From the Editor…

One of the things I love most about putting together the issues of Kelsey Review is that as I do so, I begin to see connections between these unique pieces that I hadn’t seen before. Sometimes, if I’m lucky, a unifying theme even emerges. In this case, the theme of “crossing borders” became apparent to me as I was arranging the poems, stories, nonfiction, and art in this issue. Some pieces deal with borders being invaded (like The-O’s artwork, “dnr_Borderland”), others discuss cross-cultural experiences (like Lavinia Kumar’s poems and Leonora Obed’s “Bienvenido Belfast”), and others relate the vicissitudes of traveling (Paul Levine’s “Even Leif Erikson Made it to Greenland”). Many of the others also touch on the theme of border crossing, but in a more metaphorical way, the way Vida Chu’s poem “Unexpected Guest” and John Boccanfuso’s “Requiem Avus” discuss the most universal of all border crossings, the journey from life to death. This may all sound very deep and serious—but believe me when I say there’s light and laughter in this issue as well!

This issue has been woven together by the generous hands of so many people, who I would be remiss not to thank. First and foremost, thank you to my fellow Kelsey Review editors, Roberta Clipper, Luray Gross, and Ellen Jacko, whose artistry and wisdom helped curate this issue. Thank you also to the support of the Liberal Arts Department, including Dean Robert Kleinschmidt and his executive assistant Lyndsey Goehrig. The Publications Department also deserves great thanks for their design prowess and help with putting the issue together. Thank you as well to the Grants department and other staff at MCCC who helped with the financials. Thank you to Dr. Debi Preston, MCCC President, and VPAA Dr. Robert Schreyer for their support of this project. Finally, we are able to print this journal thanks to a generous grant from the Mercer County Cultural and Heritage Commission, so heartfelt thanks to this very important organization. It is more important than ever to support the arts, and these many people have shown their support for Kelsey Review.

Cheers to art and to the many borders we cross because of it!

Jacqueline Vogtman

Editor