Acclaimed poet William Burroughs once wrote, “Love is a haunting melody that I have never mastered, and I fear I never will.”

Burroughs isn’t in the 60th edition of Mikrokosmos. But a lot of love has gone into Wichita State’s premiere literary journal this year.

The journal launches on Friday with a party at the Ulrich Museum, which will include selected readings, a silent auction, and food and drink.

The 60th anniversary of the publication is an important milestone that will reflect on the journal’s past.

“Our 60th anniversary issue will include poems, fiction, and nonfiction from the past 60 issues,” said managing editor Kallie Falandays, a master’s of fine arts (MFA) graduate student specializing in poetry. “We went back and chose what we thought best exemplified the breadth of work that we’ve published over the years.”

That breadth of work includes esteemed writers such as Burroughs, Charles Plymell, and Jeanine Hathaway, among others.

Combined with Mojo, its online counterpart, Mikrokosmos has attracted attention from all over the world.

“I’ve been reading fiction submissions, and we’re getting submissions from all across the world,” said MFA student Garrett Quinn, fiction editor.

“It promotes not only the MFA department here just because it just lets people know what the department is, but it promotes the school itself as a whole as well just by getting the name out.”

As WSU makes its push to become a more traditional campus, Quinn and the rest of the Mikrokosmos staff are excited to see the publication grow alongside the school.

“I’m looking forward to it,” he said. “At least in the literary word, most of the major journals are connected to a school, and they just promote the school, so I just think trying to do the same thing with Mojo and Mikrokosmos would be a huge thing.”

The Ulrich kick-off party for Mikrokosmos takes place tomorrow night from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

For more information about Mikrokosmos, and to see work from Mojo, visit mikrokosmosjournal.com.