Dear Reader,

Nothing separates, nothing connects like the sea.

Timeless and transcendent, the sea has always been thought of as untouchable, unpredictable. It reminds us of our own irrelevant hubris, our place in the state of things. We have settled contentedly on land; we are not foolhardy enough to test our sovereignty out there. Still…

It moulds all, touches all, transects all. It represents the essence of a unity that should be manifested in humanity, an embodiment of a life blood that should flow through our veins. Even the remotest parts of the world, it connects with one sweep of its covering.

In our long-awaited second issue, we feature ten brilliant writers who each grapple with the sea and its existence in their own unique way. We have the privilege of welcoming two world-renowned, award-winning poets:

• Edwin Thumboo (Singapore) with two poems, one of which Transect has the honour of publishing for the first time: ‘Shanghai 2012 (for K & R)’.
• Nikola Madzirov (Macedonia) with four poems from his acclaimed book Remnants of Another Age.

We have also published, perhaps, the first literary short story with GIFs (‘Adrift in Silicon Valley’), something only achievable in this day and age.

Drift with us from the coasts of South Africa to Singapore to Shanghai, across the Pacific to California. Roam the bustling streets of Bangalore, the cobblestone roads of Lijiang, the devastated fields of Fukushima. Let yourself be swept out to sea, let yourself be washed over by a wave of words.

Sincerely,

Justin and Ariel
Editors-in-Chief