COLLECTION I: Eighth Winter
Dear Friends,
In studying different readership models when crafting this inaugural Merion West collection, we have come to properly appreciate why they refer to it as the "media diet." Much like a person can consume fast food daily, so can their minds regularly ingest content that offers a momentary pleasure yet leaves them feeling unsatisfied in the end. For those seeking to engage in a meaningful reading experience, it is our hope that this collection will serve as a welcome oasis apart from contemporary media, which serves increasingly more junk than substance.
We have worked diligently to ensure that the writings of this periodical are as fulfilling as they are varied. In other words, this is our first of many attempts to serve you with a multi-course meal that will leave your mind elevated rather than confused, your spirits refreshed rather than cast down.
We wish you a great reading experience.
Sincerely,
EDITOR & PUBLISHER
Featured
Long Live the Queen: 1926-2022
English writer Henry George writes about the late-Queen Elizabeth II.
Why America?
A Soviet immigrant reminds Americans what they have forgotten.
Essays
These People All Know Each Other
“Charles Krauthammer used to pride himself on not going to cocktail parties, instead preferring to be at home with his wife quietly reading, writing, doing whatever. And he was probably better for it.”
Erich J. Prince
The Origins of a Partisan
“Citizens wore red and white, the colors of the Pahonia, the traditional flag of Belarus, a symbol made illegal in 1995 shortly after President Aliaksandr Lukashenka came to power.”
Henri Mattila
America’s Return to Industrial Policy
“Clearly, industrial policy—the deliberate and coordinated governmental support of industries—is coming back, even if it is not clear yet where it will end up.”
Peter Clarke
Arts Section
Poetry
Hair Clip
A poem by Nancy Byrne Ianucci.
Henri Mattila
The Orthodox Church of Ukraine Reschedules Christmas
A work by Pennsylvania-based poet Dan Schall.
Peter Clarke
Gods and Angels
Eric Fisher Stone’s poem.
Henri Mattila
Old Men Coughing
A poem by Tim. F. Nichols.
Henri Mattila
Arts Essays
Scribe in Disguise: Amy Beeder’s “And So Wax Was Made and Also Honey”
“[Amy] Beeder’s nimble adaptiveness and ability to key her lexicon to a wily set of speakers and dramatic personae in And So Wax Was Made and Also Honey are what make this rare book command attention.”
Henri Mattila
How To Write Lyric Poetry
“This lyre-derived heritage survives robustly in the lyrics of pop songs, guitars now taking the place of the lyre and the orality of the human voice singing taking precedence over all.”
Henri Mattila