Middlesex County College has issued a new literary journal that features some truly fine work.
In addition to some exquisite poetry (including four by yours truly), Middlesex: A Literary Journal includes essays, a play, black-and-white artwork and reviews by faculty, alumni and friends of the college.
I attended MCC for a year (’85-’86) to get my grades up after two disastrous (academically) years at Penn State and three years working at jobs I knew I could never spend my life doing.
It was a good year that helped me focus my writing and my thinking, giving me a broad and strong base upon which my two years as a successful Rutgers undergraduate and year as a Rutgers graduate student were built.
So it is gratifying to be a part of this journal — and to feature some of the people involved during the monthly reading series I run at the South Brunswick Library. Among the readers were journal editor Emanuel di Pasquale (pictured reading), along with Steven Barnhart, Daniel Zimmerman, Matthew Spano and myself (photo at the top, from left, Hank Kalet, Steven Barnhart, Emanuel di Pasquale, Matthew Spano and Daniel Zimmerman). More readings are likely to be scheduled and there are plans to distribute the journal to libraries around the state — and for a second edition to come out next year.
To get a copy, e-mail Literary_Journal@middlesexcc.edu. I encourage everyone to pick up a copy and/or contribute.
Hank Kalet 