Why We Exist

An Editor’s Note

Okay, that’s a big statement. What I mean is, what inspired the creation of the Frost Meadow Review? Well I think that’s a fabulous question. Let me tell you.

Nearly a decade ago, while studying English and Biology at the University of Maine, I took a class on Maine writers taught by Sanford Phippen. At the time he was the editor of the Puckerbrush Review and he brought me on to help assist with the publication. I learned a lot that year. Most notably, I learned that literary journals are crucial centers of community and that they are a labor of love.

The Puckerbrush Review was founded by Constance Hunting in 1971. Constance was a pianist, poet and professor. She edited and ran the review until her death in 2006. Although I never met her, I felt her legacy in the community at the University of Maine. After her death, Sanford Phippen took on the job of editing the Puckerbrush Review. A couple years later, I was brought on to assist Sanford Phippen with the work. The Puckerbrush Review was a well established biannual journal. It provided poetry, prose, essays and book reviews from many well known writers in Maine and New England. A couple years after I graduated, Sanford Phippen announced that he would be retiring as Editor and the final edition was published in the Spring/Summer of 2012. I recall the days working with Sanford and the challenges he shared with me about keeping the Puckerbrush Review going. It was clear that Constance had run the publication for so long as a gift to her community. The work was challenging and the compensation must have come in the form of gratification since there was not a lot of money in it.

When I learned that Sanford retired I was sad for the loss to our community but I also understood and respected his decision. A small piece of me wished I could have been there at the right moment to say “I’ve got this now” and “let’s keep it going.”

The Frost Meadow Review grew from this little seed planted almost a decade ago. I wished I could have done something to keep the Puckerbrush Review going. In recent years, I ended up at a crossroad which led to being a stay at home mother. I turned to my own poetry for growth, expression and introspection but I felt isolated. So I drew on what I had learned from the legacy of Constance. I founded the Frost Meadow Review to build community and to connect myself with others. For now we focus on poetry but who knows what tomorrow will bring. Perhaps someday we can include fiction, essays or book reviews. We will see. Constance showed me how a literary journal can matter. I hope someday the Frost Meadow Review will be an important resource for the writing communities of New England like the Puckerbrush Review was for so many years.

And that is why we exist.

All my love,

Emily J.T. Matthews

Founder/Editor Frost Meadow Review