Editor's Choice: The Voice of Diana Cole

One day, late last November, I found a lone group of poems waiting for me in my email inbox.  I was not familiar with the poet, but as I read through the enclosed submissions I was struck by the movement in one poem in particular, "Giving Into Grief."  In addition to this poem, another, "Late summer," used movement and momentum as a conduit to convey the emotion of anger while a third, "Biopsy," used movement in yet another way.  I immediately sat up and took note of the poet's name, Diana Cole.

As I let the poems settle into me, I began to consider how we can move in different directions and in different ways whenever we face a challenge, a loss, or a hardship.  Some people will fight back, some may succumb, allowing fate to move them in whatever direction it desires, while others will move outwardly to seek guidance or assistance from a trusted friend, relative, or healer.  When I returned to the three poems, I read them again and again.  I was hooked by the poet's method of revealing such raw emotions with such clarity and the eloquence of the language she chose to convey action.

At our next submission review meeting, Daniel took notice of the same three poems so we discussed inviting the poet to submit more work to us.  We were quite happy to receive her favorable reply and from her second group of poems, we chose another gem, "Laura," to complete our selections.

We chose to present this Editor's Choice section in the same order of emotions that many people experience a devastating event: anger; action, analysis, or exploration; grief; and acceptance.  "Late summer" takes place in an overgrown, weed-infested garden.  The strength of this poem is its ability to convey the overwhelming grief experienced by the narrator.  As we transition into "Biopsy," we find the narrator aware of her body during a diagnostic procedure, exploring her body after the procedure is over, then contemplating the possible outcome.  "Giving Into Grief" is a multi-layered poem, where on the surface, a reader will perceive the tumultuousness of the emotion of grief as if grief is in control, but on further exploration, we see how the narrator has chosen to embrace grief.  In the final poem, "Laura,” reveals illness in it latest stage, yet the poet has chosen to offer us the beauty that still exists in someone who is dying.

I hope, as you read these poems, you will allow yourself to embrace the many levels and degrees of emotion the poet has so skillfully brought to the page, and I hope you will take the messages they offer to heart.

It is with great pleasure I present to you a voice of Touch: Diana Cole.

O.P.W. Fredericks, Editor

© 2011 O.P.W. Fredericks