INTRODUCTION TO ISSUE 13 Slope has been around for two years. It's amazing and frightening to remember back to 1999, when towers stood, junk mail had an entirely different meaning, and life in America was, generally, standard fare. Now, poetry and writing have moved to the front burner. Recent newspaper articles remarked on the "therapeutic" quality of poetry in times of trial. Well-known and smaller poets alike scramble to write their thoughts on atrocity, freedom, violence and passivity. Small-town kids scribbled simple poems in magic marker on posters and placards in the aftermath. Academics dusted off selections by Cavafy and Blake with their odd premonitions of communal tragedy and spiritual resolution. The work in Issue 13 retains an importance in our time, despite being dwarfed by all the immense shadows of evil in our time. Here is writing that's politically charged, erotically charged, charged with humor and pathos and outrage and restlessness, solitude, sincerity and confession. In sum, the poetry in this issue is a reaffirmation of the vitality of the human spirit, the complexity of the human search. With poems by writers in Africa, Canada, Australia and the United States, Slope continues on its course toward unity. The last issue alone was read by nearly 6,000. Thus, in a time when it's easy to think us all drifting apart, we are witnessing the power of technology and creative fervor in bringing people together. In the face of great loss, people are still reading and sharing and writing. Beautiful, indeed, and sad. But beautiful. - Ethan Paquin, 1 November 2001 SLOPE - WHERE MOVEMENTS HAPPEN Slope is a quarterly (starting in January 2002), online journal devoted to poetry being written around the world. We publish only new, original and previously unpublished poems. Contributors hail from countries including Australia, England, South Africa, Nigeria, France, Tunisia, Wales, Canada and the United States. We encourage new writers, while continuing to publish award-winning and established poets. Slope occasionally features "sampler" issues. Recent examples include Recent Croatian Poetry (Issue 10) and Recent Australian Poetry (Issue 11-12); upcoming issues include Recent Serbian Poetry (14) and Aboriginal Australian Poetry. Poets featured and/or forthcoming in Slope include Forrest Gander, Tomaz Salamun, Charles Bernstein, Matthew Rohrer, James Tate, Joe Wenderoth, Eleni Sikelianos, Ron Silliman, Franz Wright, Heather McHugh, Nin Andrews, Dara Wier, Eric Pankey, Ross Martin, Rebecca Wolff, Margot Schilpp, John Kinsella, Mary Jo Bang, Pam Brown, Kevin Hart, Lee Upton, Peter Minter, Brian Henry, Katy Lederer, Drew Milne, Mark Bibbins, Bob Hicok, David H.W. Grubb, Susan Schultz, Louis Armand, Christine Hume, Tessa Rumsey, Timothy Donnelly, Matthea Harvey and many others. SLOPE EVENTS & NEWS Slope Editions (www.slopeeditions.org) is continuing to accept submissions for the First Annual Slope Editions Book Prize, judged by David Lehman. Visit the site for rules and information. The public is cordially invited to the second and final Slope reading of 2001           7 p.m. Saturday, 15 December           ONI Gallery, Chinatown, Boston, MA           684 Washington St., 4th Floor           (617) 542-6983 Not your typical poetry reading: music, sculpture, art, discussion and wine Readers: Gian Lombardo, Eula Biss, Ronald Palmer and Matthew Zapruder In conjunction with BOTH Magazine Donations accepted ******* The public is invited to the inaugural Slope reading in Australia:           6 to 8 p.m. Monday, 10 December           e55, 55 Elizabeth St., Melbourne Slope Xmas Party featuring Gig Ryan, Nick Whittock, Joe Hill and Will Fox In conjunction with Cordite Poetry Review Internet terminals available. Readings begin at 7 p.m. Donations accepted. WRITERS' GUIDELINES Please query the editor before submitting work. All poems © 2001 the poets. The editors kindly ask that poets credit Slope should their work be re-published elsewhere. MASTHEAD Editor & Founder: Ethan Paquin Australia Editor: Michael Farrell Canada Editor: Derek Webster Contributing Editor: Peter Johnson Managing Editors: Christopher Janke, Pamela Burdak Designer: Steve Palmer, 76design Slope is ISSN # 1536-0164.