Pushcart Prize nomination and a dash of perspective

I was beyond thrilled earlier today when I received word that The New Quarterly has nominated my poem “Abecedarian with Sharpened Vision” for a Pushcart.

Much has been written on the internet about the Pushcart, some of it quite cynical. That’s not me. I’m in the positivity camp, because….well take a look around at the state of the world.

One of the jabs at the Pushcart that I’ve seen is that any old small literary press can nominate authors they have already said “yes” to by publishing their work, so what’s the big deal. It really only matters if you are actually selected to appear in the Pushcart anthology, etc.

I beg to disagree. I think these small moments of having your work recognized in this way does matter. The nomination itself counts for something.

There are hard limits on the number of nominations per press or publisher, and it amounts to a handful of authors being recognized by each. In my case, knowing that The New Quarterly felt my poem was one of a small handful of poems they wished to recognize from all that they published this year means very much to me.

TNQ has been around since 1981 and is a considerable presence on the Canadian literary scene, publishing a gorgeous print journal (these are becoming vanishingly rare) and companion digital pieces, as well as hosting awards in poetry, fiction, and non-fiction. Their decision to support my work in this way is a great moment for me. I want them to know that this extra vote of confidence means the world to me.

I also want to take a moment and thank the lesser known journals who gave me an entry point when I was completely unpublished, and who lifted me up as I started to find my way. I may still turn to some of those lesser known literary harbours as I continue to find my way.