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this issue POETRY AND DELIRIUM: An Explanation by Ross McCague Toronto Ontario Canada The imaginative impulse acts on a sudden realization, dissociates images from their normal setting, and realigns them in associations that are largely derived from feelings. The intensity of such feelings in the realm of speculative thought is difficult for most people to understand. Whether these are unfinished acts that have never been played out in the artist’s life or the intense realization of what has ... see page 2 DIGITAL GHOSTS: Introduction by Don Schaeffer Winnipeg Manitoba Canada A few years ago I made the discovery that the land over the rainbow, the land of enchantment was real. It exists in an amalgam of shared minds, connected by waves in the ether passing through the sky. It is, in effect, a juxapositon of souls. When I can touch the souls my mind makes the images of bodies and creates models of complete people shaped by shadows passed through space in coded ether waves. It is the land of chat ... see page 3 Accepted poetry submissions for this issue ... page 4 Book Reviews a review by Bernard Alain: Dave Besseling's 'Nakayubi Three' ... page 5 featured book Nakayubi Three by Dave Besseling Born 1979, Peterborough, ON. Canada. Currently interloping in Chiang Mai, Thailand and have spent the last 6 years living and traveling in a variety of countries to nurture a lateral appreciation of human diversity/mania and nurture to some degree a relevant capacity for self-awareness. All this and a deep appreciation for pretentious headshots. 'Nakayubi Three' reflects on his travels to India, the unmeaning and the holy city. My artwork is an exercise in documenting the subconscious mind and exploring the relationships between past experiences with personality and the images that seem to get all mixed up under the Id. Living in different cultures seems to afford somewhat of an objective view of what makes up the mind; what has been learned, seen or felt can be placed in a quantifiable context as opposed to identifying unconditionally with the persona of "Dave". The symbols and iconography cultures create to represent possible states of mind beyond the intellect are always an inspiration to me. --D. Besseling Dave Besseling currently has four publications in circulaton, Nakayubi Two: The Barnstormer. (poetry), Nakayubi Three: The Unmeaning and the Holy City. (poetry), Kusuriyubi One: Fun With Memes! (prose) purchase, Nakayubi One: the cynic, the critic, the masochistic anemic. (poetry). To obtain a copy of the featured book use the following link: LuLu http://www.lulu.com in the spotlight Joy Leftow New York, NY      Joy Leftow is a writer with a unique perspective and voice. Joy D. Leftow was born and raised in Washington Heights, in upper Manhattan, where she still lives. Growing up in the Heights, combined with a less - than - ideal family life, taught Leftow many lessons from a unique angle. She is a Jewish woman who has lived her entire life in an area which has always been comprised of ethnic minorities and has now become predominantly Hispanic and African-American. This perspective gives her the advantage of seeing poverty from the inside out and experiencing the differences in several cultures outside of her own.      After dropping out of high school and living for some time on welfare as a single mother, Leftow restarted her education under the auspices of the New York State Higher Education Opportunity Program and obtained a B.A. from Columbia University. She continued her studies and obtained a postgraduate Masters of Science in Social Work degree from Columbia University in New York City, and more recently an M.A. in Creative Writing from City College of New York.      Leftow has been active in the New York City poetry scene since 1993, frequently reading at poetry evenings at CBGB's, the Wetlands, Cornelia Street Cafe, Bowery Poetry Club, the Back Fence, Palmer Vineyards and the Paris Cafe and making appearances on local public radio shows, such as Poetry Central, Teachers & Writers Collaborative, Everything Goes, The Sounds of Poetry on Adelphi Radio on WBAU-FM, Jazz Poetry Café with Phillip Gregory on WFLO, Cool On The Groove on Rockland World Radio Program and on the television show, The New Yorkers. She also organized and hosted the Spoken Word Event at the 4th and 5th Annual Uptown Arts Stroll event in 2006 and 2007.      Leftow has been performing on the New York poetry scene for some time and has published A Spot of Bleach, a book of poetry and prose. Her story, Foolish Pride, came out Spring 2007, in an all female anthology called The Lipstick Diaries from Augustus Publishing. Joy writes and gets her work published when she is not busy doing cat rescues and meeting her muse.      Leftow is a clinical social worker proficient at understanding character. She uses these skills when describing characters. Writing from her own experiences and those of her close friends, Joy focuses a new light on the wacky, humorous, and sometimes painful adventure of “Life in the Big Apple.”      Leftow's first book, A Spot of Bleach & Other Poems and Prose (Big Foot Press, 2006), was praised by the Aquarian East Coast Rocker (March 15-22, 2006 issue) as "bringing a bold energetic humor to the matters of everyday life. Growing up in a not so “Leave It To Beaver” household, she reflects on her relationships with family members and friends with more sarcasm than you could find in a whole season of “Seinfeld.” Her prose is like a catchy tune, keeping the reader engaged within every line and pause, allowing her words and loud voice to linger around in your head. Her observations and analysis of human nature represent the cynicism with which we think but never have the guts to say out loud." selected poem Being Jewish The plague of my life has always been I’m not Jewish enough to be Jewish Although over the years I’ve had several Jewish girl friends, I can count them on one hand No Jewish man has ever wanted me except for some really despicable Jewish male perverts and I’ve never figured out the reason why I’ve always been an outcast among my own people, and then, even my therapist told me “It’s all because you don’t know the difference between a schlemiel and a schlimazel,” I said to my therapist, “Andy, don’t be a schlemiel, a schlemiel is a jerk and schlimazel means an inept jerk who’s persistently luckless.” “No,” he said, “you’re wrong and even Ellen knows the difference,” “Oh com’on” I said, “what is there to know, you’re making this up to tease me,” “Oh no I’m not,” he said, “a schlemiel is someone who is Jewish who doesn’t know how to tie his tie properly and the other is what you said.” I do wonder what Andy’s going on about My mother was Jewish orthodox and my father was Russian Jew and how much more Jewish can you get than that? The point is, ... I’m still not Jewish enough ... Then he said “Even a Jewish atheist would know- -but the gist of it is, that you don’t know enough about the culture to be with a Jewish man who gets pleasure from being around other Jews who can understand the language they speak.” What can I do? Being an outcast is difficult at best! by Joy Leftow