Death of John Mella
 

One of my Facebook friends reports that John Mella, founder and longtime editor of Light Quarterly, has died.

That Is Sad.

I am very sorry to hear it. Whatever its weaknesses, Light Quarterly was a rare home for light verse in America. And I like light verse very much. Does anyone know whether there is an editor who plans to continue the journal?

Susan

Yes, this is sad news.

Susan, I thought that the operation of the magazine had been handed off to a younger person and to the Foundation for Light Verse some time ago, but maybe I'm out of touch.

Light has a Facebook presence now and has been (irregularly) posting. The magazine's web page seems to say they're on hiatus, will do two more double issues, and will tell us more later.

That's sad to hear. He did so much for light verse.

...Alex

A wonderful man and admirably persistent editor. I never met him, but corresponded a lot with him. I tried to have dinner with him once and was thwarted by the airlines pre-cell phones.

I met John briefly at a memorial for John Frederick Nims in Chicago. I was so happy that someone was out there trying to give a home to so-called "light verse," which Gavin Ewart liked to call "wit verse," if memory serves. Anyone who runs any kind of magazine or publishing operation is a hero, as far as I am concerned. Talk about swimming against the currents!

He swam against the currents in various ways, in my experience. He was essentially Old School in his operations, and, in a good way, in his taste in poetry. Made a real contribution.

Like David Mason, I also met John at a fellow poet's memorial service - for Richard Moore, in Boston (there's a poem in there somewhere, although possibly not a light one) - at which John spoke, and spoke eloquently, although his own health problems were apparent. He worked at and for what he believed in, and offered a unique outlet to many of us.

I'm so sorry to hear this. John Mella was a wonderful editor to me. In the first issue in which he included my poems, he put my name on the cover next to John Updike. (An honor, but perhaps he was also being light.) He published the specifically lesbian poems of mine that no one else would. And he wrote me a letter on that nice LIGHT stationery, saying that he would publish just about anything I sent in. I dedicate this one to you, John. Rest in peace.

Red Kiss

Who will miss me when I’m dead?
Maybe someone reading this
is just the sort of daisy head
who will miss me when I’m dead
and planted in a tulip bed.
To her, I offer this red kiss.
Who will miss me when I’m dead?
Maybe someone reading this.