Introducing the American Terror special issue in September 2001, I quoted the American poet Muriel Rukeyser, writing in the darkness of World War II.  As our world prepares for another devastating conflict, she bears requoting:

"All of our nature must be used.  It is fatal now to hold back from it.  The war that has been over the world was a war made in our imaginations; we saw it coming, and said so; and our imaginations must be strong enough to make a peace.  First, to create an idea of peace, and then to bring it about.

"Always we need the audacity to speak for more freedom, more imagination, more poetry with all its meanings.  As we go deeper into conflict, we shall find ourselves more constrained, the repressive codes will turn to iron.  More and more we shall need to be free in our beliefs..."

In the name of this hope, this desire and this struggle, I'm delighted to host a special Masthead feature: a stunning selection of thirty five contemporary Arab poets, guest edited by Margaret Obank of Banipal Magazine.  It includes selections of poems from some of the most distinguished poets writing in Arabic today, working in different ways out of an ancient and beautiful tradition. 

Masthead also includes poetries of many kinds from many parts of the world: from Slovenia, Ales Steger; from the UK, Drew Milne,  Sophie Levy and Charles Bainbridge with his versions of poems by Phillipe Soupault; from New Zealand, David Howard; from Australia, new translations of Rimbaud's Les Illuminations by Dan Spielman and an entire verse novel by MTC Cronin; from North America, prose poems by Rebecca Seiferle and mixed media poetry by New York performance artist Nicole Peyrafitte, and part of an ongoing collaboration  by Shiela E. Murphy and Canadian poet Douglas Barbour.

This issue's cover art is by Italian underground artist Claudio Parentela.  Check out the Gallery for more of his work. 

I hope you enjoy Issue 7.  Peace be with you.