imperfections and how it should be honestly portrayed in art. She ends her poem with a proclamation to Vincent Van Gogh in a dream, that “For heaven’s sake,” she is beautiful. In my opinion, it is her combination of experience and aesthetic is what makes her work truly memorable. Burnquist has had work published in Clackamas Literary Review, Natural Bridge, Hayden's Ferry Review, Locuspoint, and Oranges & Sardines. As far as a least favorite poem, I did not find one that I didn’t like. Many of the poets executed methods we have learned about in class, like enjambment and prose format, and they used these techniques to their advantage in their works.

Although I would love to attempt to submit some of my work to a publication like this one (since its mission reflects the type of publication I would like to have my work in), I don’t think my writing is developed enough to submit to 42opus. I think I have to continue discovering my voice and find new inspirations to write about, and new ways to convey emotion and critique.