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Meena at AWP

Like most of those who attended AWP in Atlanta (Feb. 28 – Mar. 4), I’m still in hangover mode – and it has nothing (or at least little) to do with alcohol. My mind is still spinning with memories of meeting dozens of people, from teachers to publishers, students in MFA programs to published authors, and so many, many people who just wanted to stop by and say “Thanks” to NewPages for the work we do (likewise – I’m sure!). Yet, now sorting through my two boxes of lit mags to get listed, the first one I pulled out was one that most impressed me among new publications: Meena.

What makes the mag a standout is very concept of it: English/Egyptian works both in their original language and in translation (half the pub is English, the other half Arabic), with art throughout. From the pub site: “The word ‘meena’ means port, or port-of-entry, in Arabic, and that is exactly what we would like Meena to be: a port between our cities, our countries, our languages, our cultures. ‘We’ are a group of writers and artists based in the port cities of New Orleans and Alexandria but from all over the United States and Egypt (and beyond) who want to share our work with each other and with you.”

Given the global climate, this is a publication well worth checking out and including in course reading lists, library collections and just passing around the cafe.

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