Alyson Jane - With Ariel in Their Hands
I found that Alyson's essay (I'm presuming) did a
really nice job of mixing in well known information, with more personal
information of a similar nature. Assuming I'm correct and that this is an
essay, what do you look for in non-fiction? The same as with fiction and
poetry? Does the topic also have to be of some interest to you? Or can the
language alone sway you towards publishing it?
David McLendon
It is always language alone—or the way one
assembles language—that holds and folds my attention when reading submissions
for Unsaid. The choice of topic is never a concern. The most mundane object in
the world can be brightened and strengthened through language.
I see Alyson Jane’s piece as less an essay
than a prose poem. There is a nice cadence she offers the reader, and the
thoughtful brevity she allows leaves one with an inward wash of feeling that is
often experienced after reading a great poem. Her juxtaposition of the known
and the personal braids a generous amount of tension in a small space. This she
has in common with Anne Carson. In much the same manner that
Comments