When I was appointed the first Poet Laureate of Belle. MO at the end of 2016, my first order of business, in addition to having community readings, was to create a literary publication that the city could call its own, you are now holding the first volume of that journal in your hands. After I moved to Missouri one of first things I began to notice immediately is that our region had poets coming out of woodwork from every direction and in every community, the end result here is a testament to our love of words. A special thanks must be given to Mayor Steve Vogt, Barbara Huse, The Friends of the Belle Library, Jason Ryberg, Osage Arts Community-Mark McClane, and Tony Hayden, the fine folks at Kingsford Clorox, whose grant of generous support has made the printing of this publication possible, and you, the reader. -John Dorsey, Founder and Co-Editor, Gasconade Review