Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Issue 22, January 2022 by Beyond Words Literary Magazine

A r t w or k : A r i el l e L abr a Cam p os

Beyond Words

Issue 22 January 2022

Bey on d W or d s ? I n ter n at i on al L i t er ar y M agazi n e I ssu e 22, Jan u ar y 20 22 Ed i tor : Gal Sl on i m Read er s: Kel ly Sar gen t, D ebor ah M ar sh

K el l y Sar gen t 's p oem s an d ar t w or k i n 20 21, i n cl u d i n g a cu r r en t B est of th e N et n om i n ee, ap p ear ed or ar e f or t h com i n g i n n ear ly tw o d ozen l i t er ar y p u bl i cat i on s. H er d ebu t p oet r y ch ap book en ti tl ed Seei n g Voi ces: Poetr y i n M oti on i s al so f or t h com i n g (Kel say Book s, 20 22). Sh e h as ser ved as Cr eati ve N on f i ct i on Ed i t or of T h e Booken d s Rev i ew an d an assi stan t n on f i cti on ed i tor f or N ew f ou n d . Sh e r ev i ew s f or an or gan i zati on d ed i cated to m ak i n g v i si bl e t h e ar t i st i c ex p r essi on of sex u al v i ol en ce su r v i vor s. D eb o r ah M ar sh began h er car eer as a scr i p t an d stor y ed i tor i n th e BB C d r am a d ep ar t m en t . A f t er com p l eti n g an M A i n N ovel W r i ti n g, sh e h as been p r i v i l eged t o w or k w i th m an y n ew an d season ed w r i t er s as a r ead er an d ed i tor . Sh e h as r ecen t ly f i n i sh ed h er ow n f i r st n ovel .

Cop y r i gh t © B ey 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 t i n g, Jan u ar y 20 22 I SBN 978- 3- 948977- 97- 9

So n n et f o r t h e W o l f at t h e D o o r Bebh i n n M cI l r oy - H aw l ey

I keep to m y sel f si n ce I k n ow I ?m a p l easer con ten t w i th th e si m p l i ci ty of com p l i an ce, a sw eet w i l d n ess of oak m oss an d sti ck y gol d en r esi n f r om th e p r i vaten ess of tr ees. You cou l d m ake th i s h u r t a l ot , I th i n k an d v u l n er abl e i s m y f avor i t e th i n g abou t m e. I f I l et y ou i n , w i l l y ou f eed , on ly a l i ttl e? I w i l l tr u st y ou r d i r ecti ves I ?ll beh ave as y ou w i sh Si n ce, as l egen d h as i t, y ou ?ve on ly ar r i ved to eat.

A r tw or k : Yvon n e Rojas- Cow an

M y N ei gh b o r h o o d A n d i M y l es T h e god of Atl an t i s sel l s m e f i sh . I k n ew t h at p i ece w ou l d be p er f ect f or som eon e, h e say s of m y ch oi ce. I take th e p ap er - w r ap p ed sal m on w i th al l t h e car e t h e of f er i n g d eser ves. I k n ow h ow h ar d i t i s w h en ever y on e w h o bel i eves i n y ou d i sap p ear s i n t h e sam e m om en t . H er m es br i n gs m e p ack ages, alw ay s at n i gh t, v an i ty sti l l p l agu es h i m ? h e i s con v i n ced h e w i l l be r ecogn i zed . D em et er st op s by w i t h cu tti n gs f or m y gar d en an d w e com m i ser ate on th e t er r i bl e t ast e of d au gh ter s. O r i on t each es ar ch er y at m y son ?s su m m er cam p h i s m i l l en n i a i n t h e sk y h ave gr ou n d ed h i m . I t su r p r i sed m e t o l ear n th ey d o n ot m i ss th ei r gr eat h al l s? th ey p r ef er ou r t i n y tr u sts to p i ou s bel i ef . T h e secr et of h ap p i n ess, H ep h aest u s t ol d m e on ce, bef or e k i ssi n g m e good n i gh t, i s good en ou gh .

A r tw or k : M au r een Gol gat a

Su n set o n a Su m m i t K i r an K o d i t h al a

T h e si b l i n gs t r ek k ed t h e f o r eb o d i n g m o u n t ai n s, t w o r u n aw ay s f r o m t h ei r b i ck er i n g f act i o n s ? ar r i v ed at t h e p i n n acl e o f t h ei r l i n ger i n g f r u st r at i o n s; t h ey so u gh t so l ace an d n o t ev er l ast i n g t r an sf o r m at i o n s. T h e u p h i l l ascen t w as o n er o u s ? t h e w i l d eb eest s i n si d e w er e t r each er o u s, t h ey sn u ck u p f r o m i n v i si b l e b u sh es, cav er n o u s an d at t ack ed t h e t een h ear t s w i t h j aw s v o r aci o u s. T h e su m m i t w as i n si gh t , B u t t h er e w as n o en d t o t h ei r r eb el l i o u s f l i gh t , t h e d ow n h i l l d escen t i n t o t h e u n k n ow n i s n o r esp i t e ? t h e gl assy sl o p es o f t h e can y o n w er e st r ew n w i t h f r i gh t . T h ei r f at h er st o p p ed t o sav o r , Fo r t h e ear t h w as eager t o d ev o u r ? T h e su n w as t i r ed an d w i l l i n g t o su r r en d er ; T h at ?s m e, h e ex h al ed ; w i t h p r o p h et i c w o n d er .

A r tw or k : Bon n i e M at th ew s Br ock

O n f i n d i n g a d r i ed l eaf i n an o l d d i ct i o n ar y Jakob Br øn n u m W h en i t w as p u t t h er e by m e or som eon e el se w h o ow n ed th e book bef or e i t w as n ot h i n g bu t a n eat p l ace to p r eser ve a col or ed l eaf - a vol u m n i ou s book y ou d on ?t u se al l t h e ti m e sp eech l essly su r vey i n g th e p ast an d p r esen t f r om i t s abod e on t h e book sh el f u n ti l su d d en ly cal l ed f or . N ow i t i s m u ch m or e th an th at. T h e d r y l eaf i s a ten d er , a r u st i c voi ce p ai n stal k i n gly r et el l i n g a stor y abou t an au t u m n d ay l on g si n ce p ast as i f i t w er e en acti n g an i d eal ly p ar al l el occu r r en ce to th e d em an d f or a w or d or a m ean i n g y ou si m p ly can ?t r ecal l y ou sl am t h e book sh u t n ot h av i n g f ou n d t h e ex p r essi on y ou k n ow i t h as t o be i n th er e som ew h er e vai n ly w i sh i n g y ou r com m an d of l an gu age on e d ay w ou l d be l i ke p i ck i n g u p f al l en l eaves f r om th e gr ou n d at w i l l sav i n g t h em i n a p l ace y ou ?d ju st as soon f or get tr u sti n g t h ey w i l l sh ow u p ex actly w h en y ou n eed th em

A r tw or k : Ri ta M al en czy k

U n l o ck ed L i sa D el an

i u n bou n d m y ey es f o r y o u t h r o u gh t h e sh ad ow s an d t h e l i gh t r ef r act ed i n t h e w el l o f y o u r s. i m m er sed an d st i l l i d r i n k an d ascen d b r eat h e an d d r aw u n d er agai n agai n . y o u sw al l ow m y gaze, o p en an d w et as y o u h o l d m e si l en t u n d er t h e w at er , m y p o r es r i ch w i t h b r eat h .

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t h er e i s n o st r u ggl e o n l y su sp en si o n , o n l y t h e f o ssi l i zed am b er o f o u r m et r o n o m i c p u l se. an d y o u r ey es f l u i d p r i sm s r ef l ect i n g w o r l d s r i si n g l i k e A t l an t i s t h ei r gat es o p en i n g t o r ecei v e m e

A r tw or k : El ai n e Ver d i l l

B r al ess i n O ct o b er Ch r i ssy M ar ti n Tod ay I w an t even th e Su n to l eave m e al on e. Cu r se th e sn ai l s an d l ad y bu gs. T h e n ei gh bor s si n gi n g i n th e sh ow er . D on ?t tou ch m e, l ove. D on ?t t ou ch m e, cl ot h es. D on ?t t ou ch m e, w i n d - k n ocked l eaves. I t?s n ot t h at I l ove d i r ty sh eet s, l ove t h i s bed r oom or h ow th i ck m y h ai r get s w h en w ash i n g i s a ch or e. I si t i n m y sw eat an d si l en ce. I f I tu r n on t h e t v t h at m ean s l ei su r e, gu i l t . I ch ew on m y h ai r , th an k sal t i n es. K i ss m y p al m s an d tou ch m y ey el i d s. T h i s an x i et y i s so si x m on t h s ago. T h i s d ep r essi on , better f i t w i t h m y h om em ad e ban gs an d l i gh t er - sof t ey el i n er . W h er e i s m y si ck d ay ? W h er e i s m y ju st - n ot - tod ay d ay ? Can I cal l i n an d be al l excu se m e I h ave n o cl ean sh i r t s f or t h i s d ay ; excu se m e I am t an gl ed ; excu se m e ever y th i n g i n m y f r i d ge i s gr ow i n g h ai r . Ever y t h i n g h ap p en s f or a r eason i s w h at I am t ol d f r om p eop l e w h o t h i n k ever y t h i n g i s r eason abl e. I l i gh t a l i l ac can d l e an d bl ow i t ou t , toast t h e st al e br ead an d p u t i t back , gi ve m y sel f con t r ol over som et h i n g.

A r tw or k : Rah a Far d

Fi t A l an a H ol l en bau gh Tod ay, I am f eel i n g sm al l . Si m p ly sm al l . I f eel t h at i f y ou w an t ed , You cou l d f ol d m e gen tly an d tu ck m e i n to y ou r br east p ocket W h er e I w ou l d l i st en to y ou r h ear t as i t beat . You cou l d p ou r m e, Sl op p i ly, I n to a sh ot gl ass W i th ou t sp i l l i n g a bi t of m e. You cou l d set m e sof tly N ex t t o t h e st em of y ou r su ccu l en t A n d y ou ?d f or get m e w h en y ou w at er ed . T h e cr ack of a si d ew al k I s a can y on t od ay, A n d th e l i t l am p n ex t to m y d esk I s a bu r n i n g su n . Per h ap s t om or r ow I ?ll f eel bi gger . Bi g en ou gh t o r each a d oor h an d l e. T h e si n k . Top of t h e d r y er . Per h ap s I ?ll be m y ex p ect ed h ei gh t. Sh or t en ou gh t o n eed cl i m bi n g gear i n th e k i tch en Bu t tal l en ou gh m ost p an ts f i t f i n e. Per h ap s I ?ll be t oo bi g.

I w on ?t f i t an y w h er e. T h e w al l s of th i s h ou se w i l l br u i se m y el bow s A s I seek egr ess. T r ees w i l l ti ck l e m y toes A n d m ou n tai n s tr i p m e A s I d u ck to keep m y h ead f r om h i tti n g th e sk y. Bu t tod ay, I f eel sm al l . L et m e r i d e on y ou r sh ou l d er A n d I ?ll w h i sp er stor i es i n y ou r ear U n ti l I gr ow bi g en ou gh to h ol d y ou r h an d .

A r tw or k : M ar kel l a L ou si d i s

U n t i t l ed | W o r d s u sed t o co m e M on M al an ov i ch - Gal l agh er w or d s u sed t o com e i n th e col d gr ey of t h e m or n i n g betw een si gh s of sl eep i n g l over s an d f i r st cof f ee i n tw os an d t h r ees th ey l ay t h em selves on p ap er teasi n g an d ex p ect an t l i ke th e w om en of l ast n i gh t

n ow ad ay s I f i n d t h em l u r k i n g i n th e sh ad ow s on a sch ool d r op or el se w ai t i n g i n t h e sh ow er w r ap p ed ar ou n d y ou i n ou r bed on e by on e I p i ck t h em sl ow ly as th ey d r ag t h ei r t i r ed f eet w ear y of t h e sm al l n oi sem aker cal l i n g t o be d r essed an d f ed an d bet w een u s cook i n g d i n n er d oi n g d i sh es bu bbl e bath p oem s com e i n t o ex i st en ce i n th ei r ol d an d w or n ou t gl or y f r om th e t h i n gs w e l eave u n sai d

A r tw or k : Yvon n e Rojas- Cow an

L i l l i t h as a m o d er n - d ay Jew i sh f em i n i st Sy d n ey Sh af f er To ask m e h ow I f eel i s to gi ve m e too m u ch r oom to sp eak . A qu est i on d i sap p ear ed i n t o t h i n ai r , th ese w or d s d on ?t ex i st w h er e I am f r om .

Would you like to be Adam?s first wife?

T h e on e t oo w i l l i n g t o l eave. A d i sobed i en t an d d r ead f u l w om an ban i sh ed becau se f r eed om f i t bett er i n m y m ou th th an m ar r i age. I d i d n ot w an t t o be m ad e f r om an oth er p er son ?s r i b. Soak u p t h e d i r t an d m ol d m e f r om th e w et cl ay th at i s l ef t i n stead .

N o, I am n ot say i n g t h e gar d en d oes n ot si n g to m e. I am say i n g I sti l l tr y t o r escu e Eve at an y ch an ce I can .

I r each m y ar m ou t f or h er bu t th ey m i st ake i t f or a ser p en t. Cal l i t t em p tati on , as i f n o on e w ou l d h ave bi t i n to th e f i g i f i t w asn ?t f or w om an . L ef t w i th n ot h i n g bu t bl am e, I am th e back bon e to th e stor y.

I w on d er i f m y f l ee m ad e m an d esp i se i m p u l se, i f I am t h e r eason t h er e ar e m y t h s to scar e l i tt l e gi r l s i n to stay i n g p u t.

A p ol ogi es ar e t oo em bed d ed i n to th e d i r t to d i g u p , l eav i n g m y h an d s sop p i n g w et an d stai n ed .

I save al l m y w or d s f or Eve becau se l egacy i s th e ch ai n cu t i n to h er an k l es, n o l on ger h eav y on m y sh ou l d er s.

A r tw or k : Ch ava Evan s

D i l em m as M oi ses M al d on ad o A w at er m aze I see w al l ed i n by t h i ck gr een m an gr oves a f i sh er m an on a p i er a d ecay ed w ood en p i er to f i sh over sti l l p ati en t w at er ver su s i m p ati en t m an h e st an d s h ol d i n g th e r od l ean i n g f or w ar d an d d ow n an d h e l ooked l i ke a sti ck f i gu r e h ol d i n g a l on g sti ck on a p i er en gr aved i n to th e m an gr ove a r accoon ap p r oach es th e bai t bu cket .

A r tw or k : Jon ath an H or ow i tz

T h e D o gs o f M er cy Ben jam i n Coop er Sh e i s cr ou ch ed i n th e m u d an d

l ow cr ou ch i n g zi gzag th r ou gh an

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sk y. D og # 129. Bu t th e sol d i er s cal l h er M ol ly. M ol ly Gi r l .

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f ace an d n eck , th e m an ?s stu bbl ed jaw p oi n ti n g ou t at a jau n t y an gl e, a bi t of d r ool cool i n g at th e ed ge.

th e f r esh f al l en d ar k n ess.

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h ead i n t h e cr est of h i s sh ou l d er .

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h i m l i ke a t h r ow bl an ket . Sh e n est l es h er h ead i n t o h i m an d br eath es gen tly i n t o h i s n eck . Sh e w i l l w ai t w i th h i m to p ass; i t w on ?t be l on g n ow.

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p i ck s u p h i s h el m et i n h er m ou th ,

A r tw or k : Ram on a Gal ar d i

M o t h er h o o d N an cy By r n e I an n u cci You r t on gu e u n r avel s f r om t h e back of y ou r h ead i n gr eat t h i r st , p l ay i n g i n th e gar d en . I sow t o qu en ch y ou : cosm os, w i l d l u p i n e, an d sw eet W i l l i am . T h ey sm i l e l i ke I d o w h en w i t h y ou f or th i s f r acti on of a m om en t. W e t u r n ou r h ead s to l i sten to th e w i n d an d y ou ?r e gon e.

A r tw or k : K ath er i n e K . Br u p bach er

Seaso n s o f W h i t e A l ex an d r a D i on i si o You h ave gr ow n w i t h m e over th e y ear s Ch an ged an d m atu r ed Fr om bi r t h to tod ay You h ave com f or ted an d cal m ed , cel ebr at ed an d h eal ed You h ave cu t an d cover ed , sh am ed an d sh u n n ed . You w er e m y w ar m m i l k br eat h agai n st m y m oth er ?s ch est Sw eet an d eter n al . A m om en t f or h er to h ol d f or ever . You w er e m y k n i t ted bl an ked th at sw ad d l ed m e at n i gh t, H ol d i n g m e ti gh t w h en th e absen ce of w ar m sk i n f r i gh ten ed m e. You w er e t h e tow el , em br oi d er ed w i t h bu tt er f l i es an d l ad y bu gs T h at em br aced an d l i f ted m e ou t of th e tu b. You w er e t h e f i r st d ay of k i n d er gar t en , M ash ed p ot at oes an d p l ai n sp agh ett i T h e l i t t l e t- sh i r t th at begged f or cr ay on stai n s an d sti ck y h an d s. You w er e t h e sh am e of gr ad es h an d ed back to m e, A st er n l ook over r i m m ed gl asses. A br i gh t r ed D scr eam i n g m y f ai l u r e f r om th e r oof t op s A qu i ck h an d cover i n g th e cor n er of th e p ap er . You car r i ed m y joy w h en t h e A p r ocl ai m ed m y r ed em p ti on . H el d h i gh on p r ou d p ap er . You w er e t h e r em i n d er th at l i f e h as an en d W h en f i r st sp ott ed am on g th e bl ack h ai r of m y f ath er . Cot t on can d y cl ou d s w at ch i n g over w i l d su m m er s of y ou th I ce cr eam , w h i t e ti p p ed w aves, W h i p p ed cr eam an d beach es T h e l i gh t of f i r st l ove W h i t e- ou t Ecl i p si n g al l ot h er s.

You car r i ed m e w i t h p u r e i n ten ti on s A n d a h ear t f i l l ed w i t h h op es an d d r eam s T h e d ay I sai d ?I d o? I car r i ed y ou i n m y bou qu et A n d p ai n ted m y f u tu r e w i t h y ou You w el com ed u s i n to ou r f i r st ap ar tm en t Pai n t st ai n s on n oses Si l ly k i sses, d i n n er on car d boar d boxes. You gave u s sh el ter an d p r otect i on A s ai r p l an es h i t th e bu i l d i n gs d ow n th e r oad . W i th r el i ef an d gr ati t u d e t h e r et u r n of th e h ot m i l k br eath on m y ow n sk i n th i s ti m e Gen t l e, sw eet , eter n al i n m y m em or y You sw ad d l ed w h en th e cr i es f i l l ed th e n i gh t A n d com f or ted sof tly f r om a cor n er w h en d ar k n ess set tl ed over ti r ed ey es. You com e w i t h u s th r ou gh ou t th e y ear s, B r i gh t su m m er s, col d w i n t er s, A f ai t h f u l com p an i on W h i t e sock s, book s an d d r aw i n g p ap er . T r aces of f east s w i t h l au gh t er an d l ove L ef t on n ap k i n s. I w i sh I cou l d keep th ose w i t n esses Bu t w e v al u e w h i t e w h en i t i s p r i st i n e. To bear w i tn ess n ex t ti m e agai n O f t i m e w el l sp en t toget h er . A st i f f bl an ket on h er bed , Tear s cau gh t on w h i t e Sn ow sh oot h i n g th e scr eam of a f r esh gr ave You h ave m atu r ed t o cover on ce agai n T h i s t i m e m y br oken h ear t You car r y l ast m essages to h eaven T i ed t o st r i n gs on w h i t e bal l oon s.

W e h ad gr ow n ap ar t , You an d I Bu t i n y ou r si m p l i ci ty, y ou p er si st U n ti l al l bad m em or i es ar e w ash ed of f A n d y ou ar e back i n al l y ou r sh i n i n g gl or y Read y to take on n ew m ean i n g. N ow y ou ar e th e su m m er d ay agai n , W h i t e beach es, l au gh ter an d cool br eezes. You br i n g cer ti f i cates an d good n ew s You beh ol d m y i n n er secr ets T h e m em oi r s of gr i ef an d tr u st . A n d y ou w i l l be w i th m e u n ti l You becom e m y w h i te f l ag, m y good by e. U n ti l y ou l i gh t m y w ay to th e oth er si d e. H ol d i n g th e on es I l eave beh i n d .

A r tw or k : K i r a W r on sk a D or w ar d U E

A 19 81 Su n n y, Su m m er Vacat i o n at M i n eh ead L i gh t h o u se, Ri n g O l d Par i sh , C o u n t y W at er f o r d , I r el an d , Ref l ect i n g t h e T r an q u i l i t y an d L an gu i d n ess o f a W ar m , Fl ow er - Scen t ed , Fl o r al Gar d en ov er l o o k i n g t h e I r i sh Sea Tex t an d ar t w or k : L eon O 'Ch r u ad h l aoi ch I si t al on e, i n t h e gar d en , f r ee W i th al l of n at u r e?s gl or y a- son g i n su m m er gl ee, H er w i n ged ch or d s ast r i d e t h e p er f u m ed ai r , A n ever - p r esen t n am el ess ch oi r

A n d f r om i n sect gh et t os r ar ely seen , T h e f l ow er i n g ci t i es r i se, of w h i t e, an d or an ge an d em er al d gr een , A s f l ag- w av i n g tr i col or s, t h ey l i f t an d sw ay over bee- l ou d v au l t s of p ol l en - t r ove, A n d u p w ar d ly p i er ce th e p et al - qu ai n t ei d er d ow n s sp r ead al on g ou r ear t h ly gl obe A n d betw een t h e f er t i l e h ar bor s of su n - t i n ged r ock s, A r e bor n I r i sh r ai n l agoon s w i t h sk y scr ap er s of d an d el i on s an d h ol ly h ock s, Yet al l - th e- w h i l e an ch or i n g bu t t er f l i es w i t h r ai n bow sai l s, A f l eet of sai l - bor n e sch oon er s of t h e scen t ed d al es

A n d a bl u e- gr een , cr y st al sea, f r om d ay s of y or e, Em br aces st i l l t h e gor se- l i n ed sh or e, H er an ci en t ti d e n ow en d l essly car essi n g t h e l oom i n g cl i f f - r ock p i l l ar s, W eav i n g an u n en d i n g sp r aw l an d sh aw l of sp ar k l i n g m i r r or s A n d I h ear a d i st an t h u m , a f ar m er ?s com bi n e r eap i n g, O n h i l l si d es sm i l i n g, sl u m ber i n g, sl eep i n g, A n d t h e l ar k i n son g, an d oh , so cl ear ! A n u n en d i n g cacop h on y of ch or al ban qu et s t o t h i s h u n gr y ear A n d y et u n seen above t h e bee- l ou d d r on e, Sk y - bor n e, col d , con d en sed , jet st r eam s com i n g, goi n g, h om e, A w ar m i n g, h eal i n g su n p er v ad es over t h i s l ovely l an d an d sea, A s I si t al on e, i n t h e gar d en , f r ee

I U sed t o W r i t e Fi ct i o n Ju l i e Ben esh I w as n ever sk i n n y en ou gh to be a p oet an d p r osod y gave m e m ath an x i ety. I t seem ed l i ke t h er e w er e m or e r u l es, an d w ay s t o be w r on g, i n p oetr y.

Str an ger s l i ked m y f i ct i on bu t m y f r i en d s st ar t ed gossi p i n g abou t m y p r ot agon i st s?p r ox i m i t i es an d si m i l ar i t i es an d ad jacen ci es: well, they are all just like you, except you don?t; you never; you haven?t; it?s not, but otherwise? (t h ey n ev er saw t h em selves), an d m y exes sai d

w el l , th at ?s n ot ex actly h ow i t w en t d ow n : (th ey al w ay s saw t h em selves). A n d I sai d ? f i cti on ! Bu t i t w as n ot t h e t r u th to w h i ch th ey objected , i t w as th e f i b: W h y n ot ju st cal l i t f i b- t i on ? Pl u s sh or t st or i es

ar e qu i t e l on g an d f l ash i s so f l ash y, so th en I w r ot e m i cr o- m em oi r s w h i ch h ar d ly an y on e got. Pl u s, w as I r eal ly th er e, f or m y ow n con cep ti on ? Fi bti on , agai n . N ow m y f r i en d s an d exes an d str an ger s ei th er say th ey l ove p oetr y or t h at t h ey d on ?t get p oet r y, an d n ow I can ju st stop , catch m y sel f , r i gh t i n t h e m i d d l e of a l i

A r tw or k : M at t Gol d

B et w een Gr av ey ar d s an d B o n es L i ly M ay o T h ey ju t ou t l i ke book m ar k s, tu cked i n t o t h e f ol d s of th e ear th m ar k i n g t h e ch ap t er s l ef t u n r ead .

Car ved i n t o y ou r bon es, y ou r ad am an t w or d s, r ed str i n gs of f at e w r i tten al on g y ou r m ar r ow.

I u sed t o r ead y ou r bod y w i th m y h an d s. Each gr oove an d cu r ve, p ar agr ap h s an d ver ses, I k n ew by h ear t .

N ow al l I h ave i s a book m ar k , tu cked i n t o t h e f ol d s of th e ear th , m ar k i n g t h e ch ap t er s, w e d i d n ot get to r ead .

A r t w or k : Jol en e A r m st r on g

I m ov ed f o r t h e w eat h er M oh am ed El bad w i h i I ?m of ten asked , w h y d i d y ou l eave? A n d i n r esp on se I say ? I l ef t f or t h e w eath er . T h i s beau t i f u l , w on d er f u l , w eath er . Back w h er e I 'm f r om w e d on ?t h ave th e sam e cl ou d s, sam e su n , or sam e ai r . T h e ai r h er e i s bett er . I m oved becau se I l i ke th e sm el l an d w ar m th of su m m er . I l i ke th e bl u e sk i es. T h e gr een l eaves. T h e gr ass, an d th e l ake w ater . I l i ke th at m y ? y ou r ? gen d er (al m ost, r el ati vely ) d oesn ?t m at ter . T h e w eat h er i s n i ce. I l i ke w at ch i n g th e l eaves ch an ge col or , f r om gr een to br ow n t o gr een agai n . I l i ke th e sou n d of l eaf bl ow er s as n ei gh bor s w ash t h em selves of d y i n g tr ees. I f I h ad a h ou se I ?d l et th e l eaves be. I l i ke t h at I w on ?t be k i l l ed f or m y ap ostasy. A n d besi d es, y ou ?ve got n i ce w eath er . I l i ke i t w h en i t gets col d . Real ly col d . I l i ke p u t ti n g on l ay er s an d l ay er s of cl oth es an d ju m p i n g h ead f i r st i n t o t h e sn ow. I l i ke h ow f l u f f y i t i s an d h ow i t f eel s agai n st m y sk i n . O r m y t on gu e. I l i ke th at y ou w on ?t f or ce m e to f i gh t a w ar f or y ou . T h er e?s ju st som et h i n g abou t th i s w eat h er . I l i ke w atch i n g th e f l ow er s bl oom , an d t h e i ce m el t. I l i ke th e su n sh i n e an d th e d i stan t sou n d of m otor bi kes. I l i ke w atch i n g y ou r p ets go f or w al k s an d p eop l e sm i l i n g at each ot h er . I l i ke th at y ou d on ?t p oi n t ou t th e str an gen ess of m y col or . T h er e?s ju st som et h i n g abou t th i s w eat h er . I l i ke y ou r cl ear sk i es an d h ow th e st ar s sh i n e at n i gh t. I l i ke th e even i n g br eeze u p on m y sk i n . I l i ke th e t h u n d er st or m s an d th e bl i zzar d s. I l i ke th e i cy ch i l l u p on m y f ace, an d t h e w i n d t h at's d y i n g to sw eep ever y t h i n g aw ay. I l i ke th at l ove i s f or al l , an d t h at I can be m e an d n ot a cop y of som eon e or an oth er . T h er e?s ju st som et h i n g abou t th i s w eath er . I l i ke th at i t d oesn ?t m atter .

A r tw or k : T i n a H u d ak

C ed ar s Si n ai M i ch ael C ox So ck s w er e t h e f i r st t o sp o i l , sev en d ay s af t er y o u ?d go n e;

u n w ash ed l au n d r y w i l t s an d i n ch es l i k e f u n gi u p o u r w al l s.

So m e w o u l d say t h at I ch ase af t er f acsi m i l es o f y o u ,

l i k e so m e si gh t l ess k i n g o f T h eb es, h ow ev er , t h ey n ev er k n ew

t h e sh ad e o f an ap p l e t r ee, t h e si l t i n t h e r i v er b ed

t h at y o u sw ad d l e an d p o u r ? ev en r ad i at i o n an d sy r i n ges

co u l d n ?t p l u ck t h o se p r ay er s f r o m u s, so I ?v e t ak en u p t h e ch o r es.

A r t w o r k : M i n Ji Par k

A f t er t h e C i r cu s Tom M or gan A n d f r om t h e t op of th e bl u e w i n d y h i l l th e ci r cu s cl ow n f r om l ast n i gh t, sti l l bear i n g t h e f ad ed p ap er bou t on n i er e, sti l l w ear i n g t h e i n san e gr easep ai n t gr i n an d et ch ed bl ack ey ebr ow s, cal l s d ow n to th e ot h er s, ?I can see th e ocean an d th e boat t o Cal ai s f r om h er e!? A n d sl u m p s d ow n on t h e t al l seasi d e gr ass f l att en ed by th e tr ap se of t h e l on ely i n th e r ai n , w on d er i n g, Per h ap s som eon e f el l i n l ove h er e. W el l , t h ey l au gh ed , an d i sn ?t th at th e p oi n t , i sn ?t t h at t h e job, af t er al l ? Rel i eve th e ten si on f r om t h e l i on s, t h ey sai d , r ecap t u r e th e gasp s l ost f r om t h e T r ap eze; A n d th e B ear d ed L ad y, th ey sai d . M y good n ess, St an ! Som eon e must m ol l i f y t h e B ear d ed L ad y agai n ! A f ter t h e ci r cu s i t ?s a d ay l i ke an y ot h er p l ace: th er e?s su n , t h er e?s r ai n an d th er e ar e w or d s, l au gh t er , ch ai n saw s an d h am m er s? t h i n gs l ef t an d f ou n d ; t h er e ar e tear s. A n d th er e ar e tear s, an d t h e n ex t t ow n ?s so f ar aw ay. A n d so, f r om t h e t op of th e bl u e w i n d y h i l l , th e ci r cu s cl ow n f r om l ast n i gh t w at ch es as th e bi g t op com es d ow n ; ?I can see t h e ocean an d th e boat to Cal ai s f r om h er e.?

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

St o r i es Fr o m a M o u n t ai n C ab i n W al l Bai d h a Fer coq

T h e cu sh i o n o f su m m er gr ass b egu i l es m y p er cep t i o n ?s p r i sm Sp r i n g r i gh t f u l l y b eco m es a f r esh b an n er an o t h er gen er at i o n d ef i n es so ci al ev o l u t i o n an d n o r m s.

W i t h f o n d n ess, i k n ow so w el l t h e en er get i c r i se o f i m agi n ed m o m en t s a f u t u r e w h o se u n f o l d m en t h o l d s w o r t h y, ex al t i n g m an k i n d ?s p o t en t i al .

I l o o k t h r o u gh f o gged w i n d ow s v aci l l at i n g b et w een y est er d ay ?s p o l i sh ed sh i n e r em em b er i n g scen t s o f m eal s co o k ed an d sh ar ed w h i l e eq u al l y ex p er i en ci n g f u l l n ess as m y f r am e sl ow l y d r i es ? a l eaf i n au t u m n ?s gr i p .

I f eel ach es an d l o n gi n g t i r ed n ess t o r et u r n f r o m w h en ce m y so u l so u gh t i t s ad v en t u r e o f l i f e t h e can d l e f l i ck er s an d cast s sh ad ow s i d o n ?t f u l l y co m p r eh en d .

Ay e, i h av e l i v ed a f u l l n ess i h av e l i v ed .

A r t w o r k : A n n i e Gu l d b er g

A r tw or k : El i s Gjon i

D el u ge Em i ly H i t ch m an i n t h e f or est , u n d er r ou n d l eaves sp r ead i n g l i gh t an d th i ck r ai n on t h e w et gr een car p et. I am taking L i m bs u n f u r l ed , on ly m ovem en t at th e w i d e tr em bl i n g m ou t h , st r ai n bl oom i n g Sh e t ook tw o step s tow ar d s h i m , u n af r ai d . I am taking? H e d i ed w h en ever sh e cam e n ear . H e cou l d n ot w or k . Bu t sh e w ou l d com e. A f ter th e f i r st ti m e sh e saw h i m sh e w ou l d w ai t f or t h e cl ou d s to r ol l i n an d cr ack op en th e f or est cr eep f r om th e cr eak i n g h ou se, th i cken ed w i th d am p .

Soon h er m ot h er f ol l ow ed , af t er cl ou d s h ol l ow ed ou t an d sh ow er sti l l h u n g i n th e l eaves cr ep t over sod d en gr ou n d over st eep ed w ou l d sti ck i n th e th r oat Sh e saw t h e tr em bl i n g m an m ou t h an d ey es stu n g op en , r ai n col l ect i n g over st er n u m an d l u n g I am taking I am drinking Sh e d r ew h i m f r om h i s w et gr een bed an d th e r oof ar ou n d th em i n t o i t sel f , aw ay f r om th e d am p .

T h ey w er e h ap p y. H e cou l d n ot w or k . th e w ei gh t d r agged al on gsi d e H e d i d n ot d r i n k H e d i d n ot take aw ay as r ai n st or m s t r avel l ed on w ar d s h e gr ew tow ar d s d eath . H ai r f el l f i r st , an d t h e ch eek s w asted Sk i n t h i n n ed , l i f t ed , f el l aw ay. T h ey l oved h i m bu t th ey cou l d n ot bear th e r ot.

Soon h eav y cl ou d s u n r avel l ed over h ead sou n d l ess, ai r al r ead y sl i ck .

H e begged t h em . T h ey t ook h i m by h i s p ap er l i m bs H e cr u m bl ed w h er e th ey tou ch ed D r ew h i m over w et gr een gr ou n d , u n d er gr ow th su ck i n g th ei r f eet L ai d h i m on th e u p t u r n ed basi n of th e ear th W ep t i n t o h i s m ou th . T h ey begged h i m as th e r ai n f el l H e t r em bl ed I ssu, I ssu I am drinking I am taking away?

A r tw or k : El i s Gjon i

A r tw or k : A n d r ea A n d er son Gl u ck m an

i m et p u r p o se, f ace t o f ace N atal i e T i m m er m an w e squ eeze th e i d ea of h er so t i gh t ly i t sm oot h en s u n d er ou r h eat ever y bu m p , ever y r i d ge, gon e? p l easan t n ow, i sn ?t sh e? r each i n g ou t a gi l d ed h an d , t ap p i n g, ti ck l i n g, k i ssi n g m ean i n g u p on ou r sk i n t y i n g u s to d i v i n i t y, con n ect i n g to ever y th i n g oh , d ear p u r p ose, l i f t u s h i gh ou r r eason f or h u m an i ty bu t i m et p u r p ose, f ace to f ace: t h e cu r r en ts f or ced ou t a cel l op h an e h an d scr ap i n g, p u l l i n g, gn aw i n g aw ay at h er bl oated sk i n sh ack l ed , bu t n ot to an y th i n g sh e w as p u r p ose, f l oat i n g l i m p t h e sp l i n t er of h u m an i t y gen tly, n ow su m m on h er , su m m on h er agai n please, m y w or l d r ested on h er sh ou l d er s, an d u p h er e n ow, ever y f am i l i ar i t y t ast es f or ei gn to m e gen tly, n ow su m m on h er , su m m on h er agai n please, please, please

St ep p i n g B ack i n t o t h e M o d er n L ei gh Jor d an

Ar tw

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as so n

W h en I say p oet r y D o y ou th i n k of th e sl en d er n eck of th e gi r af f e Reach i n g i n to an exoti c sk y Tast i n g f r u i t taboo. I d o. W h en I say d aw n Cr i m son or h azy ap r i cot D o y ou see th e su n bl eed i n g gi an ts I n a m ott l ed f abl ed h u e. I d o. Post d aw n r ep ose T h e ci gar ett e an i n d u l gen t v i ce. Ver se ? p h r ases p l u cked f r om a h at Fl oat i n g ecl ecti c d ow n th e T h am es. H u sh l ad i es, M i ch ael A n gel o n o m or e W h en I say Pr u f r ock , J A l f r ed , Googl e y ou an d h i m Poet r y i n th e sh ad ow beh i n d th e ey e O f t h e gi r af f e, p ar si n g h i gh er br an ch es. A n d Cl ar i ssa D al l ow ay i s ch att er i n g i n m y h ead M y T Sh i r t i s i n si d e ou t Sh e n oti ces, sh e sees, sh e obser ves T h e tag f l aggi n g f r om th e back of on e ben t n eck . St ep p i n g asi d e, l et ti n g h er p ast T i p p i n g th e n ot i on of a h at . A n d ever y w h er e a p oet . Poet r y ju st a d of f aw ay. St ep p i n g back , step p i n g back . A st an za u p on a cl ou d i n si d e m y h ead Si p p i n g bl ack tea, l et ?s go th en . Cl ar i ssa l ook B l u e Ey ed Su san s p eep i n g th r ou gh th e cr ack . u n d er th e sh ad e of a gi r af f e d an ci n g st ep p i n g back , step p i n g back .

Fl y i n g The following works are the winners of our FLYI NG 250-word creative writing challenge!

Vast D .R . Jam es Ju st o u t o f M i n n eap o l i s- St . Pau l w e seem ed b r i ef l y t o st al l as i f t o sh ad ow al l t h o se w i sp i es d r i f t i n g b el ow . T h e m azes o f cu l - d e- sacs h ad gi v en w ay t o asso r t ed sq u ar es o f b ar r en f i el d s, t h ei r w h i sk er ed h o m est ead s gl u ed t o o d d co r n er s l i k e st am p s, w i d e r i b b o n sl i p p i n g b ack w ar d an d aw ay, si l en t t er r ai n u n d er a l azy can o e. N ow t h e su n h as cast a gr ay gh o st o f o u r p l an e d ow n an d t o m y r i gh t , f r am ed i t w i t h i n t h e aw k w ar d p o r t h o l e, i t s sl i d i n g sh ad e, an u n acco u n t ab l e h al o o f r ai n b ow ? an d t h i s r i d i cu l o u s f i l i gr ee o f an gel s, f i l m y l eagu es cam o u f l aged i n et h er , sp eci al r ecr u i t s t h at m i n gl e an d n et w o r k l i k e secr et agen t s: t h e FB I o f t h e sk y. B u t w h en w e so o n t i l t an d ascen d t o t h e h i gh st at u s t ow ar d D en v er , I k n ow al l t h i s si l l i n ess w i l l v an i sh , an gel s f ad i n g, b eco m i n g t h e t h i n ai r , an d t h ese f i el d s w i l l r et r eat t o co m p o se v ast sh eet s o f st am p s, r e- i m p o se p er sp ect i v e, t h at i n ev i t ab l e sev er an ce f r o m ev er y t h i n g t h at ?s t h en r e- i m agi n ab l e.

A r tw or k : N o? Pi ñ a

Fl i gh t 813 t o M i am i D i an al ee Vel i e O ver a w ar m ban an a, col d cr an ber r y m u f f i n , an d p at ch w or k gr een f i el d s, seem i n gly, d ecad es above gr i ef , an d M ar y l an d , I gi ve u p m y ai sl e seat to a str an ger , w h o w an ts t o be w i t h h i s w i f e an d d au gh ter , sh ou l d w e al l cr ash an d d i e. A l l t h i s h e ex p l ai n s to m e w i t h gestu r es f r om h i s sou l , l ove m oti on s of h i s h an d s, sp eak i n g f or ei gn w or d s I d on ?t com p r eh en d bu t cl ear ly u n d er stan d .

Cl i m bi n g over tw o p assen ger s, w h o r ef u se to bu d ge, t o t h e w i n d ow seat i n th e l ast r ow of th e p l an e, I t ake h i s v acat ed sp ace. Pr essi n g m y n ose agai n st th e gl ass, st ar i n g d ow n at th e Atl an t i c sh or el i n e t h r ou gh t h e su n sp l att er ed w i n d ow an d su d d en tear s, y ou sm i l e at m e t h r ou gh th e cl ou d s, h av i n g al r ead y r eser ved y ou r seat f or ever n ex t to m i n e.

A r tw or k : L ou St or ey

Rem em b er W h o Peggi M cCar th y M y f ath er t ol d al l t h e ch i l d r en i n m y f am i ly, "Rem em ber w h o y ou ar e!"

car l an d ed on h i s l eg. H e tol d m e h e?d on ce d r eam ed a sh ar k ch ased m e as I r an al on g a

I u sed to r em em ber ever y t h i n g. I

beach . Som eh ow h e k n ew

r em em ber ed com i n g d ow n f r om

escap e.

th e sk y, ou t of t h e star s, ou t of th e ocean of h eaven . I r em em ber r em em ber i n g.

I ?d

N ow h e f l i es over i n a bi p l an e. H e?s too f r agi l e to p ar ach u te. I t's O K ? h e'l l tr y agai n . H e'l l com e to

M y f ath er d i ed l on g ago, bu t h e

sh ake m y h an d , say i n g som eth i n g

keep s cat ch i n g m e i n m y d r eam s.

I can n ot h ear .

L ast ti m e h e f l ew i n on a bi p l an e. In

l i f e h e sai d , "I 'l l

l i ck

th i s

can cer ." I n m y d r eam s, h e d i d . N o tu bes, n o p l u gs, n o cath eter . N o bed sor e so d eep t h e or d er ly 's h an d d i sap p ear ed i n t o i t . O u t of

I u sed to w on d er w h y I n ever d r eam ed

f ly i n g.

T h en

r eal i zed th at I r eal ly f l ew. I f or get bei n g tossed i n t o th e sk y, bu t I r em em ber com i n g d ow n tow ar d m y f ath er .

bed , ou t of ch ai r ? f ly i n g! T h i s i s w h at I r em em ber . W h en A tor n ad o on ce p i cked u p m y f ath er ?s car an d car r i ed i t i n to th e sk y. T h en t h e d oor op en ed . H e

I ?m h av i n g a w on d er f u l th ou gh t an d su d d en ly f or get , th i s i s w h at I 'm f or gett i n g.

d r op p ed , l i ke a ci gar f al l i n g ou t of a box . Gen t ly, h e l an d ed . T h e

Fl i gh t Br ooke Bu r t Cl ou d s cast sp el l s i n sh ad ow, a p at ch w or k f r esh ly sow ed & scor ch ed sem i - f er t i l e l an d ? w h o cou l d be so u n l u ck y ? T h e w i n d h as tu r n ed w i l d , u n w i l l i n g to h ol d . W e sh i f t & sh ake over a th r eat to d r op . H ead ban gs agai n st th e w i n d ow ; I sl eep on gl ass. T h e h ou ses bel ow f u l l of d ol l s I u sed to l ove? I bl i n k th em em p ty, cr u sh tr ees w h er e m y gaze f al l s.

A r tw or k : H en n i Pf ei f f er

WRITERS Bebhinn McIlroy-Hawley is an MFA student of poetry at Antioch University, Los Angeles. She graduated from Antioch University Santa Barbara with a Bachelors of Liberal Arts in Liberal Studies. Bebhinn previously attended the University of Alaska Southeast in her home town of Juneau, Alaska where she studied creative writing, contemporary literature, and art. Andi Myles is a Washington DC area science writer by day, but she nourishes her creative writing ambitions at red lights, on walks, and while cleaning the chicken coop. She received an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College and her essay, Impressions from a Vacuum, was listed in The Best American Essays 2017 as one of the Notable Essays and Literary Nonfiction of 2016. Her work has appeared in Alligator Juniper, Beyond Words, and Wild Roof Journal. Kiran Kodithala is a Tech Entrepreneur and an aspiring writer. His poems have been published previously in Beyond Words Literary Magazine and Oddball Magazine. Jakob Brønnum has published 40 books of poetry and prose as well as other work in Danish. His work has appeared in English in La Piccioletta Barca. He was born in Copenhagen, Denmark and lives in Sweden with his family. As a classical soprano Lisa Delan has focused throughout her career on American Art Song - performing, commissioning and recording musical settings of poems by cummings, Angelou, Bowles, Dickinson, Kinnell, Plath, and other visionary writers. While using her musical voice to share the words of poets who have moved and shaped her, Lisa has continued to shape her own reflective voice as a poet. Her work explores interior landscapes as seen through the prism of time and the connection of self to other. Chrissy Martin is a PhD candidate at Oklahoma State University and has an MFA in Poetry from Columbia College Chicago. She is the Poetry Editor for Arcturus and an editorial assistant for Cimarron Review. Her work has appeared in Harpur Palate, Tinderbox Poetry Journal, Crab Creek Review, and Carve Magazine. Alana Hollenbaugh is a writer from Colorado, who is inspired by the nature around her. She is currently earning her Master’s in poetry from SNHU, and looks forward to working on several more degrees in the future.

Mon Malanovich-Gallagher is a non-binary queer poet currently based in the UK. Touching on relationships, parenting, pleasure and mental health, their work is primarily focused on navigating the in-between of gender, culture and privilege, and offers an intimate account of a search for identity and belonging in the face of a continuous unfitness of labels. Mon's work has been published in Queer Writing for a Brave New World, Beyond Queer Words and is forthcoming in a number of other publications. You can connect with Mon on Instagram @mon_m_g Sydney Shaffer is a poet with a degree in creative writing from SUNY Purchase College. She is a journalist and teacher alongside a poet. She loves to write detail heavy poetry that ties magical images with realistic concepts. In her free time, Sydney enjoys going for long walks in the snow, playing with her cat, drinking a hot cup of coffee, and listening to Taylor Swift’s entire discography. M.M. Sanz has just recently restarted his writing passion. Aside from writing, he loves reading, cooking and learning to code. Benjamin Cooper is an author typing away in the backwoods of a small Northern California town, working on his first novel, Under The Dogwood Tree, with a puppy on his lap and an ol' rescue dog sleeping under foot. Nancy Byrne Iannucci is the author of Temptation of Wood (Nixes Mate Review 2018) and Goblin Fruit (Impspired, September 2021). Her poems have appeared in numerous publications including Gargoyle, Bending Genres, Clementine Unbound, Dodging the Rain, 8 Poems, Glass: A Journal of Poetry (Poets Resist), and Typehouse Literary Magazine. Nancy is a Long Island, NY native who now resides in Troy, NY where she teaches history at the Emma Willard School. Web: www.nancybyrneiannucci.com/ Born and raised in Germany, Alexandra Dionisio has led a nomadic lifestyle before settling in Los Angeles. Her work as a Pediatric End-of-Life-Doula has given her a very unique perspective on life and death, which she explores in her writing, diving deep to explore subjects like spirituality, death and loss. But despite the perceived “sadness” of end-of-life work, Alexandra finds the beauty in service and the mystery in what lies beyond. Leon O'Chruadhlaoich was born in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England, the United Kingdom, and attended Sir Thomas Rich's Bluecoat Hospital School (founded 1668) in Gloucester, England, from which he graduated through the Local Examinations Syndicate, University of Cambridge, with a General Certificate of Education in English

Language and French. Pisces Press, Dallas, Texas, USA, has exclusively published his "Early Poems" (1949-1963); His "Middle Poems" (1964-1993); and his Latter-Day Poems" (1994-2020). After studying Psycho-Neuro-Endocrine-Immunology for 14 years in the Western Earl of Sandwich Islands, he relocated to Dallas, Texas, USA where he has been a permanent resident since 1983. His two "Plays for Voices" have been performed annually (in full costume) since June 16th 2004 commemorating the hundredth year anniversary of James Joyce's "Bloomsday" in his Epic Literary Colossus Ulysses, and are entitled "On the Bloomsday Occasion of James Joyce (the Scholastic Irishman) meeting the "'Quare Fellow" (9 characters) and "On the Inaugural Meeting of the Diabolical Dublin Debating Society" (28 characters). Due to the Covid-19 lockdown, he accumulated his writings of poems, short stories and non-fiction works, and has received numerous literary prizes and awards in the last 12 months. He is currently a full-time resident and carer for his 107-year-old father in the Republic of Ireland. A graduate of Warren Wilson College’s Program for Writers, Julie Benesh is recipient of an Illinois Arts Council Grant. Her writing can be found in Bestial Noise: A Tin House Fiction Reader, Tin House Magazine (print), Crab Orchard Review, Florida Review, Gulf Stream, Hobart, New World Writing, Cleaver, Journal of Compressed Creative Arts, and other places. Read more at juliebenesh.com. Lily Mayo is a young writer from the hometown of Beyonce: Houston, Texas. Her writing has been featured in The Dillydoun Review, Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Cathexis Northwest Press, and other literary magazines. Mohamed Elbadwihi was born in Egypt to a pair of Arabic-language teachers, but raised elsewhere. He now lives in Canada, where he writes poetry while he tries to figure out what he wants to do with his life, and with whom. Michael Cox is from Los Angeles. He attended UCLA and currently works in the film industry. Poetry, theater, screenwriting, songs—that's what takes up most of Tom Morgan’s time in Los Angeles these days. He has published two novels and a chapbook over the last couple of years and was quite busy during lockdown. Baidha Fercoq is a poet, writer and artist. Highlights in her works include being nominated in 2018 for Pushcart Prize Award and 2021 William Shakespeare Poetry Award. Her first poetry collection, Sipping Tea & Bull Frog Songs… and other sightings of the Wind Rose was recently released (August 2021).

Emily Hitchman is a writer and painter from Canberra, Australia, whose work has been featured in publications such as Voiceworks, the Cicerone Journal Anthology, and Woroni. Emily can be found reading (usually) and drinking tea (always). Natalie Timmerman’s writing honors and finds a strange beauty in the unpleasant: the gritty, gruesome, and the gross. An upbringing swallowing down her severe nausea from anxiety inspired this style, as many deemed her suffering “unpleasant.” In a way, it’s a reclamation—a celebration of what makes us human: unpleasantness. Leigh Jordan has been writing poetry since early teens, recursively returning to the core. With some poetry he likes to unsettle. With some seduce. He lives in a very small rural town in N.W Tasmania, Australia. One pub, one shop and always carrots on the side of the road. Brooke Burt is a poet living in Los Angeles, CA. She grew up in Richmond, Virginia and first discovered poetry through song lyrics. She earned her MFA in Creative Writing from New York University in Paris. Her debut body of work, Moon Phases, explores intimacy and transformation via cycles of light and contrast. D. R. James’s latest of ten collections are Mobius Trip and Flip Requiem (Dos Madres Press, 2021, 2020); his micro-chapbook All Her Jazz is free, fun, and printable-forfolding at Origami Poems Project; and individual poems have appeared in a wide variety of anthologies and journals. He lives in the woods near Saugatuck, Michigan. Dianalee Velie is the Poet Laureate of Newbury NH. She is the author of six books of poetry, Glass House, First Edition, The Many Roads to Paradise, The Alchemy of Desire, Ever After, Italian Lesson and a collection of short stories, Soul Proprietorship: Women in Search of Their Souls. She is a member of the National League of American Pen Women, the New England Poetry Club, the International Woman Writers Guild, the New Hampshire Poetry Society and founder of the John Hay Poetry Society. Peggi McCarthy currently lives in central Maine. She is a lifelong teacher and practitioner of writing and theater, mostly in seacoast NH. This year she is a member of One Story's Writing Circle.

VISUAL ARTISTS Cover art: Fishy Dreams by Arielle Labra Campos. Arielle (She/They) is a Queer Latinx born in Zimbabwe to immigrant parents, moving to South America at the age of 5, living in Chile and Argentina. She is inspired by this lifelong connection to the ocean - utilizing blue and purple colorways, and detailed lines and dots to bring her illustrations to life. Visit her on the website medusarielleart.com or Instagram @medusarielle Yvonne Rojas-Cowan, Forever Changed; I Miss Your Touch. Yvonne Rojas-Cowan is a contemporary abstract painter with Chicago roots living in the Catskills of NY. A selftaught artist, her art is characterized by layers of depth and resonance, expressive and dynamic marks, and a variety of interesting textures. Instagram: @artkarma_1; website: www.artkarmastudios.com Maureen Golgata, The Perfect View. Maureen’s paintings explore themes of metamorphosis and the dichotomous essence of life through examination of our connectivity to nature, humanity, and soul. Influenced by the expressionists, she is motivated by color and contrasting value relationships to provide sustenance to the emergence of light to impart a sense of experience. The result is bold, poetically rhythmic and turbulent work, that points to an awakening of innocence from something darker. Bonnie Matthews Brock, Sunset. Bonnie is a Florida-based photographer, as well as a school psychologist. Her works have been published in Ibbetson Street, The Somerville Times, Oddball Magazine, Ember Chasm, and Beyond Words Literary Magazine. Find Bonnie at Instagram @bonniematthewsbrock Rita Malenczyk, New England Woods. Rita is a painter, printmaker, writer, and professor of English at Eastern Connecticut State University. Elaine Verdill, Water. Elaine is a poet and photographer who also paints with acrylics. Her artwork can be found in publications such as Calyx, A Journal of Art and Literature for Women; Foliate Oak Literary Magazine; San Antonio Review; Barzakh; and The Sonder Review, among others. Raha Fard, Solitude. Raha is an Iranian-Canadian artist, based in GTA, Canada. She had Master’s degree in telecommunication engineering, and 15 years’ experience; before

studying drawing and painting at OCAD University. She works in multiple disciplines; question how people are interconnected through their identity in different parts of the world despite their distance and their differences. Her works are reflections of her own lived experience in witnessing people who are suffering, due to social or political issues in other parts of the world. She has participated in several group exhibitions in Iran and Canada, and she got “Online International Learning Residency” collaboration between OCAD U and Mapua University in the Philippines; in 2020. The short film Abaca-Kenaf produced in this residency by Raha Fard and her Filipino partner, won OCAD U President’s Award for Best Cinematography, and nominated for 4 other categories. Also, Kenaf, the Persian part of Abaca-Kenaf, was accepted in Farhang Short Film Festival. Markella Lousidis, What? Born 2004 in Athens, Greece, Markella has been painting since before she could walk. An independent free-thinker, Markella is known for her diverse style and intense universal take on life and our inner hopes and fears. Markella is currently working on a series related to internal and external transition of teens into adulthood. Rabbanit Chava Evans, Butch: A Portrait. Chava received a B.A. in Religion from Brown University. She was the recipient of the James Manning Medal for Excellence in Religious Studies and a Rotary International Ambassadorial Scholar. She also trained as a painter and illustrator in both Israel and the United States, holds an M.F.A from the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, and worked for many years as a freelance illustrator and artist. Jonathan Horowitz, Quarantine and Chill. Jonathan is a writer, painter, translator, and muralist from Highland Park, New Jersey. In May 2020, he earned his MFA in Fiction with a joint course of study in Literary Translation, as he studies painting at the Art Students League in New York. Ramona Galardi, Under Repairs, mixed media on paper (2019), www.ramonagalardi.com; @ramona_galardi. Ramona is an artist, a therapist and a writer. She often merges the 3 aspects of her work, and much revolves around self-questioning where her art and writing is an expression of her inner canvas. Her background is from a variety of creative fields, interiors, fashion, wellbeing, healing, fine art and writing. She enjoys expressing herself through this rich diversity. She has lived in the UK, France, Singapore, India and presently living in Portugal. She is originally from India. Katherine K. Brupbacher, Finding Peace. Katherine is an artist living and working in Austin, Texas. She finds refuge in both nature and painting and often escapes for a hike

along local trails. The artist is greatly influenced by the Texas landscape, flora and fauna, and her process involves observing and responding to the natural world. Kira Wronska Dorward UE is a writer, editor, and printed word enthusiast. She attended Trinity College as an undergraduate at the University of Toronto, graduating in 2012 as a Specialist in History. In 2014 she successfully attained a Master of Arts in Modern History. In the past she has worked for Magazines Canada, The National Magazine Awards, The Digital Publishing Awards, and The Canadian Business Media Awards. She is a former staff writer for the now defunct magazine Caledon Living, a former reporter for the London Publishing Corporation, and has contributed to various literary journals at the University of Toronto. In 2013, she received the Student Engagement in the Arts Award from the University of Toronto for her work as Editor-in-Chief (2012) of The Hart House Review. She was subsequently the Senior Fiction Editor for the 2013 edition. She is currently writing for SpeakEasy Media, as well as working on her first novel. Matt Gold, #308. Matt is based in Brooklyn, NY, where he divides his time between music and photography. As evidence of the democratizing nature of his approach to photography, Gold has no formal training in the visual arts. His first image, a picture of his cat on a Sony Ericsson Z310A flip phone, was taken in 2008, and he has continued to explore the aesthetic possibilities of that instrument. Gold’s work has been featured in numerous publications and journals. Jolene Armstrong, in every little particle of this matter, a cosmos. Jolene is an associate professor of literature at Athabasca University. Her art has appeared in Macromicrocosm, Peatsmoke Journal and Wild Roof Journal, as well as publications of stories and translations upcoming in the Hunger Mountain Review and The Society for Misfit Stories. In her spare time, she assembles in images and words the shimmering, sometimes terrifying, ephemeral beauty that marks our collective existence on this blue planet from amiskwaciy-wâskahikan treaty 6 territory (Edmonton). Tina Hudak, After the Rain. Tina Hudak, born and raised in a Pennsylvania steel town, moved to D.C. in 1975. Working as an artist/writer, and school librarian while raising her family, her artist's books are included in the Library of Congress, and other collections. Living with her husband and two cats in a farmhouse she continues with her avocations. Look for her Indie publication Friday Afternoons: Brief writings during a pandemic. Min Ji Park, Out to Dry. Min Ji Park was born in South Korea and raised in Hong Kong. She attended New York University but has since moved back to Hong Kong. Although she worked with film photography for a few years, she has become more consistent

when she began using it to help with symptoms of her Autism Spectrum Disorder. In addition to photography, she writes poetry and has been published in Poets Choice. Michelle Spiziri, Human Connection. Michelle is a Baltimore, Maryland area based artist. She is mainly a painter who uses a mix of different mediums. Michelle creates art work 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. Annie Guldberg, Whispered the Night. Annie is an oil painter based out of southern Iowa. Her pieces reflect a mixture of real places and the dream world. She creates out of her home studio, and enjoys life with her husband and two sons. Elis Gjoni, Extinction. Elis currently lives in the U.S.A. but was born in 1988 in the city of Puka, Albania. From his childhood he moved to live in Tirana, where he finished his studies at Artistic Liceum “Jordan Misja. In 2009 he began his studies at the Academy of Fine Arts (today University of the Arts), where he graduates in 2014 majoring in Atelierin e Multimedia-s. During his studies he has had several artistic experiences, participating in several exhibitions locally and internationally. He has also been an accomplice in the theater, in short films, workshops, documentaries and television. Elis has developed a fairly authentic language through video media and installations, giving objects that he uses a character that transforms them into subjects that self-confess. Andrea Anderson Gluckman, Ghost Girl. Andrea was trained as a political analyst and expert on the role of religion in society. She is an international award-winning photographer and writer who uses her platforms of academics, activism, and art to witness and leverage the stories of communities devastated by mass violence, both in the United States and abroad. Originally from the deep south, she now lives in Rochester, New York, where she teaches and works collaboratively with other artists on issues of social justice. Lilly Helja Jonasson, Tiergarten. Lilly was born in 1983 in Walsrode, Germany. She finished her studies of architecture at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts (HAWK Hildesheim) in 2010. Since then, she lives and works as an architect and artist in Hannover, Germany. Noē Piña was born in Los Angeles, CA as a first generation American. He grew up traveling throughout Mexico and in those travels visiting museums, galleries, and cultural institutes. He studied at Instituto Cultural Cabañas in Guadalajara Mexico. In Los Angeles, he studied at The Los Angeles Music & Art School, Plaza de La Raza, and Otis

College of Art and Design, where he received a Bachelor of Fine Arts. He helped establish the arts program at Oxford International School. Later he taught art to innercity students at Soledad Enrichment Action Inc., a non-profit organization founded in 1972 by mothers in East LA who had lost their sons to gang violence. He taught Art and Language Arts as part of The J. Paul Getty Museum: Art & Language Program at P.U.E.N.T.E. Learning Center in Boyle Heights. Noē was recently selected as one of the artists in The 5th Annual Alpay Exhibition at The Palos Verdes Art Center / Beverly G. Alpay Center for Arts Education, CA. He’s participating in Art Lab Project: a Virtual Residency by PRPG.mx (Proyectos Residencia y Proyectos Galería) C.D.M.X., México, and he’s been invited to show at the Exhibition, Titled HINDSIGHT 2020 at The Art Museum of The University of Memphis. Lou Storey is an artist and psychotherapist (but mostly a storyteller) living happily with his husband Steve and their menagerie of animals in New Jersey. His writings have appeared in The New Yorker, New York Times Tiny Love Stories, and various mental health journals. Henni Pfeiffer is a self-taught German visual artist who was born in Romania and currently lives and works in Germany. Her educational background is in entrepreneurship, having studied at business school Alpenland in Bad Aibling. She now works as a Chief Financial Officer for a wholesale textile company. In her late twenties, she decided to follow the strong calling to paint and pursue her dream of becoming a full-time artist.

Contents 0 1 Son n et f or th e W ol f at th e D oor Bebh i n n M cI l r oy - H aw l ey 0 2 M y N ei gh bor h ood A n d i M y l es 0 4 Su n set on a Su m m i t K i r an Kod i th al a 0 6 O n f i n d i n g a d r i ed l eaf i n an ol d d i ct i on ar y Jakob B r øn n u m 0 8 U n l ocked L i sa D el an 10 B r al ess i n O ct ober Ch r i ssy M ar t i n 12 Fi t A l an a H ol l en bau gh 14 U n t i t l ed | W or d s u sed to com e M on M al an ov i ch - Gal l agh er 16 L i l i l t h as a m od er n - d ay Jew i sh f em i n i st Sy d n ey Sh af f er 18 D i l em m as M .M . San z 19 T h e D ogs of M er cy B en jam i n Coop er 22 M ot h er h ood N an cy By r n e I an n u cci 23 Season s of W h i t e A l ex an d r a D i on i si o 26 A 1981 Su n n y, Su m m er Vacati on ... L eon O 'Ch r u ad h l aoi ch 28 I U sed t o W r i t e Fi cti on Ju l i e Ben esh 30 B et w een Gr avey ar d s an d B on es L i ly M ay o 32 I m oved f or th e w eat h er M oh am ed El bad w i h i 34 Ced ar s Si n ai M i ch ael Cox 36 A f ter t h e Ci r cu s Tom M or gan 38 Stor i es Fr om a M ou n t ai n Cabi n W al l Bai d h a Fer coq 41 D el u ge Em i ly H i tch m an 45 i m et p u r p ose, f ace to f ace N atal i e T i m m er m an 46 St ep p i n g B ack i n to th e M od er n L ei gh Jor d an 50 FLYI N G Ch al l en ge i n cl u d i n g D .R. Jam es, D i an al ee Vel i e, Peggi M cCar th y an d B r ooke Bu r t

Beyond Words I nternational Literary M agazine I SBN 978- 3- 948977- 97- 9