Table of Contents

 Opening Words
 Review
 Submissions
 New Works
 Closing Words

Opening Words

   There's a reason for my choice of opening words.  I'll be explaining it all later in my "new works" section.
    I've noticed a trend in this ezine, and its called expansion.  This thing is getting larger and larger, kind of like Microsoft software.  I must watch what I do with it.  The one thing that will never be cut back is the submissions.  This is the heart of the ezine;  it's reason for existence.
    I want to put out a request.  If anyone has written any gothic poetry, I would be interested in reading and using some in the other ezine.  With the next issue to be released at the end of October, what better poetry to read before Hallowe'en then some gothic.  So e-mail me at: avantgarde@angelfire.com.  As you know the guidelines are more relaxed, so experiment.
    Anyway, the pumpkins are getting bigger, the trees are turning some glorious colours and soon the frost will come.  I've seen the harvest moon, and its autumn.

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Review
  Woodstock is going to experience some tremendous change.  A huge hydroelectric dam is being constructed, a few miles south.  The result of the dam will be the disappearance of a small island park and the two rivers that used to flow free will be transformed into a huge lake.  It will mean some of the older parts of the town, along the river will disappear as well.
    This is the background to the book;  "Before the Flood", by Alan R. Wilson.  The book follows the life of Samuel McFarlane and his friends over a couple of years.  The action take place in the early part of the sixties, before the dam is built.  It's an age that has all but disappeared from our culture.  In those days, there were only 6 teams in the NHL, expansion was viewed with suspicion and each town was different.  There wasn't any 'cookie cutter' malls or the mega-culture which pervades us, no matter where we live.
    The book is a nostalgic look at life before the sixties became the 'sixties'.  Its small town life, with its table hockey tourneys, summer jobs and the joys and challenges of high school.  The book is a combination of a coming of age, buddy and a bit of a ghost story, thrown together and given to us through the voice of young Sam.  We follow him through the pains of growing up, of the first hint of romance and that first summer job.
    The writing is fresh and a delight to read.  Take the time to find it and then, curl up and read.

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Submissions

  This month, we have some new contributors and new friends:
 Kate Pheasant , Duane Locke , Michael Schmidt
 
 

[Duane Locke, Ph. D. in Renaissance Literature, ex-Poet in Residence for 20 years at a university, ex-Professor of Humanities, now employed, lives in an old, decaying, two-story house in the sunny and palm tree Tampa slums.  The excessively ugly and brutal neighborhood has been enlivened with bright colors.  Police have pasted yellow and orange posters on all poles advertising the location is a major shopping mall for drugs.
More colors are added by the expensive automobiles, stolen, stripped, and abandoned on the streets.  Duane lives here as a stranger and alien, not understanding the customs,
The costumes, or the language, some form of postmodern English.  He has had over 2,000 poems published in 500 print magazines such as APR, Nation, Literary Review, Black Moon, and Bitter Oleanders, but he is not sure that print poetry magazines have any readers. His 14th and latest book is WATCHING WISTERIA (to order see www.vidapublishing.com or call 1-800-869-7553).]

 submissions
 
 

New Works

     This is going to be a bit different.  I have been thinking about those famous words by John Donne,  " no man is an island..."  There is that aspect of life which does bind all of us.  I was considering this because of some recent deaths in the family.  We speak of death as a loss, and in many ways it is.  I thought about the connection which is between people who love each other.  We have severed a relationship which was warm and loving.  Those relationship entwined themselves in our very being.  The relationship became a part of the very essence of who we are.
    I believe this may be true, even if the relationship had gone through either hard times, or separation because of time and distance.   There is still this union which brings all of us together as people.
    Then the relationship ends.  While in other endings, such as estrangement or separation there is a subconscious thought that reunion is always possible.  However, death is different, death is the end of a earthly relationship.  It's as if something in us has ended as well.  We are not islands, the bell chimes for us as well.  We are connected.  As friends, as family, we are all in it together.
    A relationship ends, a loss is felt.  It is part of our humanity.  We experience it.  Even if the people are different, it is the universal sense of loss.
    I hope I'm not being too maudlin.  If anything, I thought about being a bit metaphysical.

Closing Words

  The time has come to place down and pen, and ponder the words that have been writ.  So I end this issue of "Above Ground Testing".  As the seasons continue the movement through the heavens, look  up and watch the magic come about.

As always, this ezine is a collection of the creative process of a number of people, namely the contributors.  All work is copyright by the individual contributors.  Respect this.  ©1999.

Music for the zine  "Get Outta Dodge" Huevos Rancheros  Old fashioned straight-ahead guitar rock.  Only thing wrong with the disc, THERE'S ONLY 7 SONGS!!!  But listen to it anyways.  Huevos Rancheros

"Above Ground Testing" is edited, created and published by Paul, from his computer.

Read, enjoy, pass it on, contribute.

 Above Ground Testing
 Avant Garde Times

 pabear_7@yahoo.com   ( if you want to contribute, subscribe, or say 'hi')