Since its founding in 1969 by William Packard, The New York Quarterly has been devoted to excellence in the publication of a unique and fervent cross-section of contemporary American poetry regardless of school of thought, style, or genre. Our only concern is to focus on the craft that underlies effective poetry writing. The New York Quarterly features works by both known and emerging poets. The NYQ Craft Interviews present the views of some of our most outstanding poets on the general subjects of style, prosody and technique. The issues are rounded out with an essay or two on the subject of contemporary American poetry that is both accessible and meaningful to readers, poets, students, and teachers of poetry alike. NYQ 56 features a craft interview with Joyce Carol Oates; an editorial on Poets in the Schools; an essay, "Risking Poison," by Corrine De Winter; and poetry by Charles Bukowski, Antler, Honor Moore, William Leo Coakley, Franz Douskey, James Laughlin, Lyn Lifshin, Patricia Farewell, Edmund Pennant, Red Hawk, Lisa Palma, Harold Witt, Nicole Blackman, Stephen Ajay, Jill Barnes, Carolyn Slapikas, John Tagliabue, Norman Stock, Tom Rockwell, Tony Quagliano, Stephanie Dickinson, William Packard, Gerald Nicosia, Charles Webb, Linda Young, Terri Brown-Davidson, Tony Gloeggler, Margaret Gilbert, David Gelsanliter, Gary Goude, Patricia Covey, Gina Bergamino, Chris Brown, William Baer, Nicholas Pastrone, William E. Lewis, Jacquelyn Gavron, Bruce Ducker, H. S. Pendergraft, Lindsey Royce, Donna Reis, Joyce Ransom, Sandra Soli, Christopher Shinn, Neil Silver, Spenser Thompson, Jeanann Verlee, Lolalee Walker, Linda Udd, Donna Lane, Jack Ridl, Loren Goodman, Jay Marvin, Ann Keniston, Mimmo Iasiello, Tom Smith, Raymond P. Hammond, Robert W. Howington, and Edward Gale.