Welcome Assistant Poetry Editor Beth Forsyth
Welcome Beth Forsyth as the Volume 29 Assistant Editor of Poetry.
I know you write poetry almost exclusively. What is it you love about poetry
Concision! I’m pretty short-winded and I really admire that in poetry every letter, space, and punctuation mark has the opportunity to make meaning. There’s so much care that comes with attention.
I’ve had the pleasure of hearing you read some of your poetry. What inspires your poetry? What topics do you find yourself returning to in your writing?
Thank you! Sometimes I think I’m just writing the same poems over and over again; I write about my dad, my truck, my dogs, and my best friend. If I had to give it a category, I’d say my work always comes back to love and its symptoms: the anxiety, the wanting, and most importantly the joy of it.
Over the last few years, you’ve been a screener/reader for Water~Stone Review. What attracts you to a piece of poetry? What do you look for in work that you read?
I think as a reader I’m always looking for something that makes me feel with the poet, even if I can’t explain what the feeling is. I also love a piece that is playful with language; as a reader you can feel the relationship an author has with their words. There’s a certain intimacy that comes with a piece that is completely comfortable with itself.
As an editor, what makes a piece of poetry stand out to you? What will you be looking for in the poetry submitted to Volume 29?
Sincerity. I think it always starts there, if I believe a poem, if I feel a poem, if the poem moves me, it always starts with sincerity, even before understanding.
Technically, I always love a piece that feels tight. What I mean by this is a piece where every part of the poem is working together to create a larger meaning. I especially adore pieces that use the line to their advantage.
Where can readers find your work? (Include a link or two to things you’ve published if you like)
To be honest, I haven’t done a lot of submitting since undergrad. But I do have a piece I was lucky enough to place in Plumwood Mountain Journal a few years ago.
https://plumwoodmountain.com/poem/on-having-to-leave-my-dogs-alone-to-come-into-work-on-my-day-off/
Who are some of your favorite authors? Favorite books?
My all time favorite poet is Wendy Xu, especially her collection YOU ARE NOT DEAD, which was my first introduction to modern free verse. I also really admire Franny Choi, Ada Limon, and of course some Mary Oliver. I love poets that have a playful relationship with language and an eye for the ordinary. Recently I’ve been revisiting Terrance Hayes’ How to be Drawn, and Anthony McCann’s Thing Music. If I had to pick something outside of poetry, On Earth We’re Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong will always be a favorite.
What are you working on now?
I’m currently in my thesis year at Hamline, so I’m working on a poetry collection. It’s a lot about love and the grief that comes with it, and also about redefining intimacy through queerness. If I’m lucky I might sneak some art in there.
Beth Forsyth is a poet whose work has appeared in The Laurus and Plumwood Mountain Journal, and is a recipient of the Deborah Keenan Poetry Prize. She is currently creating in Minneapolis MN.
