Editrice Note-To an Unfrozen Computer...

When laying out a magazine, some issues go together very nicely. The Fall Issue was like that. “Finally we know what we’re doing,” we thought, leaning back and sipping our mochas. This issue…was possessed. Pages suddenly classified “read-only”, locked for editing by some unknown force; we suspect a poltergeist. Editrice Liz’s brains deserted her as all Toucandom was nearly treated to a poem twice in the issue—but NO, you don’t want to hear about OUR problems. The Editrice note should be a time of enlightenment, of elucidation. Or, you get to read our minds, which should come with a protective shield and massive sticky security labels.


Last issue was the “Fiction” issue, contentwise. This issue had a preponderance of poetry, as individual as snowflakes and nearly as numerous. You know what happens when you ignore poets—eventually they come out from under their rocks and assault you with snowballs. There are some similarities—the poems are either quite long or quite short, with little in between. And quite a few pieces in here are somewhat depressing, with just a light frosting of humor value. We visit nursing homes, psychiatric wards, communist Russia, “1992”, and the scene of an electrocution. Even our art piece, “Firing Squad”…cheerful. Yet there’s a sort of reflective quality at work in poems like “Midnight Laptop” and “Art”. After all, when you’re stuck inside and it’s dark and freezing out, what else better do you have to do? Oh, we know! Try to teach yourself Portuguese, thanks to the helpful translation of “Iguatemi” included by Hugh Fox.

Winter is not the toucan’s natural habitat, though from our cover picture you can’t really complain about how he’s adapting. Any presents for the darling editrices? No…well fine, then, just don’t forget which side your bread is buttered on, Mr. Anyway, The Toucan, being composed of hardy Chicagoans, is doing just fine with the season’s biting chill. How do you like our new feature, the Poem of the Week? Yes, we are aware it needs a more original name, but at least you know what it is! Every Friday a poem is posted on our website, http://www.thetoucanonline.blogspot.com/ for you to peruse and get your weekly verse fix.

Thanksgiving was just a few days ago, so let us run through what we are truly thankful for. We are thankful for submissions, both good and awful. Either way, send ‘em to thetoucanmag@gmail.com. We are thankful for our Toucan Fans—and let us just say we don’t think you’re awful, though if we stumble upon a giant Toucan bonfire, we will certainly revise our opinion. We are thankful that Liz’s mother still finances us. We are thankful that, though it becomes more of a struggle with age, we can still find time to wrestle with poems with funny formats, poltergeist aside. Now, pass the hot chocolate.

Warm regards, happy holidays, and beware the eggnog,

Liz and Laura, Toucan Editrices