And let me add something about works that are published here on Deepwater Journal. When the hard copy went out as well as this newer virtual form, my sole intent was to give a forum for women's words, women's works and women's creativity. History has been very, very kind to the male of us. Not so with women who were prevented from painting because one had to study nudes and this was considered too indelicate a task for a woman that grunted and screamed and pushed out the whole of humanity in that most indelicate of bloody tasks - child birth - or to clean up the shit and piss and puke that those naked, helpless beings make in the nude. Nor was she spared the indelicacy of those same custodial services to the elderly and infirm where her nursing skills were called on.

She was also not allowed to exhibit in the ateliers of Europe where 'good' art was seen because those works were huge in size. No woman was judged up to the task to deal with raw canvas and stretchers that measured in feet even though she could drag a room sized rug out to the fence and beat the shit out of it to dislodge the grime of hundreds of booted feet.

I promised then with those hard copies and I keep my word now to give women a space where they can write, draw, muse, rhyme, paint, craft and be without censure. If you have something brilliant to say about what a woman leaves here, please. Spare yourself the embarrassment of my response to you. Deepwater is about an open, safe exchange place for women. Their work does not have to be perfect. I don't expect it to be. Human beings never are about total perfection or we risk the wrath of the gods.

So. If you have comments about onomatopeia (sic), suggestions on how to make IT better, keep them to yourself. I don't give a damn if your expertise, or your position on the staff of a literary or arterly publication, your education makes you feel you're entitled to correct grammar, spelling or balance. Women who create at whatever stage of their craft are welcomed and protected here. Period. If you need further clarification, email or call me and I'll give you the Word.

I intend to leave the comment discussion that spearheaded this entry in. And the responses. So you can get a small taste of the cosmic thump on the head. You, too can avoid injury in this way.