Fall 2009 issue features late American poet Winfield Townley Scott

The Vol. 75, No. 4 issue of New Letters – the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s (UMKC) international magazine of writing and art – is a 200-page celebration of old and new voices and styles.

It features the late American poet Winfield Townley Scott, whose poetry first appeared in the spring 1946 issue of New Letters (then called The University of Kansas City Review). From his war poems to a reflection on the life of a woman named Gert Swasey, Scott’s work continues to resonate with history and a universal human spirit.

“The reemergence in this issue of Winfield Townley Scott alongside our contemporaries simply reinforces our mission: that we live up to (this country’s literary) tradition, while continuing its forward momentum,” said Robert Stewart, editor-in-chief of New Letters.

The final issue of Vol. 75 also features new fiction by prize-winning authors Christina Yu and Lisa K. Buchanan; an essay by Charles Behlen on Winfield Townley Scott’s life and work; and a number of new poems, including a collaborative piece by National Book Award winner Marilyn Hacker and internationally-published poet Deema Shehabi. The cover art displays watercolors by artist Eric Swangstu, whose work was recently exhibited at the Leedy-Voulkos Art Center in Kansas City, Mo.

Subscriptions to New Letters are available for $22 per year (four issues), with discounts for longer subscriptions. Call (816) 235-1168 or visit www.newletters.org to order.

The University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), one of four University of Missouri campuses, is a public university serving more than 14,000 undergraduate, graduate and professional students. UMKC engages with the community and economy based on a three-part mission: visual and performing arts, health sciences, and urban engagement.