The 2011 Calliope is the 18th annual anthology published by Women Who Write. The book showcases the work of the winners of our International Short Prose and Poetry Contest, as well as the work of our members. The contest is open to all women writers over the age of eighteen. This year, the organization received eighty-eight submissions from twenty-two U.S. states and Canada. Winners were chosen in a blind judging by independent judges. Our 2011 prose judge was Anne Shelby of Oneida, Kentucky, and Karen Williams Angelucci of Lexington, Ky., judged the poetry entries. We extend our special thanks to them for their careful consideration of all the entries. Their biographies are included elsewhere in this book. The winning entries in both the poetry and prose categories are included in Calliope, in addition to works written by Women Who Write members. Our members are not eligible to win in either category, but Calliope offers them the opportunity to be published. For many, this is the first time their work has been published. Please note that some of the content in this anthology addresses adult themes and may include language that could be offensive. The anthology is intended for adult readers. We hope that you enjoy these poems, stories, and essays. Please watch our website, www.womenwhowrite.com, for information on the 2012 International Short Prose and Poetry Contest.