Overview
SRPR (Spoon River Poetry Review) is a volunteer-based, nonprofit poetry journal housed at Illinois State University in Normal, IL. It has been in continuous publication since 1976. Each issue publishes new poetry in English and in translation, includes a chapbook-length Illinois Poet showcase and interview, and features an article-length review essay, which investigates three or more book
s of contemporary poetry that have a formal, thematic, or subject-based connection. Masthead
Editor: Steve Halle
Editors Emeriti: David Pichaske, Founder (1976–1986), Lucia Cordell Getsi (1986–2006), Bruce Guernsey (2006–2010), Kirstin Hotelling Zona (2010–2023)
Associate Editors: Jenna Goldsmith and Holms Troelstrup
Managing Editor: Phil Spotswood
Review Essay Editor:
Advisory Editors: Laura Cesarco Eglin, Ewa Chrusciel, Gabriel Gudding, Olivia Lott, Amish Trivedi, Michael VanCalbergh
Manuscript Readers: Hannah Kroonblawd, Sarah Lyons Lin, Tessy Ward
Marketing and Publicity Coordinator: Becca Meier
Events Coordinator:
Community Engagement and Education Coordinator:
Production, Design, and Website Maintenance: Publications Unit, Department of English, Illinois State University SRPR Production Director: Holms Troelstrup
History
The Spoon River Poetry Review was founded in 1976, in Peoria, by David Pichaske. For nearly 25 years the journal was known as The Spoon River Quarterly. Contrary to popular belief, the journal has nothing whatsoever to do with Edgar Lee Masters’ Spoon River Anthology, though the magazine was hatched near the Spoon River region. Interestingly, Spoon River was named after the large freshwater clamshells that the Indians and early white colonists used as eating utensils – as spoons. The magazine moved to ISU in 1986, when Lucia Getsi took over the journal’s editorship. The journal became a biannual in 1990, and dropped “quarterly” from its name in 1993. Lucia served as editor for 20 years, and in that time broadened both the scope and reach of the magazine substantially (local/international; mainstream and experimental, translations, and theoretically informed reviews of contemporary and often small-press or indie books). In addition to establishing the annual Editors’ Prize, Lucia also instituted The Spoon River Review Poets-in-the-Schools Program and worked in schools throughout the state teaching kids poetry and holding readings for youth. As the result of Lucia’s work, the magazine garnered a strong international reputation, and is now highly competitive, publishing less than 2% of the poems submitted. Upon Lucia’s retirement in 2006, Bruce Guernsey, Distinguished Professor Emeritus from Eastern Illinois State University, took over as editor, with the understanding that editorship would eventually return to an ISU faculty member. During his tenure as editor, Bruce built upon the journal’s strengths in a number of ways. In particular, he created the “Poets on Teaching” essay, which has been a regular feature in the last several issues. In 2010, Kirstin Hotelling Zona, a poet and professor at Illinois State University, became editor of the journal. Kirstin added major new features, including a substantial review-essay, a long interview with our featured Illinois poet, and contributors' notes. After fifteen years working on the journal in various roles, Steve Halle became SRPR's fifth editor in 2023.
