"There is no 'This equals that,'" says Liz Hawkes deNiord, Cortland Review's cover artist, who journals and sketches her way in visual language to an abstracted painted image that she hopes transcends and provides universal explanations.

What poet doesn't understand that's exactly what happens on his page or on his way to it?

Liz Hawkes deNiord studied fine arts and Asian studies in college and developed her sometimes edgy, sometimes sublime painting style originally in oils and works now with viscous acrylics and metals. Additionally, she trained as a ceramicist and print maker "both of which," she admits, "enter into the painting as different ways of thinking, effecting problem solving and paint application." Her art is an attempt to understand world conflicts and social issues, and the "most difficult and exciting part of painting," she says, "is paying attention to the inherent message developed in each work." She teaches art in Brattleboro, Vermont, and shows her paintings regionally, in journals, and some have been selected for covers of books. They can also be viewed online at lizhawkesdeniord.com

It is that kind of "paying attention" that has produced every piece of work in our Issue 51, from Michael Lauchlan's "Love in Wine Country" to Hannah Fries' "Love at Formel's Junkyard."

The entire TCR volunteer staff welcomes each contributor and each reader. You are the reason we keep at this honoring the literary arts, and we happily support all those who appreciate them. All the praise for this and every Issue and Feature goes to the TCR staff—from Founder, Publisher and Filmmaker, Guy Shahar, to Poetry Editors, Jennifer Wallace, Anna Catone and Christian Gullette; Fiction Editor, Elizabeth Cornell; Managing Editor, Amy MacLennan, Web Manager, David Moody and Contributing Editor, David Rigsbee. While all of us are busy with work, family, everyday's small and not so small crises and successes, it's this venue to which we return again and again for the sustenance that art provides.

TCR thanks its contributors, not only for trusting The Cortland Review with their work, but for the extra effort they make to provide audio recordings. Remember that Flash Player is the vehicle to these poetic voices, and if it's not already downloaded on your computer, you can get Flash Player free here.

Not only will you want Flash Player to hear the poems in this issue, but you'll want it when you go through our archive of issues and features (since 1997), including Guy Shahar's "Poets in Person" features on Gerald Stern, Philip Levine and Stephen Dunn in HD video.

Don't forget to stop by our fan page on Facebook and drop us a note, too. We love every personal response to what you read in our pages.

Heroes wanted:
You can be a TCR hero by entering the amazon.com Website via any TCR link to buy any book in their inventory. We appreciate the support we get through your book purchases, and we'll use that money to meet you personally at AWP in Chicago in 2012.

Cheers,
Ginger Murchison
Editor