SPILLINGS FROM THE EDITOR'S QUILL…

“Honk” the goose said, flapped its wings, and waddled away. I stood and stared at the slender, brown feather at my feet. What an interesting encounter for an afternoon walk in late December, I thought, while I caressed the fluffs near the bottom of the feather’s shaft. There were at least a dozen geese picking grass from the Talahi football field when I walked by. Busy with their early supper, they were eager to ignore me—for the most part. Only this one long-neck seemed oddly attracted to me: it came right up to me and left a part of itself for me upon departure. What did that mean?

At home, I took Animal Speak from the shelf that hosts all my Native American books to see what Ted Andrews has to say about the symbolic meaning of the goose. He writes:

The goose can…be a totem to aid you in communication especially through the use of stories. Its feather for a long time was the standard writing instrument. Individuals wishing to write—be it stories or anything—can facilitate the process by working with the goose as a totem. It will stimulate the imagination and help move through creative blocks…Anytime the goose comes in as a totem, you can expect to have the imagination stirred toward new travels to distant places—whether in the body or in the mind. (145-146)

It took a moment for me to grasp the full scope of what I had just read. And then…a faint spark of understanding started to enlighten me…there it was! My theme for the next Kaleidoscope publication I had been meditating on for weeks. What theme could be more appropriate for a literary arts publication in central Minnesota than the goose, the totem animal of the poets? I called up my designer, Gatis, and yelled at him in sheer excitement. We set up a meeting and…here we are!

Weeeell, that’s not quite how it happened. But it worked well, didn’t it? Regardless how this idea found its way to my overly active mind, I do hope you enjoy the Honks and Waddles that accompany you while you surf through the pages of this website. With my little story, I am hopeful to have set the right tone to welcome and introduce you to Kaleidoscope 2006, Saint Cloud State University’s multicultural literary arts publication. Myth, imagination, illusion, and mystery are only a few of the ingredients that provide the rich mixture of this year’s edition. A wide range of topics, presented with great sensitivity and honesty, is flavored with a tremendous amount of creative talent on behalf of the artists and spiced up with a good pinch of multi-culturalism.

It is with the sincere feelings of gratitude and honor that I am presenting you the online version of Kaleidoscope 2006, hoping that this tasty dish will bring a spark of magic to your table. Enjoy!

With Love & Light,

        Petra