REMINISCENCE
the editorial
Dearest friends,
Oh, to the joy of reminiscence. So often do we, even as writers, lose ourselves in the obsession with what’s next, with what’s now, that the past becomes opaque as through stained glass at night. To reflect, and to rediscover those memories once held fresh and dear, is much like the light of dawn hitting the window and revealing the beauty hidden by the dark. This being Issue VIII, and having recently marked the third anniversary of The Madrigal, could there have been a more fitting theme for us to celebrate? Reminiscence inherently covers a range of experience, from the heights of memory and delight, to the true pang of loss - we reminisce when we don’t mean to, and often that is when it is the most achingly palpable. These poets have poured their souls onto these pages, and for that, we are endlessly grateful.
It is with fondness in our hearts and no small amount of love that we give this issue to you, our dear friends, contributors, and community, without whom The Madrigal would cease to be. Deeply personal, tragic, and wonderful in equal measure, Reminiscence celebrates all the joy, pain, and meaning that can be found in the experience of being alive, of having lived. We are never more truly human than when we share these moments together, and we hope, truly and earnestly, that this will always be a space for that togetherness of feeling. Thank you, endlessly –– now read, and remember.
Love, as ever,
Helen and Luke
Editors of The Madrigal