Journal Review of Elixir

Elixir #2 2002

Submissions of both poetry and fiction are read from May 15 until September 1.

I could not find more information about subscriptions beyond the above.

Elixir is published by Elixir Press, a non-profit literary organization. It features both poetry and short works of fiction. Many poems and short stories are missing capital letters throughout the journal:

Memoir of an Unnamed Shore

Somewhere Near the Lost Island of Utopia

the door cracks in so many different directions. all back-slaps & gummy smiles;…

The poems differ in format throughout. There are some poems that I just didn’t like because they seemed quite vague and almost seemed to be missing word:

“What is kindness for?

Veronica washing his feet

Mary’s arms

The erotics of absence…” from Hello Beloved by Claudia Keelan

Many poems seem to be missing an overall idea. While using concrete images, the language and overall idea is quite abstract.

“Ode to a Cheerleader” by E. Schwerer

Around here fear is a thing you put in your mouth backwards

then rip off the filter of as if there was nothing wrong with you.

This is something she is not used to.

The weeping willow across the street is half dead,

its new leaves clustered into sets of sorrow

the way fireworks cheaply spread at a county fair.

This is all anything green can sometimes muster.

At times, however, it can do more. Make changes, modify behavior,

flower for a moment up into the frame the sky has given it,

flash

and so manage

some meager profit from that slight, crippled glory.

This poem continues on for two and a half more pages. I really like the description of the willow and the comparison to the fireworks. The imagery is beautiful. I feel that this poem is easy to identify with for anyone who has participated in any sort of sport. I like the idea of overcoming fear when one is not used to such a challenge. This poem conveys a sense of empowerment in overcoming our fears. The poem is broken up into six different sections. The next section talks about surrender. Next is grief; the poet talks about the death of the cheerleader’s grandfather and the tears that she wept. The poem has referenced dogwood from the beginning. It ends by saying that the dogwood is full grown and beautiful but the girl is not. She has given in to fear.

This poem seems like it could be quite predictable but it has a surprising twist. I appreciate that it isn’t a happy ending and the comparison to fear and growth. There is no saving the girl because she has given in to disease. The dogwood will grow but eventually die. This poem sends an interesting message.