Foreword

by

Harold Richman

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This is the fourth year that Sam Loschiavo and I have been editors of Autumn Leaves. It has been a very interesting experience editing the works of other authors. The editing of an anthology of articles is not the same as being the editor of a book where the editor will work with the author during and after the actual writing. In the case of Autumn Leaves we have a group of proofreaders who go through all the manuscripts to correct any errors in spelling, grammar or punctuation. The actual contents or intent is not altered. We do find that certain authors are much more particular about how their work is presented. This applies especially to those who write poetry. In one instance the author was very upset because we had inserted a comma which she felt was not necessary or in another instance where we had not left sufficient space between two words.

Sam and I, as editors of Autumn Leaves, try to arrange the articles in an interesting format with a proper mix of fiction, nonfiction memoirs and poetry. I hope you enjoy the 2002 edition of Autumn Leaves.

My eight-year-old granddaughter, Samara, has recently become interested in a new hobby. She collects homonyms. Several years ago, at school, her English teacher brought up the subject of homonyms which are words that sound the same but have different meanings and may have a different spelling. Samara became fascinated by the idea and has now collected over 300 homonyms. Recently I sent her the following poem which should give her a few more to add to her collection.

Eye Halve a Spelling Chequer

Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a cay and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather aye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee four two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rarely ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect in its weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.

Sauce Unknown

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