Discovering Our Roots
Editor's note for Issue 9
The literal versus the figurative interpretation of any given word or phrase is essential to literary creativity. The waves at the end of The Great Gatsby represent far more than an oceanographic phenomenon of interest to scientists; the garb worn by the Man in Black as he flees across the desert, followed by the gunslinger, is more than a practical descriptor meant to distinguish him from someone else with a different fashion choice.
Thus it is with the topic of roots.
In the opening piece of this issue, “Twopig”, a literal tree is condemned to death. But it is the roots of the community that are truly at stake. This focus on community, and on the nature of communal values, is also at the heart of “Re-Patching” — a Chinese poem re-envisioned here in English for the first time.
An entirely different approach, however, underpins the whimsical delight of “Once We Were Wolves”, where the inner lives of pampered pugs are revealed. And in the horror-comedy piece that follows, “Square Root Day”, the numerological significance of roots comes to the fore.
This issue ends with “Garden Maintenance: A User’s Guide”, a deeply personal exploration of a father-son relationship, and how what is rooted in the back yard reveals what is rooted in the soul.
At the same time, our visual artists’ creativity in interpreting this issue’s theme is an exciting development. We feature the work of several returning artists as well as works by others who appear here for the first time. The images include abstract and semi-representational paintings, gritty photographs, and an achingly luminous creation by an artist at the sunset of his career. Remember — the PDF version of The Apostrophe features bonus material not posted on our Substack.
Understanding our roots and stretching beyond them is how bare description evolves into creativity. For it is only by grappling with the reality of our roots that we can grow.
Issue 9 of The Apostrophe will be published starting on June 1, 2025 - one piece per day, with the full PDF version published on the final day.