Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Issue 14, May 2021

BeyoIssue nd14 Wo rds May 2021

A r tw or k : Van L an i gh

Bey on d W or d s ? I n ter n ati on al L i ter ar y M agazi n e I ssu e 14, M ay 20 21 Ed i t or : Gal Sl on i m Read er s: C.Jean B l ai n , A n gel a Ch eveau , L au r a Cl i ss, L i ly H ol l ow ay, M ar i a S. N i t sol as, J. M ath ew s, K ay l a Fr an ces M u r r ay

C .Jean B l ai n i s m an y th i n gs; an ed u cat or ; a w r i t er ; a p er f or m er ; bu t above al l , sh e i s a st or y tel l er . O r i gi n al ly f r om B r ook ly n , N ew Yor k , M s. B l ai n sp en d s m ost of h er t i m e t each i n g, w r i ti n g an d l i v i n g i n H ai ti an d t h e U S. H er m ost r ecen t w or k can be f ou n d i n T r i bes M agazi n e, M er Vox , Su koon M agazi n e of A r ab t h em ed A r t & L i t er at u r e, N YU A bu D h abi 's El ectr a Str eet Jou r n al , an d el sew h er e. I G: @B l ai n .C.J / W ebsi t e: w w w.CJean Bl ai n .com A n gel a C h ev eau i s a w r i ter f r om th e U n i t ed K i n gd om . A s a n ew w r i t er , sh e i s soon t o be p u bl i sh ed i n tw o an th ol ogi es as p ar t of p r oject s w i t h W r i t i n g on T h e W al l , a w r i t i n g ch ar i ty i n h er h om etow n (w w w.w r i t i n gon t h ew al l .or g.u k ). Sh e w r i t es sh or t st or i es, f l ash f i cti on an d p oetr y as w el l as p er son al essay s an d cr eat i ve n on - f i ct i on .

A n gel a h as al so r ecen tly been p u bl i sh ed as p ar t of t h e Fr i d ay Sp eak O u t B l og f or W om en O n W r i ti n g (m u f f i n .w ow - w om en on w r i t i n g.com ).

L au r a C l i ss r ecei ved h er BA i n En gl i sh an d H i st or y f r om Sh ef f i el d H al l am U n i ver si ty bef or e tr ai n i n g as a p r i m ar y t each er an d sp en d i n g sever al y ear s t each i n g i n t h e U K an d Eu r op e. Sh e h as cu r r en t ly m oved back h om e t o Cam br i d gesh i r e t o st u d y f or h er M A i n cr eati ve w r i ti n g. H er p oet r y h as m ost r ecen t ly been p u bl i sh ed by A n gstzi n e an d Sad Gi r l sCl u b.

L i l y H o l l ow ay (bor n i n 1998, th ey / sh e) i s a f or ever - qu eer En gl i sh H on ou r s st u d en t .

I n h er sp ar e ti m e sh e en joy s r ead i n g N ew Z eal an d l i t er at u r e an d v i si t i n g secon d - h an d m ar kets w i th h er gi r l f r i en d (t o col l ect v i n t age Tel et u bbi es p ar ap h er n al i a, of cou r se). You can f i n d h er w r i t i n g CV at l i ly h ol l ow ay.co.n z.

M ar i a S. N i t so l as i s an em er gi n g w r i ter f r om Sy d n ey, Au st r al i a. Sh e gr ad u at ed f r om t h e U n i ver si ty of N ew Sou th W al es w i t h a B ach el or of A r t s d egr ee, m ajor i n g i n En gl i sh an d T h eatr e & Fi l m Stu d i es. To f ol l ow h er w r i t i n g jou r n ey, v i si t m ar i asn i tsol as.com J. M at h ew s i s a f or m er i n tel l ectu al p r op er t y l aw y er w i t h a m ast er s i n h u m an t r af f i ck i n g, m i gr ati on , an d or gan i sed cr i m e. Sh e n ow w r i t es u n d er sever al p en n am es f r om h er ad op ted h om e i n L on d on , En gl an d .

K ay l a Fr an ces M u r r ay i s a U S- based p oet ess w h o's con t i n u i n g t o t r y an d f i n d h er f oot i n g i n th e w r i ti n g r eal m . You can r ead som e of h er w or k at vocal .m ed i a/ au th or s/ k ay l a- f r an ces- m u r r ay.

Cop y r i gh t © Bey on d W or d s Pu bl i sh i n g H ou se, B er l i n , Ger m an y Fi r st p r i n ti n g, M ay 20 21 I SBN 978- 3- 948977- 17- 7

Viva Jam es M u l h er n N on n a sl i p p ed ; h er w i g f l ew m ou n d of sn ow. "M y back !"

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T h e l ad y w i t h r ed l i p s si zed m e u p , t h en gl an ced at N on n a, an d sm i r ked .

"H el p !" I y el l ed .

N on n a l ooked d ow n . "Jesu s! M y l eg i s bl eed i n g." H er br eat h i n g qu i cken ed . "I 'm h av i n g agi t a!"

A cr ow d su r r ou n d ed u s.

"Som eon e, cal l an am bu l an ce," N on n a scr eam ed . "D on 't n o on e tou ch m e." H er coat an d p an ts w er e tor n .

"Rel ax , m a'am ." T h e m an ager k n eel ed an d t r i ed t o h ol d on e of h er h an d s. N on n a p u l l ed i t aw ay. "So n ow y ou t h i n k y ou 'r e a d oct or ? Keep y ou r p aw s of f m e."

T h e ban k m an ager sai d , "L et m e assi st y ou ."

T h e am bu l an ce ar r i ved , an d t h e cr ow d m ad e w ay f or t w o bu r ly m en w h o ch ecked N on n a's v i t al si gn s an d l i f t ed h er on t o a st r et ch er . N on n a kep t say i n g, "W h at n i ce boy s." A s w e d r ove aw ay, t h e si r en sou n d ed . N on n a cover ed h er m ou t h t o su p p r ess l au gh t er . I t u r n ed aw ay becau se I k n ew I w ou l d l au gh t oo. "T h i s i s ju st aw f u l . Ju st aw f u l ," sh e sai d to t h e y ou n g m an besi d e h er .

N on n a sai d , "Keep aw ay !

You r m ai n ten an ce p er son m u st be a bombast.

H e sh ou l d be f i r ed f or l eav i n g th at i ce."

Sh e m oan ed , m ascar a a d i r ty m ess on h er w et ch eek s.

"I 've got y ou r w i g," a h u n ch ed - back el d er ly w om an sai d . "D o y ou w an t m e t o p u t i t back on ?"

"A r e y ou cr azy ?! W h at's a w i g gon n a d o f or m e? W h at I n eed i s an am bu l an ce."

"W e'l l t ake good car e of y ou ."

T h r ou gh t h e am bu l an ce w i n d ow, I w at ch ed t h e cr ow d d i sp er se. T h e w om an w i t h r ed l i p s st ar ed as w e d r ove aw ay. I st u ck ou t m y t on gu e.

"M a'am , an am bu l an ce i s on th e w ay," t h e m an ager sai d . H e r em i n d ed m e of Rober t Red f or d , th e good - l ook i n g actor .

"I w as on ly tr y i n g to h el p ," th e l ad y sai d , h an d i n g th e w i g to a tw en ty - som et h i n g w om an w i th br i gh t r ed l i p s an d over si zed t or toi sesh el l su n gl asses. Sh e l ooked d i sgu sted an d p assed i t to a sh or t , gr ay - h ai r ed m an w h o tw i sted i t w i t h h i s h an d s.

At t h e em er gen cy w ar d , t h e d oct or or d er ed x- r ay s, w h i ch sh ow ed no f r act u r es. A t i m i d n u r se cl ean ed an d w r ap p ed t h e l eg w ou n d ; t h en w e took a cab t o N on n a's p l ace.

I n h er bed r oom , N on n a t h r ew h er r i p p ed velvet p an t su i t on t o t h e f l oor . Sh e st ar ed at h er n aked sel f i n t h e m i r r or an d tr aced t h e br u i ses on h er bod y. "W e n eed ev i d en ce f or t h e l aw su i t . Gr ab t h e Pol ar oi d f r om t h e l ef t bot t om d r aw er of m y d r esser . T h ese p i ct u r es ar e gon n a be t h e i ci n g on t h e cake." Sh e l au gh ed .

"T h at 's f u n n y. 'I ci n g.' D on 't y ou t h i n k , M ol ly ? Con si d er i n g h ow i t h ap p en ed ."

H e gave i t to a f at p r i m w om an i n a gr een d r ess. A gam e of H ot Potato, I th ou gh t .

N on n a w i p ed h er m ascar a- stai n ed f ace.

"M y p oor gr an d d au gh ter . I 'm su r e sh e's gon n a h ave em oti on al d am age."

Sh e w h i m p er ed . "I r eal ly cou l d a d i ed !

M ol ly 's l ast m em or y of h er N on n a w ou l d a been m y br ai n sp l atter ed on i ce."

Sh e cr ossed h er sel f .

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Sh e star ed i n to m y ey es. I cou l d sm el l h er sw eat, h er ol d n ess. "I k n ow w h at y ou 'r e t h i n k i n g."

"W h at?"

"You 'r e th i n k i n g y ou r gr an d m oth er h as saggi n g br easts an d a saggi n g ass." Sh e f l ap p ed th e sk i n u n d er n eath h er bi cep s.

"You d on 't w an n a get ol d . A gi n g i s a t er r i bl e th i n g. Get as m u ch ou t of l i f e as y ou can , mia bambina." Sh e k i ssed m y f or eh ead .

"N ow p r eten d y ou 'r e a p h ot ogr ap h er f or Vogue an d sn ap som e p i ct u r es af ter y ou r u b som e of th i s sh i t on m y back ." T h e l abel on th e cosm eti c r ead "O i l of L i f e, I n ten sely Rev i tal i zi n g Gel Cr eam ."

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"W h y 'd y ou d o t h at ?" I t ear ed u p .

"To m ake y ou t ou gh . You d on 't get n ot h i n g i n t h i s w or l d t h e easy w ay. D on 't y ou l ook aw ay !" Sh e gr abbed m y f ace.

"A n d d on 't y ou d ar e u t t er a w or d t o an y on e abou t ou r p l an t od ay. You u n d er st an d ?"

"Yes," I m u m bl ed .

"Say i t l ou d er ."

"Yes!" "You r N on n a an d y ou w er e w al k i n g t o t h e ban k . I sl i p p ed on i ce by t h e f r on t d oor ."

Sh e l au gh ed . "A n d I got br u i ses t o p r ove i t ." Sh e st ood an d p oi n t ed t o t h e Vat i can .

"A s God i s ou r w i t n ess."

me

"H ow m u ch m on ey d o y ou t h i n k w e'l l m ake?"

"T h i s br u i se l ook s l i ke th e Vati can ." Sh e p oi n ted to h er r i gh t sh ou l d er . "W h at d o y ou t h i n k ?"

Sh e gazed at h er bod y i n t h e m i r r or , as i f m ak i n g an ap p r ai sal . "I 'd say abou t ten gr an d . T h ose h ot sh ot s at t h e ban k w on 't w an t bad p r ess abou t an ol d l ad y f al l i n g on i ce." Sh e m oved t h e ash t r ay t o t h e top of h er d r esser , t h en t am p ed ou t h er ci gar et t e. "Go d ow n st ai r s an d m ake u s som e cof f ee w h i l e I w ash u p ."

"I d on 't k n ow w h at th e Vati can l ook s l i ke."

Sh e eased h er sel f on to th e bed an d p atted t h e ar ea besi d e h er . I sat d ow n .

"L i ke a f an cy p al ace. I t's w h er e th e p op e l i ves." Sh e p osi ti on ed m y ch i n so I w as f or ced to l ook at h er h azel ey es. "W h at w e d i d t od ay, som e p eop l e w ou l d con si d er w r on g. Cer tai n ly, th e p op e." Sh e l au gh ed .

"Gr ab th e ci gar ettes f r om th e bed si d e t abl e, w i l l y ou ?" I r each ed over . "A n d th e ash t r ay. . . O h , an d th e l i gh ter ." Sh e p l aced t h e ash tr ay besi d e h er , l i t a ci gar ett e, i n h al ed d eep ly, an d bl ew sm oke r i n gs.

"See th ose p u f f s of sm oke." I w atch ed t h em f l oat i n f r on t of h er f ace.

"Yes, N on n a."

"L ook at th at on e i n th e cor n er ." Sh e p oi n ted . "I t's d i sap p ear i n g al r ead y. H er e on e m i n u te, gon e th e n ex t."

"So w h at?"

O n m y w ay t o t h e k i t ch en , I w i p ed th e d i sgu st i n g, sm el ly cr eam on t h e st ai r r ai l i n g. I h ear d h er f al l d ow n t h e st ai r s.

"O h sh i t !" w as t h e l ast t h i n g sh e sai d .

T h er e w as a p ool of bl ood ar ou n d h er h ead . H er ar m s an d l egs w er e t w i st ed i n gr ot esqu e an gl es. I st ep p ed over h er bod y.

I n h er bed r oom , I l i t a ci gar et t e. I w at ch ed t h e sm oke r i n gs d i ssi p at e. N on n a w as r i gh t . "H er e on e m i n u t e, gon e t h e n ex t ."

I d i al ed 911. "M y gr an d m ot h er ," I scr eam ed . "Sh e f el l d ow n t h e st ai r s. I t h i n k sh e's d ead !"

B ef or e t h e am bu l an ce ar r i ved , I w i p ed t h e ev i d en ce of f t h e r ai l i n g w i t h a V i v a p ap er t ow el .

Sh e sl ap p ed m y f ace.

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Ex p r essi o n l ess Joh n Vagh i I th ou gh t th at en ti tl em en t w ou l d take m y d u m b, cl am m y h an d an d coast m e t h r ou gh gr een , l u r i d ju n gl es w i th a tw i n k l e of Ju n e bear i n m i n d I w as r ai sed f r om th e cou ch p or tr ay ed i n r am bl es an d ster eo sou n d i n t ast y t an gl es a m i l l i on ch an n el s t h e on ly ad u l t i n th e r oom steam sp el u n ked d ow n m i cr ow ave cor n er s alw ay s f or ked a bi t bi te w ay too soon an d th at?s w h at I ?ve com e to d eci d e t o n ever f or gi ve a m i l l i on tastebu d s t oo d ead to i n ter p r et f oi e gr as keep i n m i n d I w as d r i ven to cou ch asp i r ati on i n a m od est bow an i m m od est bow w ou l d w ear m e i n th ose d r eam s w h en al l th e sp eak i n g p ar ts w er e w ar p ed w i th su tu r es i t w asn ?t th at I w asn ?t an y th i n g th en d r en ch ed i n th e sear ch f or th e on e h i gh n ot e t o m atch th e ch or u s of th e tasty si zzl e I sh u d d er t o r ecou n t n ow as n oth i n g som e w el l - p l aced even i n g str on gar m i n g gam e sh ow cou l d n ?t r e- solve

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A r tw or k : Ch i ck By r n e

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L ast A l i v e t o K n ow H er as a So n D i ck A l t m an

H er l on g h ai r , com bed ou t an d r each i n g t o h er w ai st , l ook s al m ost as i t d i d w h en I w as bar ely a ch i l d .

L i f e?s ocean of w aves r ead s l i ke a becal m ed sea si n ce sh e r ose f r om th e sof a, sat back d ow n , p u t h an d t o t em p l e an d sai d , I think I have a headache. H ar d t o con ced e th e w or d s as h er l ast, a si x- w or d d ecl ar at i ve sen t en ce, en d i n g sen ti en t l i f e w i th som eth i n g as i n gl or i ou s as a p er i od . N o ex p l an ati on p oi n ts, n o qu est i on m ar k s.

O n ly n u r ses r em ov i n g l i f e su p p or t. W e say ou r u n r et u r n ed good - by es, ou r m u ted l ove y ou ?s, as t h e l ast p l u g sl i p s w i th ou t ap ol ogy th e socket.

W or d s. W e n ever sh ar ed m an y. N ot f r om sp i t e or an ger .

Sh e w as to m e a sm al l stu r d y oak , ju st u n d er f i ve f eet , w i th a h an d sh ake to m ake y ou r f i n ger s t i n gl e. Sh e st ood f or sol i d i ty, n ot com f or t. N o I l ove y ou ?s. N o N ow n ow ?s.

Sh e sai d l ate i n l i f e I d i d n ?t n eed i t, w h en I asked h er w h y sh e w as so l ov i n g of m y y ou n ger br ot h er an d n ot m e.

W h en ever I ?d cal l , sh e?d say ? bef or e I got a w or d ou t ?

Let me give you to your father. Poet son s, w e cr ave t o si n g tr ees th at gave u s r oot. A l l I can say i s l i f e?s w i n d s m oved h er h ar d ly at al l . A n d w h en m i n d ?s sap ex p l od ed , on e m or e h ead ach e, sh e f i gu r ed , an d n ot th e l ast .

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A r tw or k : Ch ar l es K u r r e

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N ew B o u n d ar i es A m an d a L eal At age 10 , I r em em ber m y m oth er 's bu t t er f ly gar d en ou tsi d e ou r ap ar tm en t, th e f en ced ar ea n o l ar ger t h an a bat h r oom , bu t p l otted i n a ci r cl e of h on ey su ck l e, l an t an a, f i r ebu sh th at d otted th e h u d d l e of p l an ts l i ke t h e p et ech i ae on h er col l ar bon es.

H er f r eck l ed sh ou l d er s r ou n d ed over t h e n ew bed s of soi l , m ou n d s of d i r t l i ke f r esh gr aves, h er obsi d i an h ai r th at ben t th e su n on i ts cr ow n .

Sh e r eci ted ever y f l ow er 's n am e as t h ou gh t each i n g m e a l an gu age, th i s bon d sh e cou l d sh ar e w i th m y f at h er w h en h e w as n ot m an i c, th e gar d en h e al l ow ed h er to cu l ti vate. W eek s w ou l d p ass w i t h ou t h i s an ger , an d at ti m es, h e even tu r n ed th e soi l w i t h h er , h i s f ai r Cu ban sk i n l eath er ed f r om con st r u ct i on w or k , th e w h i te p ar ti cu l ates l i ke cl u ster s of su gar i n h i s p al m s, th e w ay h i s en ti r e bod y d ow n t o h i s f i n ger t i p s w ou l d u n f u r l l i ke th e ten d r i l s of p assi on v i n es, h i s an d m y m oth er 's f i gu r es i n th e gar d en , k n eel ed to p er i m eter s of ston es th at th ey bu i l t as n ew bou n d ar i es.

I t w as i n th i s gar d en th at h e tol d m e w h at bi p ol ar d i sor d er m ean t , i n th e sam e w ay m y m oth er n am ed t h e bu t t er f l i es f or m e. A f ter th e p ol i ce B aker Acted m y f at h er f r om th e H om e D ep ot p ar k i n g l ot, I w on d er ed i f h e f ou gh t t h em , w h eth er h e r em em ber ed tr aci n g th e gar d en cen t er ai sl es as h i s ch i l d r en r ead th e ti tl es on th e gr een p ot s, w h eth er h e w an ted to go back to th at gar d en , w i th m y m oth er . N ow, ou tsi d e T h e B oy 's Far m er s M ar ket , m y boy f r i en d an d I p u sh th e str ol l er d ow n ai sl es of t h i st l e, p assi f l or a m ar ked w i th r ed tags r ead i n g, BU T T ERFLY FEED , m i l k w eed th at bow s to th e cen ter of t h e ai sl e l i ke a su bject of w or sh i p . O n th e back bon e of t h e p l an t , a cat er p i l l ar l u r ch es u p th e stal k , i ts sp i n es th at p eak ou t w ar d l i ke t el escop es.

A s I tu r n th e l eaves i n m y h an d s to r eveal t h e l ar v ae, i ts bod y n o l ar ger th an m y son 's p i n k y f i n ger , m y boy f r i en d w atch es m e f r om th e ai sl e w i t h ou t qu est i on , gu ar d i n g th e str ol l er w i th p ati en ce I h ave n ever k n ow n , m y son l ean i n g ou t an d tow ar d s m e l i ke a B l ack Ey ed Su san to th e su n . I th i n k of h ow w e w i l l p l an t h i m a gar d en , th e th i n gs th at w e w i l l h ave to ex p l ai n t o h i m , h ow I w i l l t each h i m to tu r n th e Ear th i n h i s ow n h an d s, an d f i n d w ar m t h .

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A r tw or k : Jessi ca T u r tl e

B i r d - cat ch er El i zabet h Ch u n g

T h er e ar e m an y r eason s I m u st go t o bed m ost of th em p r acti cal , su ch as br ai n f u n ct i on al i t y som e of th em l ess so. I h ave been r i p p i n g h em l i n es su ccessf u l ly al l w eek . I h ave i n d u l ged i n an i t ch to sh ow m or e, m or e sk i n . I h ave r em ai n ed d eci d ed ly u n aw ar e of th e cl ock , ti ck i n g i n si sten tly, l i ke th e r em i n d er s I i gn or e. M y t each er s ber ate m e f or m y l ack of sel f - d i sci p l i n e, n ot k n ow i n g m y d el i gh t i n d el ay i n g cer tai n p l easu r es. I ?ve begu n t o bel i eve th at d el ay i n g i s th e on ly w ay t o cat ch a bi r d , d el ay i n g an d d el ay i n g u n ti l i t d i es an d t h en cap tu r i n g th e bod y i s easy. N oth i n g h as h ap p en ed to p r ove m e w r on g i n m y som ew h at n ai ve h y p oth esi s. A f ter al l , i t i s n ot as i f I am i n cl i n ed t o k i l l a bi r d w i th an y th i n g oth er th an secon d s. W on ?t som ebod y com e to m e w i th m i n u tes to sp ar e! I w i sh t o h ave m y n eck car ved ou t by a str an ger ?s w at ch f ace, even i f m y f ai l i n g i s m y r ef u sal to p er i sh on ce I f i n al ly d eci d e to su ccu m b to m y ow n sol i t ar y d u vet s.

I ?m sor r y - I su p p ose w h at I ?m tr y i n g t o say h er e i s t h at I h ave tai n ted th e i n n ocen ce of sl eep .

A r t w or k : M el i ssa N eel ey

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St ar i n g o u t t h e w i n d ow s o f t r ai n s Josep h Pep l oe A s som eon e w h o h as n ever l ear n t to d r i ve, I h ave sp en t a gr eat d eal of ti m e st ar i n g ou t th e w i n d ow s of tr ai n s, t h i n k i n g abou t h ow th e l an d scap e l ook s so d i f f er en t th an i t d oes t h r ou gh th e w i n d ow of a car , an d h ow th er e i s n ot so m u ch com f or t i n th e r ai n w h en i t d r i bbl es so sl ow ly d ow n th e gl ass.

I r em em ber w h en w e w ou l d d r i ve t o Cor n w al l or D evon , m u m an d d ad t ak i n g tu r n s, f or so l on g th at som eti m es w e w ou l d d r i ve th r ou gh n i gh ts, an d I w ou l d th i n k i t cu r i ou s each ti m e I n oti ced a star st i l l i n th e sk y th e en ti r e w ay, as i f i t w er e attach ed by str i n g t o th e tai l of ou r car l i ke a bal l oon w e w er e tak i n g on h ol i d ay w i th u s.

I r em em ber too, h ow th e h ead l i gh ts of al l th e car s f l ash i n g al on g t h e m otor w ay m ad e m e f eel l i ke I w as w atch i n g a m eteor sh ow er f r om th e w i n d ow seat of a r ocket.

12

A r tw or k : M i ch el l e Sp i zi r i

13

B each En t r y L ael Cassi d y I d on 't w an t to w r i te abou t th e su n l i gh t on th e w aves. I t's sati r i c, p ostcar d - l i ke, i r on i c. W e've com e to scatter ash es. T h e w eath er i s str an gely good . T h i s ti m e of y ear , i t alw ay s r ai n s. W h y n ow th e su n n y p er f ecti on ? I see m y h u sban d 's f ace i n th e bl u e sk y, m u stach ed an d cat - l i ke, as th ou gh h e's becom e th e l ocal God .

H i s f ace i s too bi g, too con ten t, an d h er e's m e, m y bod y cr u sh ed agai n st th e san d , d r i f tw ood p ok i n g m y back .

I can on ly take so m u ch om n i p ot en ce f r om a m an I 'm m ar r i ed to, d ead or al i ve.

I d on 't w an t to w r i te abou t th e tu r key v u l tu r es I saw tod ay. O n e l an d ed on a tr ee stu m p , ex p an d ed i ts w i n gs, an d p osed l i ke a gar goy l e. I on ly f ou n d th e bear becau se of th e v u l tu r es.

I 'd n ever seen a bear bef or e, n ot t h i s cl ose. T h i s on e w as y ou n g, m u st h ave f al l en i n to th e n ear by r i ver . Som et i m es h eav y r ai n s sw el l th e Si u sl aw, an d a secti on of ban k w i l l col l ap se, an d p u l l tr ees an d an i m al s i n d ow n r i ver to th e ocean . T h e w aves th en p u sh th e d ebr i s back i n on to th e sh or e.

T h e bear s ar e l ook i n g f or th e sal m on to be f ou n d th er e, sw i m m i n g u p st r eam to sp aw n . Ever y th i n g h er e i s gi ven over t o th e w ater , th e con stan t p u l l of d i ssol u t i on .

14

Yester d ay I saw a seal p op u p i n t h e w at er .

H e l ooked r i gh t at m e w i t h h i s gl assy ey es, ch al l en gi n g m e to a gam e of ch ase. M y h u sban d u sed to bod y su r f l i ke t h at h er e.

I h ave a p i ctu r e of h i m on t h i s sp ot a y ear ago, i n h i s bl ack w et su i t , h ol d i n g h i s bod y boar d . H e u sed t o w al kou t i n th e w ater an d r i d e t h e w aves i n , back an d f or th , agai n an d agai n , u n t i l h i s sou l w ou l d ex f ol i at e, u n t i l h e h ad w ash ed aw ay h i s br i t t l e ou t er l ay er s.

A r tw or k : Cassan d r a H am i l ton 15

A r t w or k : Bel i n d a Su br am an 16

T h e L o n g 15 B en jam i n Rose T h e su n r i ses i n th e East A s w e r en ou n ce th e ocean br eeze W h er e T i tan r ests i n azu r e gr aves A n d p h an tom s sel l ser en i t y.

A f f r on ti n g h er d acty l s of r ose, T h e sacch ar i n e gal l ow s h om ew ar d w ay s, W e m ar ch ed u p on th e d u st y r oad I n cr ed u l ou s of better d ay s.

By th e su n I k n ew y ou r f ace B ef or e th e sou l w r ou gh t r u st ed bar s; A n d by y ou r ton gu e I k n ew y ou r p l ace, I ts r i ven r am p ar ts l on g d i sbar r ed .

I h ave h ear d y ou r sh r i ek i n g cr i es I m p l or i n g u n f or gi v i n g st on e, T h e tor si on of a br oken ar m , T h e n i gh tm ar e sol ace of ou r h om e.

Bu t I k n ew y ou a l i v i n g p y r e En gu l f ed i n am ber su m m er n i gh t s, T h e bl ood of m ap l es y ou r d esi r e, T h e sem p i ter n al br eath of l i f e.

So w al k w i th m e al on g t h i s w ay W h i ch an ci en t em p i r es cl ef t i n ear t h , For Sem el e- Son even , y ea, W as bu r n t to ash bef or e h i s bi r t h .

I p r om i se y ou n o h al l of god s N or f ou n t of n ectar er e t h e en d , Bu t th er e w as gl or y i n t h at n am e, O n w ater w r i t, an d on ce agai n .

Per h ap s w e m ay d i e i n p u r su i t A n d asp h al t be ou r r est i n g gr ou n d ; Yet w r etch ed m en h ave of t en p r oved Far f r om w r etch ed i n th e gr ou n d .

A n d th er e m ay p r ove a p l ace on ear t h For vagr an t sp ar e- ch an ge m en as w e; So l et th e h i gh w ay ?s cal ci n ed cu r se Ch ar ge th e Cou r i er i ts f ee.

17

Si r en l o n gs f o r co m p an i o n sh i p Sam an t h a I m p er i

A r t w or k : M essi ah B r ow n

18

I r em em ber h ow i t f el t t o h ave f eath er s. H ave y ou ever been p l u cked r aw ? O n ce, I w as a sh ep h er d . O n ce, I ten d ed H ad es?f l ock s. O n ce I w as a h an d m ai d en . I n a cast l e, i n a cave.

I br u sh ed h er h ai r w i t h a gol d en com b, I ten d ed f i r es, I w ai t ed . O n ce, I f l ew. I l an d ed on t h ese sl i ck , gr ey r ock s, th e tex t u r e of seaw at er , t h e coar se gr ai n of sal t . H er e, I eat m y si ster . I eat m y m ot h er . Pi n k f l esh , tu r key - r aw, y ou st i l l com e f or m e.

I on ly cal l ed y ou t o r est al on g t h ese cr aggy sh or es, t el l m e of y ou r sou l , stay f or ever (love me). W h at st i l l w at er s d i d y ou com e f r om ? I ser ve y ou t h e bl ood of m y bl ood , si ck w et r ed an d v i scou s. I si n g t o y ou w i t h t h e m ess of i t al l d r i p p i n g f r om m y gn ash i n g jaw. You stay, y ou l i st en , y ou l on g, y ou d r i n k seaw at er , y ou w i t h er f r om th e i n si d e ou t . I eat m y d au gh t er .

You r r otti n g sh el l r em i n d s m e of l ove. I w atch t h i n gs w i t h beak s t ear at y ou r f l esh w h i l e I gr i n d f at an d si n ew betw een m y m ol ar s. I ?m m or e bi r d th an w om an . I ?m m or e w om an t h an n ot. You bel i eved i n l ove so I san g y ou h er e. I bel i eved i n n ot h i n g. I bel i eved i n y ou .

19

w e sh ar ed a m i l k sh ak e o n t h e f i r st d ay o f f al l ?

O l i v i a Rose U m stead or m ay be i t w as sp r i n g, bu t n ot su m m er si n ce y ou w or e a t u r t l en eck an d p r obably n ot w i n ter si n ce n ei th er of u s w or e coat s. i t m u st h ave been Sep tem ber si n ce th e ai r sm el t l i ke n ot ebook p ages an d i t bou n ced ar ou n d ou r sh ou l d er s l i ke sch ool ch i l d r en . t h e sk y w as or an ge f r om th e sou th er n w i l d f i r es an d a l i t t l e gi r l by u s asked i f i t w as th e Gr eat Pu m p k i n , Ch ar l i e B r ow n , an d y ou alw ay s cu t y ou r h ai r bef or e Ch r i st m as so y ou r m ot h er h as on e l ess t h i n g to n ag abou t an d w h en w e sh ar ed a m i l k sh ake i t f l ow ed w i l d an d f r ee ar ou n d y ou r n eck so i t m u st h ave been t h e f i r st d ay of f al l th at w e sh ar ed a m i l k sh ake. i t cou l d h ave h ap p en ed an y d ay of th e w eek . each ti m e i th i n k abou t y ou i t h ap p en s al l over agai n . bu t i t h i n k i t w as a satu r d ay becau se y ou m en t i on ed w at ch i n g w h eel of f or tu n e th at even i n g an d i t d oesn ?t ai r h er e on su n d ay s so i t m u st h ave been a satu r d ay an d i ?m gl ad abou t i t . su n d ay i s t h e L or d ?s d ay. i can ?t d o w i th y ou w h at i w i sh to d o on su n d ay s. i t ?s satu r d ay i m u st con sp i r e w i th , an d sh e al on e w h o w i l l keep m y secr et s i n h er r ed l i p sti ck sm ear ed m i d n i gh ts. w e?ll p ass p l en t y h on ey - h u ed su n d ay s i n ch u r ch es an d d i n er s an d f ar m er ?s m ar ket s bu t t r u e satu r d ay s sp en t h ow th ey ou gh t to be sp en t , ar e r ar e, esp eci al ly on ce w e star t r each i n g m i d d l e aged , so w e ou gh t t o savor t h em t oget h er t h i s w ay, d r i n k i n g a m i l k sh ake i n th i s caf é su r r ou n d ed by t w en t y som et h i n gs d oi n g ex actly as u s, getti n g a br ai n f r eeze an d cou n t i n g t h e ey el ash bat s an d cl ear i n gs of t h r oats u n ti l th e caf é cl oses an d y ou f u m bl e y ou r h an d s ar ou n d m y back as w e w al k to y ou r p l ace so y ou can cou n t t h e bu t t on s on t h e back of m y p l ai d sk i r t of f .

20

21

A r tw or k : L abd h i Sh ah

Sa? s?r a X i aoqi u Q i u

Ever y m i d - su m m er n oon on th e l u n ar cal en d ar , w e?d p r ep ar e a f east. L ay i n g ou t on th e l on g t abl e jad e bow l s an d bam boo ch op sti ck s, a p ai r ,

a p ai r ,

a p ai r .

I , bei n g p l ay f u l , l i ked to cl i m b on to th e em p ty ch ai r s. A n d y ou , T ia-T ia, w aved y ou r ban an a- l eaf f an , y ou r bam boo stool cr eaked : ?Com e d ow n , Au- Siau, th e an cestor s ar e y et t o r etu r n .? I ?d ask , ?w el l i f th ey ar e, w h y can ?t I see th em ?? A n d y ou , D ia D ia, sh i el d i n g th e w i n d w i th y ou r p al m , l i gh ted u p a r ed can d l e w i th an oth er , f l am e,

af l am e.

D ay l i gh t?s f oot str etch ed l on g tabl e.

Year s p assed . D ay l i gh t i s sh or ter .

A gai n , th e f ake f l ow er s at th e si d es w et y ou r tom bston e.

T h e f an on y ou r stool sh i ver s i n th e w i n d .

I m ove i t i n si d e, an d p l ace i t am on g th e ch ai r s.

M y p al m i s n ot bi g en ou gh , t h e can d l es f l i cker .

I l ay ou t th e bow l s an d ch op sti ck s, a p ai r ,

a p ai r ,

a p ai r ?

a p ai r .

(?H u í?, to r etu r n )

22

A r tw or k : K aty a Bel en a

23

Ro ses ar e Red (M ar ch 1, 20 16 ) Sar a N az N av abi Jor d an I ?m a r i p e n ew h i gh l i gh ter soak i n g t h r ou gh to th e oth er si d e I alw ay s p r ess too h ar d .

M y Val en ti n e r oses gr ow y ou n ger each d ay.

Tau n ti n g p r u d i sh bu d s p u r sed m ou th s on d ow n y ch eek s.

Col ti sh l egs i n a vase of sl ow ly

si n k i n g w ater th at tastes l i ke th e p oi son I d r an k w h en I tu r n ed 16.

I 'm m y gr an d m a?s f avou r i te; n o on e l oved can ever f al l .

Pr od i gal d au gh ter of a p or cel ai n m oth er ?s h u m i l i ati n g p r i d e.

T h e r oses w i l t.

I asked m y m oth er i f sh e l i ked m e as m u ch as sh e l oved m e.

T h ei r h ead s bow i n sh am e.

I ?m r i d i n g m y bi ke i n m y ch i l d h ood d r i vew ay turn in the direction you?re falling: t h e secr et to stay i n g u p r i gh t.

I p r ay ed f or m y p er i od gr eed y f or bl ood st ai n s on m y f r esh w h i te u n d er w ear .

T h e r oses on m y k n ees bl oom .

24

A r tw or k : Ch r i stop h er Pau l Br ow n

25

A r t w or k : Sof i e Rosal i en D een

26

T h e M an W h o W an t ed t o St ay Aw ak e D av i d Joh n Gr i f f i n Ed m u n d ?s h ead f el l f or w ar d , his d ar k- r i m m ed ey es star i n g at h i s ban d aged h an d s. H e w as abou t to su ccu m b, t o f al l i n to d i stu r bed sl eep . H e m u st f i gh t t h e u r ge as w al l s of th e d octor ?s su r ger y sh i m m er ed , r u b f l i cker i n g ey el i d s t o st op th em f r om cl osi n g.

A n assi stan t, f r am ed by a d oor w ay, an n ou n ced i n a sh r i l l voi ce, "Ed m u n d A bbott, r oom si x ."

H e w as jol ted f r om h i s stu p or an d st ood , sw ay i n g w i th ti r ed n ess. H e w al ked u n stead i ly al on g a p l ai n p assage. U p on f i n d i n g th e cor r ect d oor , h e k n ocked sof tly.

"Com e i n ," cam e a gr u f f voi ce f r om i n si d e.

Ed m u n d en ter ed an d sat. T h e d octor at h i s d esk sai d , "W h at can w e d o f or y ou ?"

Ed m u n d si gh ed , al m ost to th e p oi n t of tear s. "You ?ve got to h el p m e stay aw ake.

Pl ease, I ?m beggi n g y ou ."

T h e d octor , a squ at m an w i th d eep - set ey es, stu d i ed h i m . "So, y ou h ave been sl eep i n g too m u ch . L et m e take y ou r bl ood p r essu r e."

H e p i cked u p a bl ood p r essu r e cu f f .

A s sl eep began to tu g agai n at Ed m u n d , h e saw th e m an bef or e h i m as a m assi ve, w ar t- cover ed toad an d h ear d h i s w or d s as m ean i n gl ess cr oak s.

"Tabl ets, an y th i n g to keep m e aw ake," Ed m u n d cr i ed ou t, f i gh ti n g th e d el i r i u m .

T h e d octor h ad r esu m ed h i s h u m an sh ap e on ce m or e, h i s w or d s n ow u n d er stood .

"I see f r om m y n otes th at y ou ?ve n ever su f f er ed f r om an y sl eep d i sor d er i n t h e p ast. Bu t n ar col ep sy can str i ke at an y ti m e."

27

"You d on ?t u n d er st an d ," Ed m u n d r ep l i ed , "I t ?s n ot t h at I ?ve h ad t oo m u ch sl eep ? I ?m f eel i n g t h i s w ay becau se I h aven ?t h ad en ou gh . I ?ve n ot sl ep t f or f or t y - ei gh t h ou r s or m or e."

T h e d oct or p u t d ow n t h e bl ood p r essu r e equ i p m en t . "You ?r e t el l i n g m e y ou h aven ?t sl ep t f or d ay s an d y et y ou w an t h el p t o st ay aw ake?" H e i n ex p l i cably sn i gger ed .

"Yes, y es," Ed m u n d sh ou t ed . "Pl ease st op m e f r om sl eep i n g. I d ar en ?t sl eep an y m or e."

T h e sk y, sh ow i n g t h r ou gh a sm al l w i n d ow, ch an ged i n secon d s f r om br i gh t bl u e t o gr ey. A h i ss w as h ear d f r om ou t si d e as h eav y r ai n f el l .

T h e d oct or , h i s f ace n ow l i t w i t h a st r an ge gr i n , asked , "Bu t w h y ?"

"L et m e st ar t by sh ow i n g y ou t h i s."

Ed m u n d w i n ced w i t h p ai n as h e began t o u n w r ap on e of h i s ban d aged h an d s. W h en f i n i sh ed , h e h el d ou t a t r em bl i n g p al m cover ed w i t h bl i st er s an d bu r n s.

T h e d oct or p eer ed at t h e p al m cl osely.

"O oh , n ast y," h e sai d . H e p r od d ed on e of h i s st u bby f i n ger s i n t o a bl i st er . "D oes t h at h u r t ?"

Ed m u n d sn at ch ed h i s h an d aw ay an d h ow l ed . "W h y d i d y ou d o t h at ? W h at sor t of p r act i t i on er ar e y ou ?"

"O n ly t h e best sor t ," t h e d oct or r ep l i ed .

"N ow, t el l m e h ow y ou bu r n t y ou r sel f ."

Ed m u n d p au sed , t h en sai d , "Fi ve d ay s ago, I d r eam t t h er e w as a f i er cely gl ow i n g oven , t h e sor t u sed f or gl ass- bl ow i n g. A sh ad ow y, cr i m son f i gu r e p u l l ed m y ar m s i n t o i t s m ol t en cor e. I scr eam ed w i t h agon y. A n d t h e n ex t m or n i n g, I aw oke w i t h t h ese ser i ou s bu r n s."

"Psy ch osom ati c?"

"You tel l m e, y ou ?r e th e ex p er t. Bu t I ?ll an sw er al l th e sam e ? even i f i t w as, h ow d o y ou ex p l ai n th i s?" Ed m u n d p u l l ed back h i s sh i r t col l ar . O n each si d e of h i s n eck w as a n eat r ow of gi l l s. ?T h e n ex t even i n g, t h e n i gh tm ar e con ti n u ed . T h e r ed f i gu r e ch ased m e. To escap e, I p l u n ged i n to a l ake. T h at m y ster i ou s en em y w ad ed i n an d p u sh ed m e u n d er th e w ater . I h ave scr at ch es on m y back w h er e I scr ap ed th e gr avel . I w as d r ow n i n g. I h al f - aw oke, gasp i n g f or br eath . I t w as th en I i m agi n ed gi l l s f or br eath i n g. A n d th e n ex t m or n i n g, t h i s w as th e r esu l t." Ed m u n d sl u m p ed back i n h i s ch ai r as i f sp eak i n g h ad d r ai n ed th e l ast of h i s en er gy.

w er e scr eam i n g si l en t ly, ot h er s l ook i n g t o be h ow l i n g l i ke w olves. Fl am es cam e f r om ot h er w i n d ow s an d bl u e sm oke f or m ed i n t o m or e gr u esom e h ead s. T h ey seem ed t o be m ock i n g m e. I w as t er r i f i ed . A n d m or e so w h en m y assai l an t gr i p p ed m e ar ou n d t h e w ai st , at t em p t i n g t o h au l m e ou t of t h e l ake an d over t o t h e en t r an ce of t h e bu i l d i n g. T h en I w oke u p . D on ?t y ou see, d oct or ? D o y ou h ear m e? I m u st n ?t sl eep agai n , w i t h t h e d r ead f ear of t h e r eal n i gh t m ar e con t i n u i n g." Ed m u n d l i cked a f i n ger an d p assed i t acr oss bot h f l i cker i n g ey el i d s.

"I u n d er st an d ," t h e d oct or sai d , h i s voi ce sy r u p y. "W e can alw ay s m easu r e y ou l at er .

I ?ll gi ve y ou an i n ject i on i n st ead ."

T h e d octor op en ed a d r aw er of h i s d esk an d t ook ou t a tap e m easu r e. "I n eed t o t ake m easu r em en ts."

H i s h an d f u m bl ed i n t o t h e d esk d r aw er an d h e w i t h d r ew a sy r i n ge, al r ead y f i l l ed w i t h d ar k l i qu i d .

"W h atever f or ?" Ed m u n d sai d "H ow i s th at goi n g to h el p ?"

"W ai t , w h at ?s t h at f or ?"

w ear i ly.

"You ask too m an y qu esti on s. L eave i t t o t h e sp eci al i sts." Ed m u n d w as cer tai n h e h ear d th e m an cr oak . T h e scen e ou tsi d e t h e w i n d ow d ar ken ed even m or e as t h e d oct or con ti n u ed , "Stan d u p an d f ol d y ou r ar m s acr oss y ou r ch est."

Ed m u n d r ep l i ed , "N o, I w on ?t," an ger r i si n g w i th i n h i m . "H ow can I get r i d of t h e gi l l s? H ow can y ou h el p m e keep aw ake? I f I go back to sl eep , I f ear t h e w or st . T h e f ol l ow i n g n i gh t, I w as back i n t h e sam e p l ace. I escap ed f r om th e m an w h o p u sh ed m e u n d er w ater an d sw am aw ay. Bu t h e f ol l ow ed , bl eati n g l i ke a cr azy goat, u n ti l I r each ed an i sl an d .

T h er e w as a l on e bu i l d i n g on i t, r agi n g f aces at i ts w i n d ow s. Som e of th ose f aces

?To h el p , of cou r se."

T h e d oct or st ood an d st abbed t h e sy r i n ge i n t o Ed m u n d ?s n eck , p r essi n g t h e p l u n ger i n on e sw i f t m ovem en t .

D i st or t ed f aces ap p ear ed at t h e w i n d ow, l i ck i n g t eet h or gr i m aci n g. A s Ed m u n d w as sw am p ed by w aves of n au sea an d d i st r ess, h i s bod y becom i n g p ar aly zed an d h i s ey es w i d e as i f cl am p ed op en , t h e d oct or ad d ed , "Ju st r el ax . You d on ?t n eed t o go t o sl eep , agr eed . T h at ?s becau se y ou ar e al r ead y asl eep ."

A s Ed m u n d ?s m i n d sl i p p ed i n t o a d ar k , t r au m at i c p l ace, t h e d oct or p i cked u p a t el ep h on e an d sp oke i n t o i t .

"H e?s r ead y,?" h e sai d .

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A r tw or k : M ati n a Vossou

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H ow C o u l d I L et M y W o r l d B r u i se M ar sh al l W ood w ar d

I saw a gr een w or l d ah ead of m e T h ou gh I l oved sl i p p er s p i l l ow s an d tea I saw age ol d tr u n k s h u gged sof tly by a bi l l i on br i l l i an t sh ad es of l eaves N eed l es an d sap l i n gs Br oad su n catch er s T h e si m p l e f er n H ad I a h ear t I w ou l d r oot to be m er e d i r t To w atch th e w or l d bl oom f r om bel ow I l oved th e l eek s I p l an ted T h at w as th e f i r st m or n i n g of M ar ch T h ey w er e m y ch i l d r en / n ow th ey ar e bi r d s Taken of f I w i sh I h ad th e u r ge of m oth er h ood N ot to tou ch / bu t to be tou ch ed I sm el l ed th e ech o of f l ow er s T h ei r scen ts p l u cked by sp r i n g r ai n s gr ow n h ot By p er f u m ed gar bage bags an d r u bber s d i t ch ed on t h e r oad N ow I h ear th e sl ow d r u m of an ai r con d i t i on er I am tou ch ed by a god w h o cu r sed m e D o not be planted D o not know peace N ow m y f r i en d s bu zz abou t th e n ew s M y tea bi tter s H ow cou l d I l et m y w or l d br u i se

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A r tw or k : Sar ah H essi n ger

31

T h e O n l y O n e W h o L ov es Yo u Pr at i bh a Cast l e Sp u r n i n g w or d s th at ech oed l i ke a cu r se, I stu f f ed a d u f f el bag w i th bl i ster p ack s of p i l l s, M ar y Q u an t m i n i s, f an tasi es of gi r l s t h r ead i n g d ai si es i n th e m u zzl es of gu n s; escap ed to th e B i g Sm oke. I n a bed si t

by Ken si n gton Gar d en s, I m assacr ed st eak w i th th e m al l et of h ate, a y ear on tu r n ed vegan ; p i on eer i n ?68 of p i ty f or p ool - ey ed cow s, sh eep , sl ate star e p l ai ce.

Fei gn ed com p assi on . Str ove t o p r ove to m y sel f th at I w as w or th y of l ove. Str u tted t h e n i gh ts aw ay w i th f l au ti sts, a h ar p i st w h ose h eal er ?s h an d s str u m m ed m y st r i n gs; d r u m m er , h i s si l k ti p p ed st r oke n i m bl e on th e sn ar e; cal l ou s gu i t ar i sts p l u ck i n g tu n es f r om sm oke d r i f t s. Ch an t ed m an tr as w i th Ram D ass i n a basem en t i n N otti n g H i l l , d ossed i n a M ai d a Val e squ at; can d l es, cal or gas stove, th e on e t ap d r i p d r i p i n th e bog besi d e th e back d oor . M ad e ou t , of f m y h ead , w i th a sw eeth ear t l eaf Ph i l od en d r on , bu r n t joss sti ck s t o p l acate K al i ?s h or d e of sw or d s, sw eeten t h e v i bes, sten ch of cat l i t n o- on e f r om t h e H i gh gate com m u n e I cr ash ed i n n ex t, ever em p ti ed ; sp oon ed m ar m al ad e f r om a jar h al f - f u l l , r ecy cl ed f r om a sk i p . A l m ost bel i eved m y sel f d eser v i n g of l ove, ti l l com e t h e m or n i n g, I f or got. M y h ear t ten d er i sed w i t h gr i ef d i scover i n g th e n i gh t m y m oth er d i ed , l ove i s an eth er y ou can ch oke or f l oat i n .

32

A r tw or k : L i l ach Ker en 33

M o t h er T o n gu e D ebr a W at son W e take l i l ac step s D an ce v i ol ets O u r m ou th s f i l l ed w i th r oses O u r ey es h on ey W e cou l d be p ar t of som eth i n g l ar ger O u r ow n p l an et l ost i n a gal ax y of star s O r a m i n i scu l e f r agm en t of r ock M ou l d ed by w i n d an d w ater ?s r ou gh con si sten cy W e too ar e n atu r e Par t of i ts u n f ol d i n g O u r l i ves a sw i r l of Fi bon n aci cu r ves L ai d si d e by si d e L i f e by l i f e O bl i v i ou s t o i n ter - con n ected n ess of al l l i v i n g th i n gs.

W e'r e p l ay i n g an A n ti -W or l d Cu p Each gam e staged si m u l tan eou sly on th e th r ee f ootbal l f i el d s of A m azon r ai n f or est W e l ose ever y m i n u te of ever y d ay

T h e ear t h i s ou r f i r st m ot h er O u r ol d est an cest or Yet w e h ave f or got t en h er t on gu e T h e m agi c w h i sp er ed t h r ou gh h er f or est ed can op y T h e h i d d en al p h abet of r oot s sp r ead i n g t en t at i ve f i n ger s Fi n d i n g sol ace i n each ot h er ?s com p an y H u g m e w i t h t h e su bt er r an ean w i l d beau t y of t r ees r each i n g t h r ou gh d ar k n ess Pu l si n g Reason f i gh t s ch t h on i c n at u r e W e bu i l d ou r cer t ai n t i es h i gh an d r egu l ar Geom et r i es of gr an d eu r Ci t i es of l i gh t Com m u n i t i es of con su m p t i on O n e season ?s h eav y r ai n Ren d er s ever y t h i n g m u d ever y t h i n g st i ck ever y t h i n g st r aw A l l ou r p r et t y t en d ed gar d en s A l l ou r f i n ely d an ced st ep s A l l t h e l et t er s w e w r ot e U n d er st ar - l i t sk i es M ot h er - n at u r e l i ck s h er w ou n d s Recl ai m s i t al l

34

A r tw or k : M ar th a N an ce

35

O 'N ei l l 's Pu b Er i ca M i l l er Peel i n g back th e l abel of m y H ei n eken , an d scr ap i n g th e r em ai n i n g ad h esi ve w i t h m y f i n ger n ai l , I si t at a d am p m ah ogan y p u b tabl e w i t h n o ex p ect at i on s.

I l i gh t a w h i te ci gar ette, f i l l m y l u n gs w i th sm oke, an d r el ease i t to accom p an y th e r est of th e h aze t o t h e cei l i n g.

T h e br ew m eets th e tobacco r esi d u e on m y t on gu e, sati ati n g an d satu r ati n g m y taste bu d s.

For a m om en t, th e n i coti n e ai d s i n gi v i n g m e a sl i gh t bu zz.

I l ook to m y l ef t. I see tw o m en , p r obably f or t y or so, both d r u n k , p l ay i n g a h op el ess gam e of ei gh t bal l , m u tter i n g on abou t th ei r bi tch - w i ves an d good - f or - n ot h i n g k i d s.

I l ook to m y r i gh t. I n a d i r ty cor n er cou ch , t w o st r an ger s ar e en gr ossed i n each oth er , th ei r p i n k ton gu es squ i r m i n g l i ke sn akes i n a n est .

I w on d er w h o w i l l sn eak ou t w i th t h e h at ch of t h e su n r i se?

I t i s a qu ar ter p ast m i d n i gh t an d th e l am p h an gi n g acr oss f r om m e f l i cker s an d goes ou t, bu zzes. T h i s i s m y f ou r t h beer .

A l coh ol w ar m s m y bl ood , bu t th e sol i t u d e sober s m e.

T h e bar ten d er ?s ey es m eet m i n e, an ol d er w om an , gl assy gr een ey es.

H er f ace i s w or n f r om y ear s of w or k , t h e sm oke, t h e d ar k . Sh e gi ves m e a h al f sm i l e an d a sl i gh t n od , t h en con t i n u es w i p i n g d ow n t h e bar .

T h e p l ace i s l ou d , w i th th e sou n d of cl i n k i n g gl asses an d a m el an ch ol i c Sm ash i n g Pu m p k i n s h i t tu r n ed u p i n t h e back gr ou n d . T h e scen t of ash an d ol d beer i s str on g en ou gh . T h i s p l ace i s a r ef u ge.

M y m i n d l i n ger s on th e m u f f l ed si l en ce t h ou gh , sear ch i n g f or som et h i n g l i ke a h ou sew i f e f or p u r p ose, or a l ost sou l seek i n g af f i r m at i on .

T h e r eal i zati on m eets m e as qu i ck ly as t h e st r i ke of a cor n er p ocket sh ot .

I am n ot th e l on el i est p er son h er e, t on i gh t .

36

A r tw or k : Par i sa K ar am i

37

C o r al Reef Gar y D ay A f l oat i n a sh ap e- sh i f ti n g sea T h e p oly p s seek a p l ace of sti l l n ess; Fi n d i t on th e ocean f l oor , W h er e th ei r sof t bod i es Secr ete a skel etal base.

T h e f i r st d eath i s th e cor n er ston e O f an ar ch i tectu r al f ol ly To w h i ch al l oth er s ad d .

Aeon s p ass, an d i ts bar oqu e or n am en tat i on I s m i m i cked by th e gr otesqu e w on d er s an d d el i cat e m ar vel s Fl i t t i n g abou t i ts w ater y sp aces.

H er e n o cr eatu r e d r eam s of bei n g d i f f er en t , T h e som br e octop u s, th e tassel l ed jel ly - f i sh , T h e f i d gety sh ar k an d th e u n i cy cl i n g sea- h or se A r e on e i n th ei r str an gen ess.

T h e sea's th i ck l en s d i stor ts T h e sp i k y f or ests an d al i en p l an ts Bl oom i n g ben eath i ts su r f ace, T h ei r r i ch h u es as l u m i n ou s A s a stai n ed gl ass w i n d ow.

O n ce a y ear , th e m oon bl esses U n gr an d son et l u m i èr e of sex , Q u aver s of sp er m , ch oi r s of eggs; Ven u s sw i r l i n g ju st ben eath th e w aves.

Geol ogy an d evol u ti on , W i t h th e ai d of ti m e an d ch an ce, H ave con ju r ed th i s en ch an tm en t Fr om som eth i n g, al m ost n oth i n g.

A n d i f su ch l ovel i n ess can ar i se f r om so l i t t l e, W h at m i gh t n ot f or m Fr om th e m oti on O f t h e bl i n d ti d es, Sh u f f l i n g betw een T h e sh or e of th e sel f an d T h e sea of ever y th i n g el se?

38

A r tw or k : Ch ar l i e Com r i e

A r tw or k : D al e Gr een e

39

A r t w or k : Pau l a D eStef an i s 40

A l l ah 's B ar k at Rabi a A sh r af M y h an d s tr em bl ed

as I

w i p ed

my

ch eek s, tr y i n g to er ase an y ev i d en ce of sad n ess f r om m y f ace. Sad n ess. I t w as su ch a str an ge em oti on to f eel on t h i s p ar ti cu l ar d ay. A d ay th at m ost gi r l s d r eam ed abou t, a d ay th at I u sed t o p l an f or w h en I w as on ly f i ve y ear s ol d , h ad f i n al ly ar r i ved , an d y et, I f el t n ot h i n g bu t u tter d evastati on . I w i sh I cou l d say t h at I w as n u m b, i m m u n e to th e p ai n , bu t I w asn ?t. I f el t i t al l . A l m ost as i f I w as h i t by

a d eep

n ever - en d i n g cy cl on e of

em oti on s, I w as h u r l ed i n to t h i s d eep

al i ke m i n e t h at I f ou n d sol ace i n i t .

U n d er n eat h t h e beau t i f u l l ay er s of t h e cr i m son - r ed

sw i r l s an d

t h e i n t r i cat e

f l or al d esi gn s p ai n t ed on t h e f r on t an d back of m y ar m s an d h an d s w er e t h e oozi n g, l on g gash es, bu r n i n g each t i m e t h e M eh n d i cam e i n con t act w i t h t h e w ou n d . I w el com ed t h e p ai n . I n eed ed t h e p ai n . I w as i n a w or l d of p ai n , an d y et t h e p eop l e ar ou n d m e seem ed t o be cel ebr at i n g.

Cel ebr at i n g

t h at

som eon e?s

w al k i n g- t al k i n g

I ?d

be

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d oor m at ?

d ar k aby ss, tr y i n g an d f ai l i n g to cl aw m y w ay ou t. T h i s w as a r i te of p assage f or u s

?T ujhe D ekha To Yeh Jana Sanam . . .?

gi r l s ? a bl essi n g, a ?barkat?, as som e

Cl i ch é B ol ly w ood m u si c bl ast ed t h r ou gh

Au n ti es w ou l d say.

t h e t al l bl ack i n d u st r i al - si zed sp eaker s.

I t w as easy to cal l i t a Barkat an d w al k aw ay, w i p i n g y ou r h an d s cl ean f r om t h e act. I t w asn ?t th ei r l i ves at stake bu t m i n e.

A n d d esp i te i t bei n g th e bi ggest d ay of m y l i f e, I h ad n o say i n an y th i n g. Bu t i t w as ok ay, r i gh t? T h i s w as Allah?s Barkat.

Gi r l s d r essed i n col or f u l an d bl i n g- ed ou t

Sh alw ar - K am eez

d om i n ated

th e

d an ce f l oor s, p r et en d i n g t o be t h e K ajol t h at Sh ah r u k h K h an san g l ove son gs f or in

D D LJ. T h ei r

con t agi ou s.

l au gh t er

T h ei r

w as al m ost

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over w h el m i n g, r em i n d i n g m e of a t i m e M y f i n ger s l i gh tly tr aced over w h at I l i ked

to

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L u ci f er

St r i p es

em bed d ed d eep w i th i n m y w r i st s. T h e m i n u te

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br oke

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sm ooth ly gl i d ed th r ou gh , al m ost as i f cu tti n g th i n sl i ces of ch eese, a w ave of eu p h or i a h i t. A f eel i n g so p ow er f u l an d si n f u l th at I i m agi n ed i t m u st h ave f el t l i ke

w al k i n g

i n to

L u ci f er ?s

L ai r ?

su r r ou n d ed by p ai n an d su f f er i n g so

41

w h en I w as l i ke t h at . A n d al l I cou l d t h i n k abou t w as h ow l u ck y t h ose gi r l s w er e ? t o be so y ou n g, so n aïve. U n aw ar e t h at on e d ay t h ei r h an d s, t oo, w i l l be h an d cu f f ed an d bou n d t oget h er as a st r an ge m an , som eon e y ou ?ve n ever m et bef or e, sl i d es a r i n g on y ou r f i n ger an d f or ces y ou t o be h i s. U n aw ar e t h at a f ew y ear s f r om n ow, t h ey ?d en d u p l i ke m e.

T r ap p ed .

?Sh ah i d a, beti. W h at ar e y ou th i n k i n g abou t ?

N ow i s n ot th e ti m e. T h e gr oom ?s f am i ly w i l l be h er e an y m i n u te n ow. Sh ou l d er s back , si t u p . N o sl ou ch i n g. H ol d y ou r h el d h i gh , l ook con f i d en t. Bu t n ot too con f i d en t, w e d on ?t w an t

th em

th i n k i n g

y ou ?r e

l i ke

those

A m er i can gi r l s. A n d n o ey e con tact, l ook d ow n . H ave som e sharam,? m y m om scol d ed m e, br eak i n g m e f r om m y th ou gh ts.

r est ed h er h ead on m y sh ou l d er s. ?Beti, l i st en . M en d on ?t h ave t h e cap aci t y t o l ove l i ke t h at . W h en a w om an l oves, sh e l oves w i t h al l h er h ear t . Sh e gi ves u p h er ever y t h i n g f or h i m . Sh e l i ves an d br eat h es t h r ou gh h er h u sban d . A m an i sn ?t l i ke t h at .

T his

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Sh ah r u k h k h an w i l l w h i sk y ou of f y ou r f eet an d si n g son gs t o y ou . T h i s i s t h e r eal l i f e,

H er e I w as, i n th e m ost beau ti f u l d r ess I

an d A r sl an i s a good m an . Ju st be a good

cou l d ever i m agi n e w i th gem s an d bead i n g

w i f e t o h i m . Fol l ow t h r ou gh y ou r d u t i es as a

scat t er ed th r ou gh ou t th e si l k gar m en t, an d

w i f e, t h at ?s al l m at t er s. T h at k i n d of sacr i f i ce

al l I w an ted w as to tear i t of f an d bu r n i t . I

d oesn ?t ex i st . A n d f or y ou r sake, I h op e y ou

w an t ed i t r em oved . I w an ted m y m om t o

u n d er st an d t h at n ow or y ou ?ll l i ve t o r egr et

l ook m e i n th e ey es an d see th e p ai n

i t .?

r ef l ect ed i n m i n e. I w an ted h er to tel l m e t h at i t w as ok ay ? th at I d i d n ?t h ave to d o t h i s.

I l ooked d ow n at m y m eh n d i - cover ed h an d s an d w at ch ed as t h ey t r em bl ed w i t h f ear . I t w as n ow or n ever . I h ad t o m u st er u p t h e

?M am a?? M y voi ce br oke, af r ai d of r ejecti on .

cou r age t o t el l h er .

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?M am a, w h at i f I t ol d y ou I f ou n d h i m ?

?D o y ou l ove d ad ? W ou l d y ou gi ve y ou r l i f e

W h at i f I t ol d y ou I m et som eon e w h o l oves m e m or e t h an I l ove h i m ? W h at i f I t ol d y ou

f or h i m ??

t h at t h e l ove i n B ol ly w ood m ov i es i s r eal ?W h at n on sen se? I ?m h i s w i f e. O f cou r se, I w ou l d gi ve m y l i f e f or h i m . I t?s m y faraz.

W h at i s th i s abou t??

an d t h at I f ou n d i t ? A n d t h at h e?s ou t si d e an d w ai t i n g f or m e? A n d al l y ou n eed t o d o i s cal l of f t h i s w ed d i n g so I can f i n d m y Sh ah r u k h

?A n d d oes h e l ove y ou ??

k h an ??

?I ?m su r e h e d oes. W e d on ?t h ave ti m e f or

We

t h ese qu esti on s. T h ey cou l d be com i n g i n

u n d er n eat h t h e m ask , I saw m y m om - - t h e

an y m i n u te n ow,? Sh e scol d ed . H er br ow s

w om an w h o gave bi r t h t o m e, r ai sed m e,

f u r r ow ed

an d w an t ed m e t o be h ap p y. Bu t t h en sh e

in

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an d

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bl i n ked an d ju st l i ke t h at h er l ay er s w er e u p .

?A- A- n d w ou l d h e gi ve h i s l i f e f or y ou ?

?D on ?t l et y ou r f at h er h ear t h i s. W e d on ?t

W ou l d h e sacr i f i ce h i m sel f to m ake y ou

n eed t h i s d r am a r i gh t n ow. N ow, go get

h ap p y ??

r ead y. T h e gr oom w i l l be h er e an y m i n u t e.

M y m om si gh ed an d sat d ow n n ex t to m e.

You ?r e h i s n ow. So, sm i l e an d be a good

Sh e p l aced a gen tl e k i ss on m y f or eh ead an d

w i f e.?

42

I can o n l y co m e h o m e Casey Ep stei n - Gr oss i f th e bod y i s a ci st er n an d th e m i n d th e r ai n w at er i f t h e bod y i s th e d el i sl i cer an d th e m i n d th e m eat i f t h e bod y i s th e cu bi cl e an d t h e m i n d t h e d ead i n g m an i n si d e of i t i f i f i f i cou l d f i n d a w ay t o l i ve w i t h m y f l esh bag i f i cou l d st om ach m y stom ach i f m y bod y w as ju st a r ecep tacl e f or t h e m i n d an d n ot th e f u l cr u m u p on w h i ch al l ju d gm en t l i es i f i f ou n d m y ey es bi g br i gh t bol d i n t h e m i r r or i f i f i f h om e becom es a p l ace r at h er th an a cr ev i ce

A r tw or k : M el an i e Fai th 43

At theBeach The following five works are the winners of our At the Beach-themed 250-word creative writing challenge!

A r t w or k : M i ch el e Ram i r ez

44

seascap e L i sa Can tw el l after Gerhard Richter tod ay i am cal l i n g th e sk y cr u sh ed velvet or ch i d p etal th e h azy w ash ed v i ol et f ad es i n to w ater ?s ed ge th e sm oked bl u r of l ate su m m er m el ts i n to sep tem ber th e vei l ed cl ou d s ar e w i sp i n g r each i n g th ei r f i n ger s to th e sea f r eck l ed bl an ket of w h i sp er s i ts or p h i c son g h u sh i ts i m p ossi bl e sh i m m er s h ow f u l l h ow ed gel ess an d h er e i s w h er e i f i n d y ou h ear y ou w h i sp er i n g h er e l ook h er e u p cl ose th e w ater d oesn ?t l ook bl u e even i f y ou ar e u p cl ose th e w ater l ook s l i ke th e i d ea of w ater u p cl ose y ou see th e p ai n t su ed ed l an d scap e br u sh str okes y ou r w h i sp er f ad i n g w av i n g w aves

A r tw or k : Em i ly Sal i sbu r y

i f i am a d r op ocean i s ever y th i n g i ?ve ever l oved m agi c w ater s tou ch p ai n ted sk y d an ci n g sal ty tw i l i gh t cal l i n g y ou y ou y ou 45

B each es Cel est e Pep i t on e- N ah as You th ou gh t I w as goi n g to h u r t y ou th at n i gh t an d w el l , I al m ost d i d . Rage w as a h abi t, f l u n g l i ke a bow l of m i l k? h ow i t sp l atter ed bu t d i d n ot br eak? an over tu r n ed p an , sm el l of on i on an d t u r m er i c i n y ou r h an d s? an d y ou r ey es r i n ged w i th w or r y l i ke a f ol d ed sh i r t . Fear f u l sou n d l i ke a boy beati n g a cy m bal , an d i n th at st i l l n ess, I w as ash am ed .

M y col l ar r i n ged w i th sw eat. You r voi ce cou l d n ot sof t en ever y bar r i cad e I m ad e. B ef or e y ou , I u sed t o p u sh a p i l l ow u p agai n st t h e d oor to bl ock th e l i gh t. T h en th e h i n ges got ol d , an d w e got ol d , an d I h ad to u se an oth er p i l l ow, an d th en a ch ai r , t oo. You w er e so br azen w h en y ou cal l ed abou t f or gi ven ess. I p i ct u r ed y ou r h ai r ? w et an d tou sl ed ? u n d er a gatew ay m oon . You w an t ed t o w r i t e m e a st or y, w h i l e w e stay ed aw ake, f l oati n g, w atch i n g t h e cor m or an t s d i p , an d sw i m .

Gr een ci r cl es i n bl ack ocean i s w h at I saw, an d y ou , cu r l ed f or w ar d , bel ly p r essed agai n st col d sk i n . Bu t oh , p u t of f y ou r book s. I can h ear t h e sou n d of sw al l ow s br eak i n g tw i gs i n t h ei r sap l i n g y ar d . T h i s y ear , I r etu r n ed ear ly an d step p ed i n to th e k i t ch en l i gh t . T i m e i s h ar d t o bel i eve h ow i t h u r tl es i n al l d i r ecti on s. I w as th i n k i n g abou t m an y t h i n gs sp i l l ed over , l i ke w h o ar e y ou to f ol l ow m e, f r om ci t y t o ci t y ? keep i n g y ou r sh oes l aced u p i n si d e m y h ou se?

A r t w or k : Valy n ti n a Gr en i er

46

M al i b u Pi ece L aw r en ce B r i d ges Sw eet f or est, w h y am I si gh i n g? I t 's sp r i n g.

B each h ou ses con ver ge at t h e sh or el i n e, an d I can see so f ar . T h e bot t om of a key boar d bef or e i d eas t h u m p t h e san d , p r et en d i n g to be m u te. I d o bar t r i ck s, f l i p p i n g a coaster w i th f i n ger t i p s an d cat ch i n g i t i n on e sm ooth m ove, i n cah oot s w i t h a bar m ai d , tak i n g su cker s f or t w en t i es.

T h i s i s n ot f or r ead i n g af t er I 'm gon e.

T h i s i s an ar ti f act , a p oor ly r ecor d ed con ver sat i on .

I f I ?m gon e, su bt r act m y ego as i t w as k n ow n t h en .

I f y ou 'r e gon e, w el l n o con t est . I t 's f or n ow, ju st n ow w h i l e y ou si t d eci p h er i n g t h e w or d s of w aves.

47

T r an sp l an t Sop h i a L ar son I f eel th i s coast i n m y bon es an d i f I cou l d p u t a n am e to i t th en I w ou l d be God or i n h av i n g to n am e i t I w i l l n ever be God H ow gr ow i n g som ew h er e gi ves y ou t h e f l avor of t h e Ear t h an d f am i l i ar l an d scap es take on th e sh ap e of y ou r m i n d A n d sou l i s d i sti l l ed i n to m ovem en t i n to th e f r oth of a br oken w ave an d th e f i r e of a n eu r on A n d som eh ow m ovem en t i s tr an sf er abl e con su m abl e H ow l etti n g a w ave th r u st y ou to sh or e or l etti n g a bod y r u b agai n st y ou gen er ates a com m on ch ar ge A cu r r en t i n y ou r sou l or con cu r r en t w i th y ou r sou l A n d to be str i p p ed of p l ace i s to be d i sem bod i ed

A r tw or k : K ath r i n e Cay s 48

C o n ch Sh el l Ph i l o so p h y Con n el l Sw en son ?L ook at th i s on e,? M ar y sai d .

?H ow so??

Sh e w as p oi n ti n g w i th h er toes at an

?I ju st m ean t h e w ay p at t er n s p op u p

al m ost en ti r ely i n tact con ch sh el l t h at

h er e an d t h er e. I f y ou p ay at t en t i on

h ad w ash ed u p on sh or e. I l et go of h er

y ou can see h ow con n ect ed i t al l i s,? I

h an d an d ben t over to i n sp ect i t . T h e

sai d cl u m si ly.

sh el l w as i n cr ed i bl e: th e top of t h e sh el l sp i r al ed i n on i tsel f w i t h t h e

?O h

God .

N ot

agai n

with

th e

p h i l osop h y.?

p r eci si on of a car togr ap h er ?s com p ass.

T h e i n si d e of th e sh el l w as a l i gh t p i n k

?Sor r y, I can ?t h el p m y sel f .?

h u e th at bl en d ed i n to i ts of f - w h i t e

?I k n ow.? Sh e t ook a l on g br eat h . T h en ,

ex ter i or ; i t r em i n d ed m e of t h e f i r st

?som et i m es i t ?s best t o ju st en joy t h e

su n r i se I saw i n Cal i f or n i a.

w or l d i n si l en ce.?

I h ad been so d i sap p oi n ted at t h at f i r st

?D on ?t y ou w an t t o k n ow w h y i t ?s

su n r i se becau se on th e east coast t h ey

en joy abl e?

w er e f i er y an d sp ectacu l ar . ?T h e ocean

beau t i f u l ??

ef f ect,? m y f r i en d h ad tol d m e. Bu t t h e

Sh e p l an t ed h er f eet i n t h e w et san d

m or e I th ou gh t abou t th e p al e d aw n ,

w h er e t h e w at er h ad been l ap p i n g at

th e m or e I ap p r eci ated i ts ow n d el i cat e

h i gh t i d e an d l ooked ou t over t h e

beau ty. A gen tl e bi r th to th e d ay. A

bl u e- gr ey r i p p l i n g ocean .

W hy

som et h i n g

is

m om en t of p eace. ?I t h i n k k n ow i n g can r u i n t h e w h ol e ?N atu r e i s so su btl e,? I sai d .

t h i n g.?

49

A r tw or k : Steven T u ti n o

WRITERS James Mulhern’s writing has appeared in journals over one hundred and thirty times. In 2015, Mr. Mulhern was awarded a fellowship to Oxford University. His fiction has earned several awards, including a Pushcart Prize nomination and selection as a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of 2019.

John Vaghi currently works as a software engineer at a startup in Brooklyn, but has been writing on and off since graduating from Providence College in 2010, where he served as editor of the school newspaper.

Dick Altman writes at 7,000 feet in Santa Fe, where reality and imagination often blur. His work appears here and abroad. He is a poetry winner of Santa Fe New Mexican’s annual literary competition.

His first collection of poems, Voices in the Heart of Stones, is being considered for publication.

Amanda Leal is a 27-year-old poet from Lake Worth, FL. Elizabeth Chung is currently a sophomore at UC Berkeley majoring in English and Media Studies, as well as pursuing a minor in Art History. She has won the 2016 Bow Seat Ocean Awareness Poetry Contest, 2 Silver Keys from the Scholastic Writing Awards in 2019, and been published in Whispers to Roars, a small literary magazine. As of today, she moves between San Francisco and New York.

Joseph Peploe is a 28-year-old, living in Cambridge, England. He has always liked writing, and likes writing about subjects that are relatable to people from all around the world, that he hopes can evoke emotions and memories in the reader.

Lael Cassidy has published 16 nonfiction children's books. Her poems and short stories have appeared in Headline Poetry and Press, Silver Birch, Underwood Press, and several issues of Beyond Words.

Benjamin Rose is a poet based in Washington, D.C. The Long 15, inspired by Greek mythology, John Keats, and Fallout: New Vegas, was composed at Sheppard Pratt Hospitalin Towson, Maryland, in November 2018.

Samantha Imperi is a new poet in the NEOMFA program at the University of Akron. She is, as of yet, unpublished.

Olivia Rose Umstead is a poet based in San Mateo, California, who splits her time between the Bay Area and Redlands, California. She is the 2020 Jean Burden Poetry Prize recipient and is currently working on a longer collection of poetry. Aside from writing poetry, she enjoys writing prose, reading, volunteering, and spending time with her pets.

Xiaoqiu Qiu is a Chinese MFA student at UNLV. Sara Naz Navabi Jordan is an Iranian-Canadian writer and mother of two young girls, from Vancouver, Canada. When she's not busy failing at pinterest-mom crafts on the playroom floor or working an office job, she's escaping from her pandemic anxiety (and her family) to write. She is a new poet, and was most recently published in the Winter 2020 issue of Door Is A Jar Literary Magazine.

David John Griffin is a writer, graphic designer and app designer, and lives in Gravesend, Kent, UK with his wife Susan and two dogs called Bullseye and Jimbo. He has written 5 books: 4 novels and a novella with short stories. He is currently working on the first draft of a fifth novel.

Born in New Orleans, poet and producer Marshall Woodward is the editor of the new satire publication, Cultural Fan Fiction, and currently assisting in the development of the adaptation of James McBride’s Deacon King Kong. His poetry is featured in Gossamer Synkroniciti (2019), The American Writers Review (2020) and has been translated into French & Korean. He is grateful for the support and wisdom he received from his mentors at the Gulkistan Creative Residency in Laugarvatn Iceland, and to Elaine Kahn and Emily Hunt for the access they each provide for digital poetry communities.

Pratibha Castle’s award-winning debut pamphlet, A Triptych of Birds and A Few Loose Feathers (Hedgehog Press) publishes Spring 2021. She achieved highly commended in the Sentinel Literary Quarterly Poetry Competition January 2021. Her work appears in literary journals including Dreich, Sarasvati, Reach, Fly on the Wall Press, Imspired, and The Blue Nib, Words for the Wild, Fragmented Voices and forthcoming in Agenda. She broadcasts regularly on West Wilts Radio, The Poetry Place.

Debra Watson is a performance poet interested in intimate, multi-sensory and 1-2-1 performances.

She has a chapbook of poems 'Laments and Incantations' and has performed in London, Barcelona, Utrecht, Berlin and Antwerp. She is interested in fairytales, myth, gentrification and climate degradation. She is a contributor to a new anthology of Spoken Word essays to be published by Routledge in 2021. She is a founding member of Poets for the Planet.

Erica Miller is a writer who lives in Marblehead, Massachusetts, with her partner and their cat. Her poems have appeared in Pidgeonholes and Ink in Thirds Magazine. When she is not writing, she enjoys painting, creating in the kitchen, and hiking.

Gary Day is a retired English lecturer and the author of several critical books. He has one very lovely grown-up daughter and wishes very much that Britain was not leaving the EU. Like every sane person in the country, he considers it an act of madness.

Rabia Ashraf is a Pakistani-American Muslim who hopes to use her pen and paper as a weapon to fight hate and confront controversial issues in society. As a writer, she hopes to be the voice for the voiceless and dreams of inspiring young readers similar to the way her role models influenced her.

Casey Epstein-Gross is a writer and student from Tallahassee, Florida. Her poems have recently appeared or are forthcoming in Permafrost Magazine, Thin Air Magazine, Soundings East, Up North Lit, Raw Art Review, Chaleur, and Rare Byrd Review.

Lisa Cantwell is a recent graduate of the MFA in Writing program at the University of San Francisco.

She lives in Santa Monica and is a freelance theatre director and educator.

Celeste Pepitone-Nahas is a musician and writer from Portland, Oregon. She teaches creative nonfiction at Washington University in St. Louis, and is writing a book about Prokofiev. You can find more of her writing and visual art at @readforfunmajor.

Lawrence Bridges' poetry has appeared in The New Yorker, Poetry, and The Tampa Review. He has published three volumes of poetry: Horses on Drums, Flip Days, and Brownwood with Red Hen Press.

Sophia Larson grew up in a town called Manchester by the Sea. The ocean is a part of her home and is often inspiration for her writing.

Connell Swenson is a Second Lieutenant in the United States Space Force and an English graduate student at the University of Massachusetts. His work has been previously unpublished.

VISUAL ARTISTS Cover art: Stand Tall by Van Lanigh. Inspired by great masters as Vrubel and Monet, Van Lanigh creates figurative and landscape pieces. Her unique style is a reaction to abstractionism in an attempt to capture surrealistic yet casual reality. This is especially underlined by new forms and materials used in Van Lanigh’s artworks aimed to achieve the viewer’s resonance between visual effect and message of the paintings.

Labdhi Shah, Charcoal – 1; Openness – 4. Labdhi is an Indian Artist currently living in Atlanta, USA. Trained as an economist, clinical psychologist, and art therapist, she is a self-taught artist. She specializes in fingerpainted art works created from intuition without any reference or pre-sketch, distilling the purest expression of her emotion into her art. Art seeks to convey the truth of the human experience, in all its complexity. Her effort as an artist is to share the faith she has in the capacity of love, and to accept the uniqueness of every human being irrespective of race, color, gender, and culture. She works with a variety of media including watercolor, acrylic, charcoal, and ink, and enjoys the uniqueness of each medium.

Chick Byrne, Untitled. Chick is a gay artist from Boston, Massachusetts with a BFA from Denison University.

His work is an amalgamation of figurative representation, expression of the energy-body and a surreal sense of self. The imagery embraces a transformative and ascendant view of latent human potential.

Charles Kurre, These are the things I remember. Their remnants cloaked in clouds, felt but no longer known.

Acrylic, dry pigment, graphite on canvas, 18"x22", 2020. Charles’ sparse intimate images are created from fragments of wilderness and urban landscapes shaped by the forces of nature and human endeavors. They are narratives of transformation — a history of change.

Jessica Turtle, As in one's self, so too in the universe. Jessica is a Saint Croix Valley based artist, illustrator and curator known for her colorful paintings, creative workshops and dynamic exhibitions. Her playful work is recognized for its vibrant palettes, nature inspired patterns and ecological messages.

Melissa Neeley, Freedom Chaser. Melissa loves using a variety of both traditional and digital artwork to create her pieces. She is inspired by nature, which is showcased throughout her work.

Michelle Spiziri, The Conductor. Michelle is a Baltimore, Maryland area-based artist. She is mainly a painter who uses a mix of different mediums. Michelle creates artwork that excites, evokes, and challenges the viewer. Many times she is struck by an impromptu phrase or word that excites an idea for a new painting.

Time in the studio is dedicated to contemplation, researching, and pushing the limits of visual expression.

Cassandra Hamilton, By Fireflies Bear Heals Me. Cassandra is a disabled artist/writer who creates from dreams. She teaches Active Dreaming (a synthesis of modern dreamwork and shamanism). Her art has been published by Beyond Words, Beyond Queer Words, Prometheus Dreaming, The Door Opener Magazine, and MUSED, a BellaOnline Literary Review. Her work has shown at The Mystic Museum of Art, Marlborough Arts Center and Cromwell Creative District.

Belinda Subraman, Rising. Belinda is a mixed media artist as well as a poet and publisher of GAS: Poetry, Art & Music video show. Her art has been featured in Unlikely Stories, Eclectica, North of Oxford, Raw Art Review, El Paso News and Red Fez. She sells prints of her work in her Mystical House Etsy shop. https://www.etsy.com/shop/MysticalHouse?ref=seller-platform-mcnav Messiah Brown, Liberty in the Stars. * Liberty granted her wishes,/ The women in red merged as her neck tilted back to be touched by the sun,/Hair wild like fire, the lady is desired./The hair whips lashes on her back dripping lava making everything crack/Love her, but don’t try and own the wild flame./Console her without controlling her./Delight her with no spite,/Liberty granted her wishes when she fell out the sky./She’ll never understand love that dies. * Messiah is a black/brown queer from Brooklyn, NY with a lot of creative passions. His art is mostly from his raw imagination, he believes in creating the world you wish to see - that’s the dope part of being an artist. .

Katya Belena, Dawndusk Number 7. Katya immigrated from Kazakhstan as a child, and spent most of her life in NYC. She finds deep inspiration and wisdom in the in-between, the threshold, the “not quite.” Mindful inquiry infuses her artwork in both concept and process.

Christopher Paul Brown, Dancing to Gunfire, Parking Lot, Unconcscious Dubuque, 2020. Christopher is known for his exploration of the unconscious through improvisation and the cultivation of serendipity and synchronicity via alchemy. He earned a BA in Film from Columbia College Chicago in 1980. Brown was born in Dubuque, Iowa, USA and now resides in Buncombe County, North Carolina, USA. Sofie Rosalien Deen, Dream Visit (oil on canvas). Sofie is a self-taught visual artist and writer with a background in Communications and Business Administration. She focuses on the translation of the subconscious by turning dreams into photograph series, paintings and poetry. In September 2020 she created an exhibition based on her recently published poetry and photography book Raw., and is currently working on a second book and a photograph series which will be exhibited in Spring 2021.

Matina Vossou, Aqua Regia The Screaming Fingerprints of Gold. Matina was born in Athens, Greece where she is currently based. She is a self-taught artist.

Sarah Hessinger, Tethered. Sarah is a painter living in Northern California. When in her studio, Sarah's process is a journey of experimentation and spontaneity. Her paintings are whimsical, energetic and display her love for our natural world.

Lilach Keren, Vulnerability. Lilach is passionate about exploring the emotional depths that come with creating different layers in a piece, building these layers both physically and digitally. Her style mostly revolves around abstract and figurative abstract, with colors being a significant focus of variation and play.

She was born in Israel and now lives in Scottsdale, AZ. She has been practicing art all of her life and studied art formally and informally.

Martha Nance, The Red Planet. Martha is a physician in Minnesota whose iPhone is attracted to light and water and the possibilities of color. Her photographic art has previously been published in The Raw Art Review, Chaleur Magazine, Burningwood Literary Magazine, and The Fabulist, among others.

Parisa Karami, Portrait of Rose. Parisa is an artist living in Brooklyn with her family. She has various ongoing projects such as Reyna De La Tierra and Cinema Scenes. Recent works can be seen on media outlets such as Mc Sweeney’s. For more information, visit www.parisakarami.com Dale Greene, Diesel Punktopus. Dale is a writer/artist living in Western Canada with two beautiful kitty cats and a labrador retriever.

Charlie Sunday Comrie, Lisbon Aquarium. Charlie (SundayCSplash) is a Bristol-based artist who wishes he lived by the sea, but the Bristol dub and skate scene are just too hard to leave behind. All of his drawings are made with marker pens and are often places he's seen or wants to see.

Paula DeStefanis, Fire and Ice. Paula is an American painter known for her multilayered abstract paintings.

Working alternately in acrylic and oil, she uses repetition and layering to symbolize time, duration, and change. Her process leads to in-depth exploration of a concept from multiple perspectives. Layering paint, sometimes with unconventional tools, often scratching away to find what lies beneath, the work celebrates both the physical and emotive qualities of each medium.

Melanie Faith, Shed with Cracked Window. Melanie is a photographer, poet, prose writer, editor, and professor. Her latest book, Photography for Writers, was published in November 2019 and available at Amazon and https://www.vineleavespress.com/photography-for-writers-by-melanie-faith.html. Learn about her writing and photography projects at: https://www.melaniedfaith.com/, https://www.etsy.com/shop/WritePathProductions, and https://twitter.com/writer_faith Michele Ramirez, Stinson Beach. Michele is a painter based in Oakland, CA. Most of her works reflect her daily life and the landscapes and people who populate them. Visit her at micheleramirezpaintings.com.

Emily Salisbury, Calm. Salisbury, graduate of the University of Portland, has been a preschool teacher since 2012, promoting art in the curriculum. Emily painted the cover for the chapbook, Come What May, published in 2014 by Finishing Line Press. She is currently working on co-writing a picture book, while continuing to explore digital art techniques.

Valyntina Grenier, Water Vision. A multi-genre artist living in Tucson, Arizona, Valyntina is the author of the chapbooks Fever Dream/Take Heart from Cathexis Northwest Press and In Our Now, forthcoming from Finishing Line Press. Her work has appeared in The Impossible Beast: Queer Erotic Poems, High Shelf Press, Gaze Journal, Impermanent Earth and Wild Roof Journal. Find her at valyntinagrenier.com or Insta @valyntinagrenier Irving Courtley Jones. Irving is a mature African American artist. He is a painter and on occasion dips his hand in photography.

Kathrine Cays, Rising Waters. Kathrine is an artist-poet and founder of Teleios Studios in New Hill, North Carolina, where she writes and creates interdisciplinary artwork. Kathrine leads workshops that intersect creative writing and visual arts, focusing on understanding and healing the human spirit. She is a candidate for a master’s degree in art therapy and creative development at Pratt Institute in New York.

Steven Tutino, Sunset. Steven was born in Montréal, Canada, and is a painter, poet and writer. He is currently a graduate student at Concordia University in the process of completing an M.A. in Theological Studies. His artwork has appeared in numerous journals and magazines including TreeHouse Arts, Montréal Writes, Spadina Literary Review, The Montréal Gazette, The Indianapolis Review, Apricity Magazine, Ariel's Dream, Wild Roof, Beyond Words, Unlimited Literature, The Raw Art Review and After the Pause. Apart from his art practice, Steven enjoys reading and writing, going for long meditative walks and giving his 110% in the gym.

Contents 0 1 Jam es M u l h er n V i va 0 4 Joh n Vagh i Ex p r essi on l ess 0 6 D i ck A l tm an L ast A l i ve to K n ow H er as a Son 0 8 A m an d a L eal N ew B ou n d ar i es 10 El i zabeth Ch u n g B i r d - catch er 12 Josep h Pep l oe Star i n g ou t th e w i n d ow s of t r ai n s 14 L ael Cassi d y B each En tr y 17 Ben jam i n Rose T h e L on g 15 18 Sam an th a I m p er i Si r en l on gs f or com p an i on sh i p 20 O l i v i a Rose U m stead w e sh ar ed a m i l k sh ake on t h e f i r st d ay of f al l ?

22 X i aoqi u Q i u Sam sar a 24 Sar a N az N avabi Jor d an Roses ar e Red 27 D av i d Joh n Gr i f f i n T h e M an W h o W an t ed t o St ay Aw ake 30 M ar sh al l W ood w ar d H ow Cou l d I L et M y W or l d B r u i se 32 Pr ati bh a Castl e T h e O n ly O n e W h o L oves You 34 D ebr a W atson M oth er Ton gu e 36 Er i ca M i l l er O 'N ei l l 's Pu b 38 Gar y D ay Cor al Reef 41 Rabi a A sh r af A l l ah 's B ar k at 43 Casey Ep stei n - Gr oss I can on ly com e h om e 44 At th e Beach Ch al l en ge i n cl u d i n g L i sa Can t w el l , Cel est e Pep i t on e- N ah as, L aw r en ce B r i d ges, Sop h i a L ar son an d Con n el l Sw en son

Beyond Words I nternational Literary M agazine

I SBN 978- 3- 948977- 17- 7