The Best Horror of the Year. Volume 4

POETRY JOURNALS, WEBZINES, AND CHAPBOOKS

Mythic Delirium edited by Mike Allen published two issues in 2011, with one notable dark poem by Elissa Malcohn.

Dreams & Nightmares edited David C. Kopaska-Merkel has been published continuously since the beginning of 1986—in 2011 there were notable dark poems by Brock Moore, Robert Borski, and Marge Simon.

Star*Line edited by Marge Simon, the bi-monthly journal of the Science Fiction Poetry Association runs science fiction, fantasy and horror poetry. During 2011 the strongest dark poems were by Marcie Lynch Tentchoff, Robert E. Stutts, and F.J. Bergmann. Unfortunately, the fall issue arrived too late to review.

Stone Telling edited by Rose Lemberg and Shweta Narayan is an excellent new mixed-genre poetry webzine. There were notable dark poems by Lynn Coffin, Amal El-Mohtar, Alec Austin, and Sonya Taaffe.

The 2011 Rhysling Anthology edited by David Lunde (Science Fiction Poetry Association) contains all the sf/f/h poetry nominated for the Rhysling Award, as the best published in 2010 by the Science Fiction Poetry Association.

Paper Crow

edited by Angela Charmaine Craig is a bi-annual magazine that in 2011 had notable dark poetry by Donna Burgess, F. J. Bergmann, Martin Willitts, Jr., Kristine Ong Muslim, Jennifer Clark, and Stephen M. Wilson.

Goblin Fruit edited by Amal El-Mohtar, Jessica P. Wick, and Oliver Hunter continued to publish excellent dark poetry. My favorites of 2011 were by Ruth Stacey, Nancy Sheng, S. Brackett Robertson, and Sarah Colona.

How to Recognize a Demon Has Become Your Friend by Linda D. Addison (Necon E-Books) is an enjoyable mix of thirty-five pieces of poetry and prose, some of it new, most of it horror.

Fairy Tales in Electri-City by Francesca Lia Block (A Midsummer’s Night Press) is a lovely little chapbook of dark fantasy poetry inspired by myth and fairy tales with an erotic, dark edge.

Surrealities by Bruce Boston (Dark Regions Press) is a new collection of twenty-nine surrealistic dark and light pieces showcasing some of the best of Boston’s recent poetry.

The Land of Bad Dreams by Kyla Lee Ward (P’rea Press) is a very good collection of twenty-eight dark poems, most of them new, with illustrations by the poet

At Louche Ends: Poetry for the Decadent, the Damned and the Absinthe-Minded by Maria Alexander (Burning Effigy Press) features over thirty-five poems, reprints and new ones.

Skeleton Leaves

by Helen Marshall (Kelp Queen Press) is a charming dark suite of poems inspired by Peter Pan.

Unearthly Delights by Marge Simon (Sam’s Dot) collects forty-four new and reprinted poems of sf/f/h. With excellent illustrations by the poet.

Blood Wallah and other poems by Robert Borski (Dark Regions Press) has forty-three poems, mostly horror, fifteen published for the first time.

The Vampire Bridegroom by Chad Helder (Dark Scribe) has fifty poems, mostly new about vampires and other monsters, including a few human ones.

Vamps (A Retrospective) by James S. Dorr (Sam’s Dot) has more than eighty brief poems, most reprints.

NONFICTION