Noah Baldino on the Georgia Review‘s Spring 2024 Issue

In the Spring 2024 issue of The Georgia Review, a keen emphasis is placed on showcasing emerging writers, with nearly half of the poetry section being contributed by fresh voices. For an editor, discovering the work of an unknown author amongst a sea of established names can be a thrilling experience. It is not the novelty or trendiness of a writer's style that sets them apart, but rather their ability to convey trust, according to Noah Baldino, the editor of the Poetry and Reviews section.

Jim Whiteside's poem "La Dame Bleue," featured in this issue, exemplifies this trust. The poem pays homage to Alexander McQueen's 2008 runway show and the speaker's relationship with his mother, without providing explicit details or explanations. Instead, it trusts the reader to comprehend the context and draw their own meaning from the poem. Whiteside's trust in the reader's intellect and emotional intelligence allows the poem to remain understated and simple, with the ending leaving a "simple, gray dress."

Another example of trust in the issue is Arro Mandell's exploration of ecological intimacy through the context of eviction. By choosing not to detail her uncle's suffering, Mandell creates a poem that holds the complexity of legacy. Marianne Boruch's poem similarly uses the context of cancer diagnosis to avoid dominating the poem with details, instead allowing the reader to make their own connections.

The restraint exhibited by these emerging poets in their approach to contextual details speaks to their discernment, a quality crucial to both writers and editors. Trust, as demonstrated in these poems, is a key factor in creating a meaningful literary work that resonates with readers.