Mezzo Cammin is a semiannual onlineliterary journal devoted toformalist poetry by contemporary women[1][2] as well as to bring attention back to work that was more famous in previous eras.[3] The journal's title comes fromJudith Moffett's poem "Mezzo Cammin", which in turn takes its title from the opening line of the famous Italian poetDante Alighieri'sInferno. The journal was associated for a long time with theWest Chester University Poetry Conference.[4] The foundingeditor in chief wasKim Bridgford.[5] Its advisory board consists of well-known poets such asAnnie Finch,Allison Joseph,Marilyn Nelson, andMolly Peacock. Since Kim Bridgford's death in June 2020, the journal has been edited by Anna M. Evans.
The first issue of the journal came out in the summer of 2006. It was created in response to "the tendency that persists in academia of choosing the work of male poets to define a given era or literary style".[6]
Mezzo Cammin emerged from community of women poets at the West Chester University Poetry Conference.[4] The magazine was also affiliated withFairfield University early on.[7] In 2010, Kim Bridgford,Mezzo Cammin's editor in chief, became the director of the WCU Poetry Center 2010. The magazine affirmed its link with West Chester in itsFifth Anniversary Issue.[4]
Launched on March 27 at theNational Museum of Women in the Arts inWashington, DC,[8] theMezzo Cammin Women Poets Timeline Project[9] is expected to become the world's largest database ofwomen poets.[10][11] The date of the launch was symbolically chosen to be at the end of Women's History Month, just before National Poetry Month.[9]
The database started with information about 15 women poets, which will be expanded over time.[8] The project will include biographical articles of the poets, including photographs and reprints of their work when possible. One of the early challenges of the project has been the obtaining ofcopyright permission for the republishing of works online.