Ron De Maris, a previous contributor to Stand, passed away last October in Miami at the age of 86. Widely published in many of America’s finest literary journals, De Maris’ influence as a teacher has also left an indelible mark on poets who studied under him – among them Ricardo Pau-Llosa and Carolyn E. Whitaker, whose poems also appear in this issue. A former green beret in the US Army and professor emeritus of English at Miami Dade College, Kendall Campus, De Maris combined a passion for philosophy and aesthetics with a refined hedonism that anchored his works to Florida’s natural splendors as well as to everyday urban life.

Ron De Maris's work featured in Stand Magazine comprises four contributions of poetry, over a period of four years.