The 2026 annual issue of Presence marks its 10th Anniversary of publishing the best poetry informed by the Catholic faith as well as book reviews, interviews, and “life’s work” essays. This newest issue’s featured poet is Judith Valente, and the Featured Translations section focuses on works by Kutsugen, Mei Sheng, and Rihaku — translated by Ezra Pound, and works by Li Bai — translated by Vayda Pascarella.

Readers will find two interviews in Presence 2026: “’A Way of Saying Yes’: Samuel Hazo on the Communion of Poetry and Faith” by Janine Molinaro and “Evidence of the Divine: Landscape, Dream and Transformation in the Poetry of Linda Nemec Foster” by Anne-Marie Oomen. In addition, there are 26 book reviews, and “Life’s Work” features “Spending Time with Martha Silano” by J. D. Schraffenberger and “Joseph Bathanti: A Life Redeemed Through Poetry” by Ann Ritter.

Sadly, Presence lost three members of their growing community of poets in 2025, offering readers an “In Memoriam” section with works by numerous poets in honor of Martha Silano (1961—2025), Jane Greer (1953—2025), and Jennifer Martelli (1962—2025).

Works by over four dozen poets fill out Presence 2026, including Susanne Paola Antonetta, Bruce Beasley, Seán Carlson, Robert Cording, Alice de Chambrier, CX Dillhunt, Lynn Domina, Ann Fisher-Wirth, Carly T. Flynn, Jana-Lee Germaine , Mia Schilling Grogan, Katie Hartsock, Marci Rae Johnson, Desmond Francis Xavier, Nancy Krygowski, Margaret Mackinnon, Paul Mariani, Steve Myers, Brennan O’Donnell, Kyle Potvin, Dana Ranga, Skip Renker, Eva Skrande, Julie Cadwallader Staub, Carey Taylor, David Thoreen, Cara Valle, Anastasia Vassos, Gail White, James Matthew Wilson, and Carolyne Wright among others.

The 2024 annual issue of Presence: A Journal of Catholic Poetry features Dana Gioia’s libretto, Fiat Lux, dedicating Christ Cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Orange County, California; Martha Collins’s elegy “After Words” in memory of Lee Sharkey as well as a posthumously published new poem by Sharkey, “For the Ghosts”; new translations of two Afghan women poets of the diaspora by Bänoo Zan; 2 interviews with Sarah Law and Malcolm Guite; 23 book reviews of individual collections of poems; 3 essays on the life’s works of Antonio Machado, Vassar Miller, and Micheal O’Siadhail; and over 80 pages of new poems and translations in a wide variety of styles.

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Presence: A Journal of Catholic Poetry is an independent annual publication, affiliated with the Department of English at Caldwell University, Caldwell, NJ. The newest 2023 issue contains over ninety pages of new poetry and twenty-five book reviews. The featured poet is Robert Cording, highlighting a brief portfolio of his work. The issue also includes interviews with Rhina P. Espaillat and James Matthew Wilson, and essays on the life’s work of Marie Howe and Czeslaw Milosz. Cover art: “Awaken” by Ben Fernandez (Artist’s Statement included in issue). Print copies are available for single purchase or by subscription.

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