When I was appointed the first Poet Laureate of Belle. MO at the end of 2016, my first order of business, in addition to having community readings, was to create a literary publication that the city could call its own, you are now holding the first volume of that journal in your hands. After I moved to Missouri one of first things I began to notice immediately is that our region had poets coming out of woodwork from every direction and in every community, the end result here is a testament to our love of words.

A special thanks must be given to Mayor Steve Vogt, Barbara Huse, The Friends of the Belle Library, Jason Ryberg, Osage Arts Community–Mark McClane, and Tony Hayden, the fine folks at Kingsford Clorox, whose grant of generous support has made the printing of this publication possible, and you, the reader.

–John Dorsey, Founder and Co-Editor,

Gasconade Review