The direction that we, the editorial staff, have taken with the Idol this year is a modestly experimental one. Putting aside for the moment the thematic and message-oriented approach that editors have taken in recent years, our primary goal has been the straightforward presentation of the art as art. To this end, the submissions have been arranged not thematically but by author, alphabetically, in an attempt to highlight the importance of the individual works. It is our hope that this format will enable you, as a reader, to appreciate each work on its own terms.