The End of Another Reading Period

We hope everyone is getting into holiday mode! At Gyroscope Review, we are in get-the-lead-out mode as we go through the poems we’ve accepted for our January issue, organize files, create covers, write editorials, and, if we’re lucky, eat fudge.

This just-completed reading period, which technically ends at midnight tonight, had over 350 poems submitted and slightly over 50 accepted. Thus, our January issue is going to be packed with good stuff, which is just what we hope our readers want for that chilly time of year around here.

And now a special holiday poem/recipe, because a little silly does us all good sometimes.

MAKING FUDGE

(with apologies to James Pierpont, who wrote Jingle Bells)

Standing in the kitchen
wooden spoon in hand,
the roll of foil glistens
as it lines the pan.
On the stove I mingle
sugar, milk, and butter,
make it boil and jingle.
So much stirring, I mutter.

Oh, making fudge, making fudge,
making fudge for Christmas.
Oh what fun it is to cook
in a kitchen that is warm!
Making fudge, making fudge,
making fudge for Christmas.
Oh what fun it is to cook
in a kitchen that is warm!

After five whole minutes
I have to add some stuff:
chocolate and vanilla – shoot!
Forgot the marshmallow fluff!
Take it off the burner,
stir till things all blend.
The perfect dish for winter,
a great gift for my friends.

Outside the ground is white.
Inside I lick a spoon,
warm fudge a tasty sight
in this lovely cooking room.
I’ll wait until it sets
then cut it up for all
their appetites to whet
at the Yuletide ball!

(based on a real recipe from the back of the Kraft Marshmallow Creme jar)

(No, we would not accept this for our own journal, but feel free to sing it aloud.)

Happy Holidays to all and to all a big

thank you for your submissions this reading period.