The Next Chapter

Silver Door welcomes new editor

I’m delighted to announced that J.Z Schafer has joined Silver Door as co-editor.

For those who don’t already know, J.Z is the immensely talented and prolific poet behind the publication

Golgonooza

.

He is one of a handful of poets I’ve been scheming with behind the scenes recently. If you’ve missed it, one byproduct of that scheming can be found here:

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J.Z has also joined me recently as the poetry co-editor for the The Symbolic World magazine/journal, whose first issue will be released in the coming months by Symbolic World Press.

Aside from providing his own unique perspective, J.Z’s involvement will allow me to dedicate more time to, among other things:

• Review books

• Expand audio offerings

• Write more long-form essays

• Bring contemporary writers and artists onto Silver Door

On top of that, we are on track to start accepting poetry submissions in early 2024. And as I’ve said before, I’m adamant that poets are paid for their poems. The starting rate will be $25 per poem, and will increase as paid subscribers do.

There is much more that could be said, but for now it’s enough to say I’m excited to see how far we can take this project. It’s wild to think it’s not even been eight months since this publication began. This is post #65.

Thank you for coming along for the ride, I truly do appreciate your time and attention. Let any friends know who should know.

I’ll end with one of my favorite poems by J.Z, published Sept. 28 of this year:

(a trifle)

God lay a blessing on their heads,
On those before and if thou wilt
Those after me; the very stones
Of what our home shall be
To angel powers consecrate;
Let from the womb or in the tomb
Those of my blood be given peace,
For there is no diadem so heavy
With aggregated limbs of state
Nor coffer glut so full with bullion
That lightness in the soul it can command,
But thou so canst, for thou art peace itself;
May excellence and learning be the friend
Of those that susserate the wind,
May kindness and humility
Grace them into the voteless grave;
Let those made subtle for a time
With spiritual benevolence
Enrich our livelihood, and speak council
Quietly in the ear; because the times
Wane all the bones must rattle for a charm
Of Christian specimen. Make us able
To rear aright a soul new-formed,
For that a soul exceeds the universe
It is a heavy work and much condemns
Those neglectful in it. Let our patrons
Have in thine ear a word on our behalf,
Zoe and Silouan, let their unnetted prayer
Catch all the school of our predecessors,
Five thousand mouths therefore to feed;
Teach joy into our hearts, and gratitude
For that’s the seal of bliss.

May we as good inheritors
Leave heirs as good; zealous in speech
And in the mind’s acquiring,
Zealous in charity and love;
Artists and kings and prayerful men
Spring from the loins to bear
The burdens which their fathers bore in turn.
The leafy carrot and the apple-tree,
The bookshelf laid with approbated books
Let these be theirs; pious fraternity,
Strong habits of the intellect
Stairwell and hall deprived of vengeful ghosts
By incense with the dawn, a wickless lamp
Before a wall of iconography,
And bricks so filigreed with moss
The whole is verdant north.
So is my prayer in brief;
Most majesty inheres
Where littlest appears.
God, lay a blessing on our heads.