Originality, lyricism, rhythm, imagery. Ingredients with no oven. The parts can't make the whole until there's a wordless ferocity, a got-to-say, an ache to construct a new language for. A poem not yet a poem. Originality will make it worth attention; with a billion voices crying out in this world, you need one weird cry to be heard.

We seek to broaden the label of Christian art and poetry. We believe it is possible to write poems that are excellent in form and content without darkening the world. We aim to spread the light of hope into the realm of poetry, and to do this by showcasing beautiful, thought provoking, poignant poems that create a dialogue with the reader.

We desire to find voices both sung and unsung, familiar and fresh. We want to read poetry that is uncommon. Lyricism, rhythm: music stitching meaning to the brain. Sound so delicious readers say the poem out loud to taste the words in their own mouth. Images drag it out from the salt water, get at the heart of the matter. At The Basilica Review, we look for poems that have hopped under the small broken umbrella of Beautiful: fresh, strong, with a non-circuitous crying out.

The Editors