Notes from the Editors

Dear Reader,

There is no unifying conclusion about the origin of language. We can imagine that it evolved from the sounds and gestures likely used to communicate in its absence. And in our daydreams of history, we can venture to envision how it felt to embrace language — the excitement, the uneasiness, the frustration, the terror, the relief. Who knows whether the first among us could guess at the magnitude of our new tool. That in the centuries to come, it would be our connective tissue, and at once our armor. That, while falling asleep at night, our children would use them to describe the lights, the colors, the shapes that danced beneath their eyelids.

Language is the DNA of the human experience. It shapes our cultures, with each language serving as a different lens through which to view life. Its vines entangle with history. And as our world becomes more connected through technology and travel, it is evolving right before our eyes.

Writing pulses with power — power that has been building since the very first word. It’s a signifier of time and space. And, by offering the unique world view of a writer, it connects us.

Today, we celebrate the publication of the 10th issue of Spry Literary Journal. For 10 issues, we have been galvanized by the sculpted words and images of bold, vulnerable artists. As you page through this issue, you’ll be transported through worlds of hope, of despair, of triumph, of love. Journeys rooted in the dynamism of language in this fleeting moment in time. With each piece you experience, we encourage you to envision the ancestry and etymology of each carefully chosen word.

We hope this issue resonates with you, rejuvenates your soul, and transports you through the parallel universes that live within each of our minds.

Thank you for celebrating the words of our contributors over the course of 10 issues! We look forward to adventuring with you today, and in the years to come.

Yours in language,

Linsey and Erin