We’re so excited to present the second issue of Symposia. You might have noticed some changes — we’ve redesigned the website so it can continue hosting many issues to come. We still have our signature gradients and scrolling format, but now with easier navigation and a shiny new interface! This new issue also comes with stunning new cover art by Emily Robbie, an oil painting based on Rachel Lockwood’s poem Razed.

A lot of things have changed since we first created this magazine. We launched our first issue at Good Books and sold out of our first zine run. It was so special to encounter such support, and we’ve continued to be supported by an incredible community of writers, readers, editors, and literary magazines. Through these experiences, we’ve all grown as editors, continually honing our process.

Even though many things have changed, some things are very familiar: our contributors Rachel Lockwood and Jackson McCarthy have now appeared in both issues of the magazine. As editors, we also continue to hone particular themes throughout the issue, grouping together poems that mould and respond to each other. In particular, Issue 2 contains many seasonal motifs — Jedidiah Vinzon’s acerbic yellow summer; the ‘scientific winter’ in Theo Castle-McLean’s Law Case Poem; the chill of Sara Al-Bahar’s Monday Morning. A vast range of different but complementary forms are showcased, such as prose poetry, a script format in Krysana Hanley’s Hugh Grant, and numbered sections in Tessa Keenan’s At the Kura Reo.

We’re really thrilled to continue our mission of uplifting new poets by providing a platform that bridges established and emerging work. Go ahead and delve into this collection of poetry: we hope you enjoy the journey.

- The editors: Amelia, Cadence, Maia, and Pippi