Mantis is a literary journal dedicated to bringing the best new poetry and poetry in translation to readers all over the world. In our 24th issue, we feature two special sections. The first, "Soundscapes of Poetry," edited by Katherine Whatley, is, as she puts it, "filled with the sounds of living," featuring a wide array of sonic poetry that ranges from rhythmic pieces to soundscapes and onomatopoeia. For our second special section, "A Bug's Poem," Hevin Karakurt put out a call that reached toward our roots, bringing a menagerie crawling to the surface: Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Arachnida, and Mantodea. The buzzing, scuttering undertones of these works echo through the pages, creating a new poetic soundscape that loops right back to the start. In addition, our yearly general sections feature new poetry and poetry in translation from many different countries and languages. This year's edition also showcases the artwork of contributor Pranav Prakash, a scholar of religion, literature, and book arts in South Asian and Persian societies. Pranav's inkwork evokes beauty, history, knowledge, and devastation all at once, serving as a powerful reminder of what surrounds art and language, and the strength we find within them as we fight for justice and peace.
