Dear Reader,

Pelorus Press is a magazine created to explore the process of writing. There is a phrase that says that “we are all the ages we’ve ever been.” Well, we believe that our poems are also all the ages they’ve ever been and  the point of publication should be to show the whole poem, not just the finished project.

It is easy to forget the editing process. At times the procedure of revision may feel less exciting than the moment of immediate inspiration. However, in many ways the editing process is more important than that rough first moment of inception. Editing is where the real writing happens: the struggle, the yearning, and the creation.

This journal wants to honor the work of poetic process, and in honoring this editing process we are honoring poetry as a whole. 

With Pelorus Press we publish many drafts of each poem so that our readers can be a witness to the process of the poem. This allows our readers to observe the evolution of the poem's develops over time. We believe this allows readers to enter into the poem and it makes the thought process of the poet tangible. We also publish essays that meditate on creativity. These essays can cover inspiration, the experience of teaching writing, or literature that motivated writing, as well as any other topic that may feel applicable.

This exploration of process will be a catalyst for conversation and that this journal will be a tool for the classroom.

Pelorus Press is a project born out of frustration for what mainstream poetry has become and hope for what the experience of poetry can be if the curtain is pulled back from the polished product and the lens is instead brought to focus on the gritty evolution of the written word.

We look forward to reading your submissions and sharing with you in celebrating all the ages your poetry has ever been.

Sincerely,

Cahaley & Dylan