Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Issue 3, May 2020 by Beyond Words Literary Magazine

Beyond Words Issue3 May 2020

A r t w or k : Ad el e Pen g

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 3, M ay 20 20 L i ter ar y ed i tor : Gal Sl on i m A r tw or k ed i tor & d esi gn : Ser gi o O r d on ez

from the editors Easter an d Passover ar e n ow gon e. I t i s f i n al ly sp r i n g ti m e. Both h ol i d ay s h ave a l ot i n com m on . T h ey cel ebr ate n ew begi n n i n gs an d gr ow i n g u p . T h ey sy m bol i ze f r esh n ess, i n d ep en d en ce an d l i ber ty. N or m al ly, M ay i s on e bi g f esti v al of col or s, ar om as an d h op e. T h i s y ear , h ow ever , i s d i f f er en t. M an y of u s ar e sti l l l ocked at h om e an d ar e u n abl e to m eet even th ei r cl ose soci al ci r cl e. A n ew con cep t - "Soci al D i stan ci n g", th at sou n d s taken f r om sci en ce f i cti on book s, th r eaten s to ch an ge ou r w ay of l i v i n g d r am ati cal ly f or a l on g p er i od of ti m e. N ow, m or e th an ever , ar t i s r equ i r ed . To h el p u s r em em ber th at n atu r e w i th i ts beau ty n ever stop s. T h at ou r m em or i es an d d el i cate em oti on s n ever f ad e aw ay. A r t m u st be p r esen t th ese w eek s. D esp i te ever y th i n g. Becau se of ever y th i n g. A r t i s ou r v acci n e agai n st th e bad an d th e u n cer tai n . A r t w i l l l ead u s to better d ay s. U n ti l th en , w e h op e y ou en joy, w h er ever y ou ar e, th i s n ew ed i ti on of Bey on d W or d s. T h i s m on th w e f eatu r e th e w i n n i n g w or k s of tw o w r i ti n g ch al l en ges, on e on th e top i c of r even ge an d th e oth er abou t su r p r i ses. Sen d i n g y ou ou r si n cer e w i sh es f or good h eal th an d h ap p i n ess! You r s, Gal & Ser gi o

St i l l L i f e w i t h H aw k A r tw or k an d tex t: Ji m D av i s Sh e si ts on h er su i tcase by t h e scr een d oor & w ai t s. T h e h aw k op en s l i ke a st r ai gh t r azor . H e l i es on h i s back n oti n g th e p u n ct u at i on s of sk y i n a sp eck l ed egg. T h e cou n t r y i s a bl ad e on t h e ed ge of th e ci ty, str op p i n g cl aw s on t h e w h i t e con cr et e. B l ood on th e w i n gs of h er n i gh t i n gal e m ot h er , w h o gave h er a bag of seed s & w en t on sw eep i n g. So hot today, sh e th ou gh t . T h e m ou t h i s an oven . At th e ed ge of th e l aw n , t h e h aw k t akes a f i el d m ou se i n i ts tal on s & w i t h d r aw s t o t h e t op on an al d er . H e i s a sh ad ow i n th e d oor w ay on e t ow n over . Slice of huckleberry pie, heated, vanilla ice cream on the side ? sh e i s th e t ax i squ eak i n g i n t o t h e d r i ve.

A ge D an i el H ai sl et T h e f ad ed r ed h at i s l i n ed w i t h sen t i m en t th at i sn 't y ou r s. So to y ou th e f ad ed r ed h at i s d i r ty ? Som ew h er e an ol d m an i s l ost agai n ? H e w on 't f i n d h i s l u ck y h at on th e br ass h ook n ear th e l au n d r y r oom d oor . A cr i sp p ap er bag soggy s i t s bot t om . A d an d el i on gr ow s i n m ow ed gr ass. A l oose d og tear s th r ou gh t ow n .

A r tw or k : Ser ge L ecom te

A r t w or k : Car ol Ger h ar d t

T h e Gl i d er A l an M acL eod D an ci n g Sq u i r r el s C at ch i n g m y ey es Fl y i n g n ow

I ?ve been a gl i d er p i l ot f or y ear s, an d

I ?m f or t y - t w o y ear s ol d . I n m y

th i s sp r i n g I ?m i n Scotl an d sp r ead i n g

f or t y - t w o y ear s I ?ve gon e t o

m y w i n gs. A n oth er sai l p l an e i s soar i n g

u n i ver si t y, m ar r i ed , h ad a son w h ose

r ou n d an d abou t. O n th e ai r p or t

scar l et h ai r an d f r eck l es f l ash t h r ou gh

r u n w ay I cau gh t a gl i m p se of i t ju st

m e n ow, bl i n k i n g l i ke a sou l beacon .

bef or e takeof f . T h er e w as a

M y ey es p op op en . T h e r ed scar f ,

d ar k- h ai r ed p i l ot w i th an eager t i l t t o

d r ap ed over a beckon i n g ar m , ju m p s

h i s h ead an d a bl azi n g r ed scar f . I ?m

ou t at m e f r om t h e sh ad ow p l an e.

w atch i n g ever y th i n g h e?s r ol l i n g ou t w h i l e I p r ep ar e to d azzl e h i m w i t h m y ow n qu i et aer od y n am i cs. Sw eat

H e?s t u r n i n g back i n t o t h e w i n d an d f ly i n g back sl ow ly. I gat h er m y sel f an d f ol l ow w h at h e?s gi v i n g m e, t u r n i n g so

gath er s on m y br ow as I sl i d e i n t o t h e cen tr e of a th er m al , car ef u l t o n ot l et

t h at I ?m f ly i n g st r ai gh t over h i m , p r of i t i n g f r om h i s gen er osi t y.

i t sp i t m e ou t. Su d d en ly, I ?m r i si n g an d l etti n g i t f ly. A l l th ou gh t s of t r i ck s an d stu n ts ar e aban d on ed as I st r u ggl e to r i d e th e d r i f t an d stay i n th e cor e. T h en I ?m f al l i n g i n a h eav y si n k , i n t o a

L at er , af t er l an d i n g t h er e?s n o t r ace of h i m . B l an k l ook s m eet m y i n qu i r i es. ?D on ?t k n ow w h at y ou ?r e t al k i n g abou t ,? say s t h e t ow er m an .

sp i r al d i ve. H ad n ?t p l an n ed on

?A m i r acl e i n ex p l i cabl e,? say s m y w i f e.

th i s? m y gu ts bottom i n g ou t . I ?m

I st ar e at h er , od d ly f r i gh t en ed t o

f r ozen , u n abl e to r eact, p an i ck i n g.

t h i n k t h at sh e m i gh t be r i gh t . I p i ct u r e

?Act,? boom s th e voi ce of m y l on g- ago

t h at bi l l ow i n g scar f , t h e h an d w av i n g

i n str u ctor i n m y m i n d .I can?t,scr eam s

back at m e, i n t h i s w or l d as i f i t w as a

th e i n n er m an . I ?m f al l i n g? T h en ou t

sh ar p , t r u e d r eam t h at I bel i eve i n .

of th e cor n er of m y ey e, a sh ad ow

B et w een u s al l i s a w i sp y w eave of

bou n ces i n an d ou t. I can ?t f ocu s. I

si l ken t h r ead s.

cl ose m y ey es, an d l et th e f ear w ash ?Yet i t h ap p en ed ,? I say.

over m e.

H ar m on y A m an d a L eal

O n t h e r i m of th e tu b, th e w ater cl i m bs t h e h em of m y sh or t s, soaked i n t h e cr ot ch as t h ou gh w i th am n i oti c f l u i d , y ou r m ou t h t o m y i n n er t h i gh , bu bbly gi ggl es as th ou gh y ou cou l d si n g y ou r h ar m on y r i gh t back i n to m y bod y, th e m agi c I becam e acqu ai n t ed w i t h as y ou gr ew i n m y u ter u s l i ke th e cor e of a f r u i t. M y m ot h er t el l s m e th at I h ave alw ay s car r i ed y ou r egg, an d sh e alw ay s car r i ed m i n e, i n w h i ch y ou r s h ar bor ed , as t h ou gh w e ar e Ch i n ese n esti n g d ol l s, th e sw i r l of h ai r on t h e cr ow n of y ou r h ead th at m i r r or s th e cu r l s ar ou n d m y ow n ear , car ved l i ke a N au ti l u s, th e sacr ed geom etr y th at cu r ved y ou r ch eek bon es l i ke t h e sh ou l d er s of a cel l o to r ef l ect m y ow n , t h e gen tl e r u m bl e of y ou r l au gh ter agai n st m y sk i n , a p i ece of sou l t h at I gave to y ou , tr y i n g to br eak th e m em br an e back i n t o m y bod y, t h e w ay y ou tou ch m y bel ly bu tton as th ou gh y ou r em em ber h ow w e w er e on ce con n ected , th e p l acen t a cem en t ed t o t h e p ost er i or of m y w om b som eti m es, w h en I l ay i n th e d ar k , I i m agi n e I can f eel t h at scar t h r ou gh m y sk i n , ep i th el i al tear s r ai sed l i ke B r ai l l e, w h er e y ou on ce ad h er ed to m e l i ke bar k on a t r ee, w h en n oth i n g, n oth i n g cou l d sep ar ate y ou f r om m e.

A r t w or k : A r n ab B ar u a 7

A r tw or k : El l a B ax ter

H on ey Ch i cken San d w i ch Con n i e Ch en

A r t w or k : Ch i d i m m a I kegw u on u

H on ey ch i cken san d w i ch es an d r am en m ake m e th i n k of y ou . I n stan t r am en , th e on es y ou t ol d m e abou t as w e w er e i n a con ven i en ce stor e, th at w h en y ou w er e y ou n ger y ou w ou l d get i n cu p s an d i s u su al ly a d ol l ar bu t at t h e I n d i an m ar ket on th e cor n er i t ?s $1.50 , as y ou h an d over cr u m bl ed d ol l ar bi l l s y ou ?d been cl en ch i n g i n y ou r f i st on th e w al k over . Som eti m es i n th e su m m er w h en th e w eath er w as l azy an d y ou r d ad w as i n a good m ood h e?d go w i t h y ou , w al k i n g besi d e y ou th e f ou r bl ock s to th e stor e w h er e th e cl er k w ou l d r ecogn i ze y ou an d th en sm i l e w h en y ou r f ath er al l ow ed y ou a bag of ch i p s or a can d y or a sm al l ti n of A l toi d s (I d on ?t k n ow, m ay be y ou l i ked keep i n g tr i n kets i n t h e m etal ti n ). T h at w as on a good d ay. O n bad d ay s h e?d w al k f aster th an y ou on p u r p ose, i n a h u f f , an n oy ed t h at h e h ad to keep w atch over y ou becau se y ou w er en ?t ol d en ou gh to st ay h om e al on e an d al l y ou r ol d er si bl i n gs w er e aw ay at sch ool . W h en y ou l i n ger ed , p assi n g by th e t en n i s cou r ts i n th e p ar k h e?d f l i ck y ou r ear an d tel l y ou th ose ar e act i v i t i es f or r i ch f ol k , n ot l i ke y ou , w h ose f ath er cou l d on ly af f or d th e ch eap est cu p r am en an d som et i m es a san d w i ch f r om th e d el i i n t h e back . T h e san d w i ch w as m ost ly br ead bu t at l east th er e w er e som e m eat an d veggi es. A s a ch i l d y ou p r obably d i d n ?t car e f or th at an d y ou al so h ated ch i cken , bu t t h e t ast e of th e h on ey i n i t w asn ?t bad . W h en y ou sh ar ed i t w i th y ou r f ath er h e w ou l d som eti m es ju st l eave y ou t h e

br ead an d l et t u ce af t er h e f i n ger ed ou t t h e m eat f i r st . You r d ad d i d n ?t w an t y ou t o p l ay t en n i s bu t i n st ead h e t ol d y ou t h at w r est l i n g w ou l d be m or e u sef u l . W h en y ou ?r e t r y i n g t o f i n i sh y ou r l i br ar y book bef or e t h e 3- w eek d u e d at e h e?d com e u p f r om beh i n d y ou an d t r y t o f l i p y ou over on t h e scr at ch y car p et i n y ou r on e- st or y h ou se t h at y ou w er e r en t i n g at a good d eal f r om som e u n cl e. H e?d t el l y ou r ead i n g w as f or gi r l s an d y ou n eed ed t o get ou t an d i n t o som e scu f f l es. You st i l l r ead an y w ay, escap i n g t h e bl u e h ou se t h r ou gh t h e gar age d oor an d h op p i n g t h e f en ce y ou r d ad p u t u p , t o w al k t h e t h r ee bl ock s t o t h e t en n i s cou r t s i n t h e p ar k . You w ou l d si t on t h e gr ass ou t si d e t h e ch ai n l i n k f en ce, w i t h y ou r book , w at ch i n g k i d s h i t bal l s w i t h t h ei r sh i n y t en n i s r acqu et s, t h e ?r i ch ? k i d s. You w an t t o f i n i sh y ou r book t od ay. A n d t h at ?s h ow y ou becam e a f ast r ead er . You t el l m e t h i s as w e?r e at t h e cor n er st or e bu y i n g san d w i ch es f or l u n ch . W h en t h e d el i m an h an d s y ou y ou r t oast ed san d w i ch y ou sh i f t t h e book y ou ?r e h ol d i n g t o t h e ot h er h an d . You bu y book s n ow bu t y ou st i l l r ead at t h e l i br ar y an d f i n i sh a book ever y w eek . I t el l y ou y ou sh ou l d w r i t e a st or y abou t t h i s, bu t y ou say n o i t ?s t oo p er son al . W h en I com e back t o t h e st or e w i t h ou t y ou I ?ll w r i t e i t i n m y m i n d as I w on d er w h at ot h er book s y ou ?r e r ead i n g an d col l ect i n g, t h e sam e w ay I ?m col l ect i n g t h e st or i es y ou t el l m e.

L on g ago, I l oved y ou K r i st en B al es Som eti m es w or d s f l oat by m e L i ke m em or i es Pi eces of y ou L ef t beh i n d , si m m er i n g th r ou gh t i m e. Ph r ases th at I can ?t r ecal l T h e or i gi n of T i n y i n f l ecti on s T h at w e m i gh t?ve sh ar ed T h r ou gh h ou r s of en d l ess con ver sat i on N ever to be r em i n d ed of th e t i m e Yet n ever to be r em em ber ed , D esp i te th e ti m e W e w i l l n ever r etu r n to th e p ages w e w r ot e W r i tten i n som e d ecr y p ted scr i p t U n k n ow n to an y on e bu t ey es above Secr et l an gu ages w e w i l l n ever u n cover t h e et y m ol ogy of A ton e on ly y ou w ou l d u se Yes, l ove N o, si l ly W h at?s u p ? W r i tten betw een si lver scr een s an d bl ack p ai n t ed A r i al l et t er s Fl i cker i n g th r ou gh th e Cl ou d d ep ar ted by th e ?I ?s an d ?y ou ?s an d ?w e ar e? W h at ar e w e an y w ay ? W e ar e bu t a m i st.

cosm op ol i tan scen es: Jap an ese ju n i or h i gh sch ool Jason Em d e

A vol l ey bal l on th e r oof i n th e r ai n . Ten u m br el l as i n th e stan d at th e en d of t h e h al l . T h e sch ool n u r se, sn i f f i n g l ou d ly i n t h e st af f r oom . N on - col ou r of th e sk y at 9:52 a.m . Si x stu d en ts, al l boy s, sl eep i n g t h r ou gh secon d p er i od En gl i sh . Saor i ti ck l i n g Satosh i w i th a p en . Su zu k i sen sei ?s sh i r t: I N EVER FLAT UN D ER AN Y PRESSURE Yu m i h as hachimaki? h ead ban d ? w r i t t en on h er f or ear m i n h i r agan a. T h e w i n d ow f r am e i n 2- 3 m ak i n g a sh ad ow st r i p e d ow n M om oko?s back . Br eeze th r ou gh th e w i n d ow of t h e 4t h f l oor t at am i r oom as I r ead & n ap . Tatsu y a sketch i n g a d i n osau r bi ti n g an ot h er d i n osau r ?s t ai l on h i s h an d ou t . Ay u m i f an n i n g Ay a w i th a gr een p en ci l boar d . A p en case i n 2- 2: Cute D iner ACT I ON Go! Sweet Candy Girls! Yu r i ?s p en case: D on?t Stop Pretty. T h e jan i tor ch ok i n g on h i s l u n ch f or t h e secon d d ay i n a r ow.

A r t w or k : A l exey Skor ov

l eav i n g i s n ot en ou gh , y ou m u st stay gon e H an n ah D ai n s th e con d om br eak s an d h e say s n o

t h at , oh come on you and i both know you?re

w on d er i t actu al ly f el t good th at t i m e. h e

not getting anything better. an d bef or e t h at ,

say s y eah y ou can sp en d th e n i gh t i f y ou

sup come and fuck me. sen t an d seen at t w o

n eed to bu t gi ve m e tw en ty m i n u t es t o go

am . h e get s back f r om n ex t d oor an d si t s

n ex t d oor an d bu y coke. th er e ar e n o

on t h e cou ch acr oss f r om m e. d i v i d es t h e

sh eets on h i s bed becau se h e sl eep s on

coke i n t o l i n es w i t h h i s bu s p ass. i n h al es

h i s cou ch m ost n i gh ts so i go ou t t o t h e

i t t h r ou gh a h ol l ow ed ou t bi c p en . h e

l i v i n g r oom an d si t am on g th e r u i n s of

st ar t s t al k i n g t o m e abou t a gi r l h e d at ed

h i s even i n g or m ay be th e l ast th r ee w eek s

i n h i gh sch ool . i sen d t h e f i f t y d ol l ar s

of even i n gs. h i s bon g i s f i l th y bu t i t ?s n ot

back bu t h e d oesn ?t n ot i ce. h e w an t s m e

em p ty an d i f i n d a l i gh ter u n d er a t aco

t o k n ow t h at h e l i kes t al k i n g t o m e an d h e

bel l w r ap p er bef or e d eci d i n g n ot t o

l i kes w h en i com e over bu t h e d oesn ?t f eel

f i n i sh i t of f becau se i d on ?t k n ow i f h e

an y t h i n g sp eci al f or an y on e r i gh t n ow.

r em em ber s w h at?s l ef t beh i n d . m y p h on e

y est er d ay h e asked m y f r i en d t o d i n n er

l i gh ts u p w i th a ven m o n oti f i cati on f r om

an d sh e r ef u sed bu t h e d oesn ?t k n ow t h at

h i m . f i f ty d ol l ar s f or p l an b becau se h e

w e k n ow each ot h er . h e?s st i l l t al k i n g

d oesn ?t r em em ber i ?m on th e p i l l . i ch eck

w h en i f al l asl eep on t h e cou ch bu t w h en

f or an y oth er m essages bu t i t?s f ou r i n t h e

i w ake u p h e?s asl eep on h i s bed u n d er a

m or n i n g so w h at d i d i ex p ect. m y l ast

t ow el . i go t o p u t m y sock s on bu t t h ey ?r e

tex t m essage i s f r om h i m . the door is

st i l l d am p so i t ake a p ai r of h i s. h e

unlocked. you knew that already. an d bef or e

d oesn ?t ask f or t h em back .

A r tw or k : T i f f an y Py ette 14

M i n or Key Rach el Joh an n a D ar r och

I h ave n ever h ear d an accor d i on sou n d so d eject ed . A n d t h en , y ou began t o si n g. I t 's i n d i sti n gu i sh abl e, y ou r sof t cr i es. You r al m ost w or d s.

A r tw or k : M al i a N ah i n u

I t h i n k I am ti r ed . Sp en t. T h i s p l ace i s a t r ash h eap . A n ash t r ay. A d i sp osal bi n . M y h ai r cl i p p i n gs l i n e th e f l oor i n n eat l i n es. Root an d al l . A n est , t h e k i l l i n g gr ou n d s f or t h e u n f ou n d .

T h i s p l ace i s a h ol l ow cove w i th ou t y ou h er e. O n ly ech oes r em ai n , i n sh al l ow m i n or key. Fl at an d car r y i n g agai n st cu r l ed u p w al l p ap er an d d ead h ou sep l an t s, agai n st an ou t d ated cal en d ar w i th y ou r m essy h an d w r i t i n g an d h ear t - sh ap ed st i ck y n ot es. Ch i cken scr at ch . I am cu r l ed al on g th e ed ges too. Fr ay ed . I 'l l l i sten to y ou r son g a l i ttl e l on ger , I th i n k .

W h at i s L ef t K at M i l ber ger I cou l d n ?t br eat h e r i gh t f or a w h i l e. I t w asn ?t t h at I w as t r ap p ed i n m y bed r oom , qu ar an t i n ed , t h at scar ed m e. I t w as t h at I f or got w h at sp aci ou sn ess i n m y l u n gs f el t l i ke. W h en I r ecover ed I began t o see sp ace w h er e i t w asn ?t bef or e. M y f u r n i t u r e began d i sap p ear i n g. I t em s I h ad col l ect ed an d l oved becam e t h e n egat i ve sp aces bet w een em p t i n ess w h i ch i s r eal ly op en n ess. I began t o see t h r ou gh m y w al l s l i ke w i n d ow s. T h e gr ou n d d i sap p ear ed u n d er m y f eet . I r eal i zed t h at p eop l e, t oo, ar e p l aces w h er e sp aces cou l d be. A n d w h at I m ost ly n eed i s m e.

A r t w or k : A l Rober tson

Surprise!

A r t w or k : Cath l een K i vet t Sm i t h

The following four flash fiction pieces are the winners of our SURPRI SE-themed 100-word writing challenge!

A r tw or k : H an gam ar a A m i r i

T h e O l d N ei gh bor h ood Joh n M at t son

W h i l e ti m e tr avel i n g, I w en t back to th e ol d n ei gh bor h ood . I w en t to y ou r h ou se. T h ey t u r n ed i t i n t o a m u seu m of n atu r al h i stor y. I saw al l y ou r t h i n gs i n gl ass cases. I saw ex am p l es of l i f e i n th e t w en t i et h cen tu r y. I saw som e of m y stu f f y ou n ever r et u r n ed . A m on g th e cl oth es, th er e w as m en ?s u n d er w ear t h at d i d n ?t bel on g to m e.

Ch er r y Gar ci a Kel sey L an e "W ow, th at's a n i ce th i gh ." ?Jer k ." I gr u m bl ed ou t, bef or e tu r n i n g t o see t h i s h an d som e m an w i t h a t h i ck ch i cken t h i gh cl u tch ed i n h i s h an d . M or ti f i ed , I qu i ck ly f l ed th e stor e bef or e r eal i zi n g I l ef t m y h ot car key s i n m y basket . O n top of th e Ch er r y Gar ci a. You k n ow, t o h el p i t m el t f ast er . W el l , l i ke a k n i gh t i n sh i n i n g ar m or th er e h e w as, h an d i n g over m y bel oved B en an d Jer r y 's bef or e ask i n g f or m y n u m ber . A f ter abou t a m on th , I d i scover ed on e sm al l d et ai l h e n ever d eem ed p er t i n en t . H i s w i f e. N ex t ti m e, I 'l l get th e p ean u t bu tter cu p .

A r tw or k : K ath l een Ph al en Tom asel l i

T h e K n ock i n g W i l l i am Pr i ce You ar e al on e. T h er e i s n o l i gh t. T h er e i s n ot h i n g bu t y ou i n t h e cel l . W h en y ou scr eam , n o ech o r etu r n s. You ar e t r ap p ed i n n ot h i n g. T h en th er e i s k n ock i n g. T h e p atter n i s si m p l e. So m an y k n ock s, a p au se, an d t h en so m an y m or e. O n e tap , a p au se, th en on e m or e: A . T h e gap bet w een l et t er s i s en d l ess. T h r ee tap s, a p au se, on e tap : L . M or e w ai t i n g. T h r ee t ap s, p au se, f ou r tap s: O . You can n ot bar e t h e w ai t . T h r ee t ap s, p au se, t h r ee tap s: N . You r n ear - f r en zi ed m i n d d em an d s m or e. O n e t ap , p au se, f i ve tap s: E. You ar e A L O N E.

M y Fi r st 24 H ou r s as a W r i ter N i col e Sm i th Su n d ay N i gh t I d r eam I h ave w on a w r i ti n g aw ar d . I h ave t o go t o a gal a t o accep t i t . I tr y on d r ess af ter d r ess. T h e on e I f al l i n l ove w i t h i s ch eap an d d en i m , f r om Val u e V i l l age. I am w or r i ed i t m i gh t be t oo sh or t . M on d ay M or n i n g I keep d r op p i n g m y p en , p i ck i n g i t u p , an d p u t t i n g i t back i n t h e sam e sp ot. M on d ay N i gh t I d r eam I h ave w on a w r i ti n g aw ar d . I h ave t o go t o a gal a t o accep t i t . I tr y on d r ess af ter d r ess. T h e on e I f al l i n l ove w i t h i s ch eap an d d en i m , f r om Val u e V i l l age. I am w or r i ed i t m i gh t be t oo sh or t , so I t r y i t on agai n !

A r t w or k : El i sabeth A jtay

A r tw or k : Er i n Cassel l 23

A r tw or k : D ou g Pr of i tt

M i cr obes an d D i n osau r s Br u ce M agn otti Sh i n gl e sh ock Si d esw i p ed v i r al evol u ti on T h e bi gger th ey ar e T h e h ar d er th ey f al l T h e sm al l er th ey ar e T h e h ar d er to k i l l M u tan t r ep l i can t r ep r od u ct i on Var i cel l a zoster on th e N ebu ch ad n ezzer D oes a v i l l age ch eer W h en th e ti ger i s k i l l ed ? D i d an y on e f ear W h en p ol i o w as cu r ed ? T h ey l i ve i n y ou Feed i n g on y ou r f l esh T h ey sp r ead i n y ou r bod y L i ke l i v i n g on th e l an d You ar e th ei r h om e You ar e th ei r l ai r U n ti l th ey ar e f or ced to r et u r n To su n l i gh t, r ai n , an d ai r

A D ow n p ou r of T h ou gh ts Jam es Ber kow i tz A d ow n p ou r of th ou gh ts T h r ou gh sh eets of r ai n Pu d d l es ech o f r om m y w i n d ow p an e St an d i n g n ear th e h ow l i n g w i n d cal l s A n ever beati n g h ear t as gr ay sk i es f al l O bscu r i n g th e ci ty an d m ou n tai n top s too U n d r essi n g m y ey es to l i f e i n h u e W h er e l on el i n ess an d d esp ai r d i ssi p ate T h r ou gh a su d d en br eak i n th e cl ou d s A n d th e h eaven ly l i gh t f r om above Sh on e r ad i an t an d p r ou d

A r tw or k : A p oor va Pr abh ak ar

Goth i c Robi n K n i gh t I saw an an gel at t h e bot t om of t h e Ram bl a n ear th e p or t . H er w i n gs got h i c d oor s; br on ze an d p oi n t ed at t h e t op . Sh e w as tex t i n g - h er l over , h er d og si t t er , m ay be Jesu s. You bl ew h er a k i ss. Sh e sm i l ed , cau gh t i t sl ow an d p u t i t i n h er h ear t w i t h a w i sh bon e an d God k n ow s w h at .

A r tw or k : Ed w ar d Su p r an ow i cz

Sal i r , To L eave Jor d an Gr i f f i n T h e sh r i ek of a w h i stl e d r ow n s ou t h u n d r ed s of f eet on w ood en sl ats. Cr i es of good by e to p assen ger s on boar d a f r ei gh ter m i n gl e togeth er , t u r n i n g i n to on e i n d i sti n gu i sh abl e w el l - w i sh . W i th a sm i l e d i r ected at t h e m i l k- w h i te f ace tu r n ed u p tow ar d h i m , Gabr i el tr i es to p aci f y w h atever em oti on h as cr eated th e th r ee- f ol d cr ease betw een th e br ow s of h i s br i d e. H e attem p ts to sm ooth i t ben eath a ten d er k i ss, bu t i t p er si sts an d th e m ost h e can d o i s ti gh ten th e ar m ar ou n d h er sh ou l d er s i n a sad sem bl an ce of a h u g. Evel i n e?s ey es, sea- bl u e an d gol d - l ash ed , w an d er to som ew h er e p ast h i s sh ou l d er , back t ow ar d th e cab th at w ou l d n o l on ger be w ai ti n g f or th em . H e d oesn 't n eed t o sp eak h er l an gu age to see ap p r eh en si on i n th e p r ess of h er bu bbl e- gu m f r ow n , an d th ou gh r eassu r an ces sp i l l f r om h i s m ou th so qu i ck ly h e i sn ?t su r e i f th ey ar e i n En gl i sh or Sp an i sh , sh e i s u n r esp on si ve. T h e d ock i s cr ow d ed , som eth i n g m or e f am i l i ar to h i m th an th e sh oes on h i s f eet, bu t Evel i n e star es ar ou n d w i th cu r l ed sh ou l d er s, sh r i n k i n g i n to h er sel f as i f sh e can r ol l h er bod y u p l i ke an i n sect an d w h eel aw ay, back to h er on e- l an e tow n an d abu si ve f at h er . A m u scl e i n Gabr i el ?s jaw t w i tch es at th e th ou gh t an d k n ow s h e can 't l eave h er h er e, so cl ose to f r eed om , to a l i f e. Sh e h as agr eed to m ar r y h i m , h as p l ed ged to al l ow h i m

t o save h er an d sh ow h er t h e w on d er s of w or l d s sh e d oesn ?t bel i eve i n , bu t Gabr i el can see t h at sh e i s d ou bt i n g h er sel f n ow. H er p i n k l i p s m ove bu t n o sou n d com es ou t of t h em , an d h e can 't t el l i f sh e i s p r ay i n g f or st r en gt h or salv at i on - or a bi t of bot h . B egi n n i n g t o p an i c, Gabr i el gat h er s u p t h ei r l u ggage - bar ely t w o t r u n k s bet w een t h e bot h of t h em - an d t r ot s p ast t h e bar r i er an d u p t h e gan gw ay t o h an d t h em t o an at t en d an t . H e t u r n s an d cal l s t o h er , ex p ect i n g a sm i l e or a n od at l east , bu t sh e i sn 't m ov i n g, st ar i n g u p at t h e bl ack sh i p w i t h d ead ey es. Gabr i el cal l s t o h er agai n , u r gen t ly, t r y i n g t o t el l h er t h e boat i s l eav i n g, t o com e an d be w i t h h i m , t o l i ve. Sh e d oesn 't m ove. H e r u n s, r ef u si n g t o l eave h er , bu t on e of t h e gat e at t en d an t s bar s h i s w ay, st ep p i n g i n f r on t of h i m an d t el l i n g h i m , i n n o u n cer t ai n t er m s, t h at i f h e i s n ot on t h e boat right now h e w i l l n ot be r et u r n i n g t o Bu en os A i r es. H e w i l l n ot r et u r n h om e, t o l i f e an d l ove an d t h e p l ace h e bel on gs. H e t r i es t o get t h r ou gh t o t h e gi r l st an d i n g on t h e d ock h ol d i n g on t o t h e r ai l i n g l i ke i t ?s a l i f el i n e, bu t n ot h i n g h e say s r ou ses h er f r om h er h el p l ess st ar e. H e k n ow s t h at som ew h er e i n si d e, sh e h as m ad e a ch oi ce, an d t h at ch oi ce, h ow ever w r on g, d oes n ot i n cl u d e h i m .

A r t w or k : Fen g Gooi

Revenge! The following three works are the winners of our revenge-themed 250-word writing challenge!

A r t w or k : W h i tn ey W ei sen ber g 31

Gover n m en t M eat Au br ee T i l l ett I i m agi n e: You p l at ed i n a d u st bow l , cam ou f l aged am on gst gr ai n s of san d , baked i n M i d d l e East er n su n l i ke A m er i can p i e as r ocket s st r et ch acr oss t h e n i gh t sk i es an d base bou n d ar i es. Si r en s si n g t h ei r son g of w ar n i n g as an x i et y si m m er s, r ed u ci n g y ou t o n i gh t t er r or s of D eat h ?s d esser t s.

Cath y ?s Reven ge, or : I f You Real ly W an t to K n ow C. W i t zl i n g I t w as n ever y ou I l oved . I t w as y ou r p r i ck : r ed an d f at a r u bber h ose an asp ar agu s n estl i n g on a bed of m ash ed p otatoes. Som eh ow I con str u cted a gr eat bl on d si l k y beast, w h i m si cal an d ar d en t, l i n k i n g toes, linking m inds u n d er th e bl an ket ten t? I t w as y ou r p r i ck .

T h e H eat of th e N aan Z ai n ab Sal eh I w ake u p to th e sou n d of th e tan d oor oven sh ak i n g as m y m ot h er sl ap s an oth er p i ece of d ou gh i n to i t, seek i n g sol ace f r om t h e h eat as h er ey es gl ar e i n to i ts f u n cti on al aby ss. W h en m y f at h er h ad l ef t m y m ot h er , sh e h ad f el t m or e d i sp l aced th an act u al ly l eav i n g h er ow n cou n t r y. W i t h t h e h el p of th e tan d oor oven , sh e w ou l d u t t er h i s n am e as sh e p i n ch ed t h e en d s of th e n aan , h er f i n ger ti p s seek i n g r even ge as h i s n am e f al l s i n t o a sof t w h i sp er , th e gasol i n e f l am es seek i n g t o of f er su p p or t as sh e f i l l s t h e basket w i th a su p p ly of sp i tef u l n ess. W h en I star e i n to m y m oth er ?s ey es, I see t h e h eat of B asr a f i l l i n g h er or bs as sh e sees h i s f ace i n m i n e. M y d r oop y ey el i d an d m y p er f ect ly th r ead ed br ow s r esem bl e h i s, an d f or a sp l i t secon d , I sp ot t h e t an d oor oven m ak i n g i ts w ay over to m e, t h r eat en i n g t o en vel op e m e i n t o t h e h eat of d esi r e; th e d esi r e f or cl osu r e. T h e d esi r e f or p ai n t o cease. I r i p of f cr i sp y en d of th e n aan an d bu r n m y t on gu e as i t s sal t i n ess set t l es i n to th e si d e of m y ch eek , an d f or a m om en t I con v i n ce m y sel f t h at t h e n aan w as m y m oth er ?s r even ge. A s m y t on gu e ach es f r om t h e bu r n , i t i s l i ke sh e h as ach i eved w h at sh e h as d esi r ed . H er h u sban d n o l on ger a n am e i n th e h ou seh ol d , bu t a m em or y on t h e t on gu e t h at t h r eat en s t o sw i tch betw een th e gi ven l an gu age an d t h e f or got t en .

A r t w or k : El ai n e Per son

A r t w or k : Scot t Good p aster 35

W ai ti n g f or Som eth i n g Rar e an d Com p l ete N i ch ol e Br azel ton L ast n i gh t, I w atch ed th e m oon tu r n r ed , kep t h er com p an y f or n ear ly an h ou r . M y l en s u n abl e to cap tu r e th e p en u m br a, f r ozen f i n ger s t oo sl ow f or th e d an ce.Sh e cl i m bed h i gh er w i t h ever y br eak i n th e cl ou d s. T h er e w as n ever ti m e to catch h er bef or e sh e d i sap p ear ed agai n . I stop p ed tr y i n g to sti l l ti m e an d ju st st ood sti l l w i th h er as sh e p assed .M y m ot h er , n i n e h ou r s aw ay, al so ou tsi d e. T h e col d st r etch i n g over th e th r ee of u s. T h e su m m er I w as 16 w e stay ed u p on e n i gh t u n ti l d aw n , l au gh i n g, w atch i n g a m eteor sh ow er . T h i s r ed m oon , w h en m y f i r st ch i l d w as bor n , th r ou gh u n stop p abl e bl ood , sh e h el d f l u i d - soaked r ags an d m y u n con sci ou s h an d . T h i s r ed m oon , t h e u n ex p ected m ove to p i n e f or ests an d gal es, a m atr i ar ch ?s r eti r em en t f r om Su n d ay d i n n er an d h ol i d ay p ar ti es. T h i s r ed m oon , a t er r i bl e sl i p an d f al l an d even m or e cl u m sy D N A jar r i n g l oose d ar k sp ots i n th e m i d d l e of h er sen ten ces an d d ay s. T h i s r ed m oon , sh e sear ch es th r ou gh h er l en s, w on d er i n g at th e w or l d , f or getti n g al l abou t p ar ti es an d bl ood an d sl eep i n g i n th e y ar d . Yester d ay, m y m oth er sen t m e h er ow n p h ot os of sn ow an d i ce sh elves on th e l ake. I am l ear n i n g t o t ake p i ctu r es as w el l as sh e d oes. I h ad w an t ed t o sen d h er on e of th i s ecl i p se th at i s h ap p en i n g so sh e w ou l d k n ow I am f i n al ly becom i n g good .

A r tw or k : A l l i son Paol i 37

A r t w or k : L i sh a N asi p ak 39

T h e A p p l e Gi r l on T r am 53 Sar a Ath ou gu i a I see h er ever y d ay. At seven o?cl ock ,

r em em ber ed som eh ow, so v i si t or s

w h en th e m or n i n g i s n oth i n g m or e

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n u m ber 53, a basket f u l l of ap p l es

p ar t i cu l ar or d er . M y n am e i s al r ead y

on h er h an d s. Ever y m or n i n g sh e

car ved on t h e w al l .

br i n gs th at ol d - f ash i on ed w i cker

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gl ass of w i n e i n h er h an d .

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Tom or r ow i s ju st a d i st an t

H azel , l i ke th e col ou r of h er ey es.

p ossi bi l i t y, so t w i l i gh t i s d oom ed t o f eel l i ke a good by e. N obod y ever

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say s i t t h ou gh . T h er e?s n o n eed .

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t r aces of p ai n t . Per h ap s sh e p ai n t s ap p l es. Per h ap s sh e eat s t h em . W h o

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53.

alw ay s asp i r e to l eave a m ar k , t o be

Ci tr u s Reti cu l ata O m ar K ay al Som eti m es m y h ead f eel s l i ke a cl em en t i n e bu r geon i n g w i th el ectr oly ti c f l u i d s bl i n d to stop p i n g l i ke ci r cu i ts sp l i t i n to {i so}[d i m en si on al] aven u es (t h at ?s reticulate) {sam e} [si ze] sam e ever y th i n g cen ter ed by a w h i r l i n g th ou gh t car ou sel each w i th i ts ow n h er d of D al i - an car ou sel an i m al s; as th ey sp i n , y ou h ear th i n gs l i ke{I ?d l i ke an oth er p i ece of t h at l em on cake} sai d [t h e f ly i n g, p u r p l e otter f i sh ], or {W el l , I ?d l i ke to r esp ect t h e n eed s of m y job an d m ake th e n ex t qu ot a of p h on e cal l s} sai d [t h e an i m ated , bear d ed r ad i sh ]. You w on d er , w h er e d oes this car ou sel st ar t ? W h o?s f i r st i n th e qu eu e? W h i ch car ou sel com es n ex t ? I s th i s th e w ay t o go abou t t h i s? A n d th ese qu est i on s h ar d en i n th i s zap p ed ju i ce an d becom e p ar t i cl es of p u l p an d t h e l i n i n g of or an ge bi t s m ean t to be eat en as on e lum p. I w or r y abou t ch ok i n g on i t .

A r tw or k : A n n a K u czy n sk i

I r on Sof Ăa A gu i l ar m y f ath er on ce p ai d m e $1 a d ay to i r on h i s sh i r t s, col l ar sti f f an d cott on sof t w i th w ater steam an d h eat , h ot en ou gh to bu r n m y sk i n n ot p ay i n g atten ti on , l egs too sor e f r om ti r ed n ess t o st an d , m y f ath er ?s h an d s r ou gh er i n m y sl eep an d voi ce l ou d er th an th e d ar k , an d al e h i ja, m i cam i set a, h e?d say sh ake m e aw ake an d p ace t h e r oom h e sti l l sh ar ed w i th m y m ot h er back t h en . ch eap ch i l d l abor , sh e?d say w i t h a sm i l e too sm al l to be m ean t w h en sh e w at ch ed m e i r on f i ve sh i r ts i n a r ow so I w ou l d n ?t be w oken u p th e n ex t m or n i n g by t h e sou n d of w i n gti p sh oes on h ar d w ood f l oor

A r tw or k : Sam an t h a Van H eest

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i t w asn ?t m y age th at m y h an d s w er e bot h er ed by ? on e y ear ol d er th an t h e f ou r t een bef or e ever y on e a bu r d en w ei gh i n g h eav y on m y sh ou l d er s? n o, i t w as m y gi r l i sh ch est , t h e p u r se bet w een m y th i gh s an d h i p s God m ad e t o car r y l i f e, th e sh i r ts I i r on ed an d w et l au n d r y I h u n g an d d i sh es I sp on ge scr u bbed i n th e si n k i n stead of by m ach i n e d i sh es sh ou l d f eel w ar m af ter th ey 'r e w ash ed , m y f at h er sai d , becau se gr ow i n g u p a gi r l m ean s m en teach i n g y ou h ow best to sooth e y ou r bu r n s i n st ead of l ear n i n g n ot to bu r n y ou at al l , scar s I ?m p r ou d som et i m es t o bear w h en th er e ar e th ose w h o st r u ggl e st i l l t o t u r n t h ei r i r on s on w ash cl ot h es al l t oget h er r egar d l ess of t h ei r col or s scr u b d i sh es w i t h t h e sof t si d e of t h e sp on ge r ath er th an th e r ou gh , an d I ?ll cal l m y f ath er ju st t o t el l h i m w h at I ?ve seen to h ear h i s bel ly l au gh h ar d er th an th e f l oor ben eat h h i s sh oes an d h i s voi ce say i n g sof t er r i gh t i n to th e p h on e, m i ja, y ou ar e m y p r i d e l oves m e best bef or e t h e l i n e goes d ead , f i ve th ou san d m i l es f r om h om e w i th r ou gh car p et f l oor s, so d i f f er en t n ow th at I d on ?t sl eep i n th e sam e bed I on ce d i d bu t sti l l af r ai d of th e d ar k becau se I w as bor n m y f ath er ?s d au gh t er r ath er th an h i s son .

T h e Com f or t of Str an ger s A r t w or k an d t ex t: L eah D ock r i l l Sh e w as i n a bad m ood . I t h ad been a t er r i bl e tw o w eek s an d sh e f el t over w h el m ed by h er d i sap p oi n tm en ts an d h er bad l u ck . Sh e f el t su f f ocated an d , al th ou gh sh e l acked t h e p h y si cal en er gy to m ove, sh e n eed ed t o get ou t of h er f l at. A sh or t r u n ar ou n d th e n ei gh bou r h ood seem ed l i ke a good i d ea. T h e w eath er w as f i n e; i t w as sti l l ear ly en ou gh th at th e ai r w ou l d be f ai r ly cool . Sh e p u t on h er car go p an ts, an d a sh abby ol d h ood i e, an d l ef t th e h ou se. A s sh e r an , sh e r ef l ected on h er r ecen t m i sf or tu n es. T h e w eek bef or e l ast began w i t h th e l oss of h er h an d bag. Sh e l ef t i t on t h e str eetcar . I t w as r etu r n ed to h er a cou p l e of d ay s l ater th r ou gh th e tr an si t sy st em ?s L ost an d Fou n d , af ter sh e h ad sp en t cou n tl ess h ou r s tal k i n g on th e p h on e an d goi n g f r om of f i ce to of f i ce d ow n tow n , t r y i n g to sor t ou t h er car d s an d I D . W h en t h e bag w as r etu r n ed , on ly som e cash w as m i ssi n g.

cau si n g i n d escr i babl e an gu i sh . T h e cat cam e back . H ow ever , sh e h ad a cu t l i p an d a br oken t oot h . T h i s r equ i r ed an u r gen t v i si t t o t h e vet , w h o t ook on e l ook i n t h e cat ?s m ou t h an d d ecl ar ed t h at t h e t oot h h ad t o be ex t r act ed r i gh t aw ay, becau se a br oken t oot h cou l d l ead qu i ck ly t o a f at al i n f ect i on . T h e t oot h w as r em oved , t h e l i p w as t r eat ed an d Fl ossi e w as goi n g t o be f i n e. H ow ever , t h e vet er i n ar i an ?s bi l l w as h ef t y, an d sh e l acked i n su r an ce cover age. W h er e i n t h e w or l d w as t h at m on ey goi n g t o com e f r om ? O n T u esd ay sh e h ad an ar gu m en t w i t h a col l eagu e at w or k over a p r oject t h ey h ad u n d er t aken joi n t ly. T h e ar gu m en t en d ed w i t h t h e col l eagu e st om p i n g ou t of h er of f i ce. T h en ju st l ast even i n g, sh e u n i n t en t i on al ly of f en d ed a n ei gh bou r . T h e n ei gh bou r , M av i s, a w om an w h om sh e l i ked ver y m u ch , h ad i n v i t ed h er i n f or su p p er , an d h ad l ov i n gly p r ep ar ed a m eal of p or k ch op s w i t h p i n eap p l e gl aze.

T w o d ay s l ater , h er cat Fl ossi e d i sap p ear ed ,

Sh e h ad to tel l M av i s th at sh e ju st cou l d n ?t eat i t, an d M av i s obv i ou sly an d u n d er stan d ably w as h u r t. Sh e d i d , h ow ever , eat d esser t. I t w as bl u eber r y p i e. A l l th i s w as on h er m i n d as sh e r an . Sh e r an an d r an . Sh e w as so p r eoccu p i ed w i th h er th ou gh ts th at sh e w as p ay i n g l i ttl e atten ti on to h ow m u ch gr ou n d sh e w as cover i n g. B ef or e sh e k n ew i t , sh e h ad r u n al l th e w ay th r ou gh t h e p ar k an d h ad ar r i ved at a l i ttl e cl ear i n g over l ook i n g th e l ake. Sh e sp ot t ed a vacan t ben ch ju st u p ah ead an d r eal i zed th at sh e w as ex h au sted . Sh e i n sp ect ed th e ben ch f or bi r d f eces. Sati sf i ed t h at i t w as cl ear , sh e sat d ow n . Sh e gazed at th e l ake, at th e beau t i f u l au tu m n f ol i age an d th e d i stan t m ou n tai n r an ge. B ef or e l on g sh e n oti ced th at a gaggl e of Can ad a Geese w as ad van ci n g i n h er d i r ecti on w h i l e r u m m agi n g an d f or agi n g th r ou gh t h e gr ass l ook i n g f or sn ack s. O n e of t h e geese, i n p ar ti cu l ar , w as m ak i n g i t s w ay i n d el i ber ate f ash i on , tow ar d h er . A m i d th e h on k i n g, cl ack i n g, an d squ aw k i n g sh e cou l d m ake ou t a gen tl e voi ce. A sm al l , f em al e voi ce. A m azi n gly, i t seem ed to be com i n g f r om t h e t h r oat of th e goose w h o n ow h ad com e so cl ose to h er , th ey w er e v i r tu al ly ey ebal l t o ey ebal l . T h e goose sp oke. Sh e sai d : ?H i M i ss. Cou l d w e h ave a w or d ? L et m e t el l y ou som eth i n g. Peop l e h ate u s. T h ey w an t to k i l l u s. T h ey w an t u s ou t of t h ei r si gh t. T h ey w an t u s gon e. W h y, y ou ask ? M er ely becau se w e p oop .W e p oop ever y w h er e. O n p u bl i c p r op er t y an d p r i vate p r op er ty. I n p ar k s an d sch ooly ar d s an d l aw n s an d p ar k i n g l ot s. Fi el d s an d str eam s. B ack y ar d s an d f r on t y ar d s. Bu t. W E A RE GEESE. W e l ack th e abi l i ty to f or m i n ten ti on . W e p oop n ot ou t of m al i ce or sp i te or n egl i gen ce, bu t becau se w e h ave n o ch oi ce i n t h e m atter . T h er e ar e n o op ti on s. W e ar e u n abl e to take r esp on si bi l i ty f or an y th i n g w e d o... T h at i s al l I w an t t o say... I h op e y ou f eel better soon .?

T h e goose am bl ed back t o h er com r ad es an d soon d i sap p ear ed i n t o t h e f l ock . I t w as i m p ossi bl e t o i d en t i f y w h i ch goose i t w as w h o h ad ap p r oach ed h er . Sh e st ar ed at t h e gaggl e f or som e t i m e. T h en sh e r ose f r om t h e ben ch an d m ad e h er w ay ou t of t h e p ar k , t ow ar d h om e. Sh e w al ked at a l ei su r ely p ace. H er m ood h ad n ot i m p r oved ; sh e f el t qu i t e d ep r essed . Bu t as sh e w al ked sh e m ad e som e d eci si on s. Sh e w ou l d t ake bet t er car e of h er p u r se ? p er h ap s at t ach t h e l on g st r ap an d p u t i t on h er l ef t sh ou l d er , su sp en d i t acr oss t h e f r on t of h er bod y, so t h at i t w ou l d alw ay s r est n ear h er r i gh t h i p an d h er r i gh t h an d . Sh e w ou l d n ever , n ever l et h er cat ou t of d oor s agai n . Fr om n ow on , Fl ossi e w ou l d be an i n si d e cat . Sh e w ou l d go, con t r i t ely, t o h er col l eagu e at w or k an d m ake am en d s. T h e col l eagu e, sh e h ad com e t o r eal i ze, w as absol u t ely cor r ect i n h er cr i t i ci sm s. Sh e w ou l d go over t o M av i s?s p l ace an d ex p l ai n ju st w h y sh e h ad been u n abl e t o eat t h e p or k ch op s w i t h p i n eap p l e gl aze. Sh e w ou l d t ake a p eace of f er i n g an d ap ol ogi ze f or h u r t i n g M av i s?s f eel i n gs. Sh e ar r i ved at h er f l at . Sh e l et h er sel f i n . Sh e gr eet ed Fl ossi e w i t h a k i ss on t h e f or eh ead an d t op p ed u p t h e cat f ood i n h er l u n ch bow l . Sh e t ook a n i ce h ot , cl ean si n g sh ow er . T h en sh e sat d ow n an d l ooked on l i n e f or a f l or i st w h o d i d Sat u r d ay d el i ver i es i n h er n ei gh bou r h ood . Sh e p l aced an or d er f or a l ovely ar r an gem en t i n a n i ce gl ass v ase t o be d el i ver ed by cou r i er t o M av i s. Sh e st ood u p , w en t i n t o t h e k i tch en , op en ed t h e r ef r i ger at or an d t ook ou t a h u ge h u n k of ch ocol at e cake. Sh e car r i ed i t t o t h e t abl e, m ad e h er sel f com f or t abl e an d ch ew ed , sl ow ly an d d el i ber at ely, savou r i n g ever y d el i ci ou s m or sel .

You M ay D r aw M e U n d er O n e Con d i ti on Sop h i e H oss

M ake m e O p h el i a w i t h a sw i sh of y ou r f ou n tai n p en , an O p h el i a w h o l ev i tates at op th e f l ow er - str ew n p on d an d d oes n ot seep i n to i t? a n ai ad w h ose w ar bl i n g son g goes u n br oken . M ake m e a sketch w h i l e m i d af ter n oon gol d si f ts acr oss th e l aw n , as h u sh ed br eeze sti r s i n w eep i n g w i l l ow bou gh s an d r u f f l es m y gr ass- stai n ed p i n af or e. Sh ap e m y br ow i n d el i cate f l eck s of i n k . M ake m e a d r eam i n g sp r i te

M ake m e a st at u e?

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M ed u sa?s gaze u n f l i n ch i n gly : p er f ect et er n i t y.

t h e w i tch Ci r ce on

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p ebbl es an d v i n es an d t h e d am p Ear t h . Sh e w i l l r ecei ve m e w ar m ly. M ake m e an al l - k n ow i n g an d ap at h et i c an gel . B eh i n d l i d d ed ey es, m y d r eam s w i l l be m ar vel ou s an d m i n e al on e. So l on g as I can h u m t o m y sel f an d d r i n k u p l i gh t t h r ou gh m y sk i n , I w i l l h ave n o n eed of h u m an sen ses. U n d er st an d t h at y ou r p en can ch ase bu t can n ot cap t u r e? on ly d ei f y. M ake m e an y t h i n g bu t m or t al , an y t h i n g bu t yours, For t h at i s on e t h i n g I w i l l n ever be.

A r tw or k : Fen g Gooi

T h e Gr eat Escap e M i t al i D esai 1. T h er e?s a str an ge, i n betw een y ear w h en I l i ve i n a ci t y f am ou s f or oct op u s. I t ?s a sm al l , sad ci ty, an h ou r ?s d r i ve f r om th e ocean w h er e t h e oct op u ses l i ve, i n a v al l ey w h er e sm og col l ects l i ke sw eat at th e cr ook of an ar m . T h e p eop l e i n t h e sad ci t y ar e sof t - sp oken an d p al e, k n ow n f or r esp on d i n g t o qu est i on s w i t h m or e qu est i on s. T h ey i n v i t e m e to eat octop u s i n am ber - l i t r est au r an t s. Ever y on e d r i n k s w i n e l i ke i t ?s w at er , so I d o, too, u n ti l m y v i si on bl u r s. Squ at w om en boi l t h e oct op u ses i n a w ood en bar r el , th en p u l l th em ou t by th ei r ar m s an d t oss t h em on t o boar d s sh i m m er i n g w i th ol i ve oi l . T h ey sn i p th e v i ol et t en t acl es, st i l l st eam i n g, i n t o d i scs w i t h bi g gar d en i n g sh ear s. 2. T h e w om en h ave been p l u n gi n g th ei r h an d s i n t o t h e boi l i n g w at er f or y ear s, t h r ou gh th e r i se an d f al l of th e d i ctator w h o bom bed t h e cou n t r y si d e an d ou t l aw ed t h e l an gu age of th e r egi on . T h ey m ove br i sk ly, f aces f l at . I t ?s p ossi bl e t o bu r n t h e sen sati on f r om y ou r f i n ger ti p s. N ow, I i m agi n e, t h ey d on ?t f eel an y t h i n g at al l . 3. I h ave alw ay s h ated w h en p eop l e ap ol ogi ze f or ?bu t ch er i n g? m y n am e. I i m agi n e t h em p u l l i n g vow el s f r om con son an ts l i ke m eat f r om bon e, h ack i n g at t h e sy l l abl es an d t h en m y bod y, too. Sh u ck i n g m y ton gu e f r om m y cl osed m ou t h , or r oast i n g i t on a sp i t, or p oach i n g i t i n bu tter . 4. I get si ck of octop u s ver y qu i ck ly. Ever y sl i ce i s r u bber y at t h e cen t er , su r r ou n d ed by a p i l l ow case of bl u bber , qu easy - sof t l i ke an u n w an t ed m em or y. W h en I k i ss a bar t en d er i n th e back of on e of th ese r est au r an t s, ou r l i p s ar e sl i ck w i t h ol i ve oi l , an d h i s t on gu e? over eager , u n tr ai n ed ? i s ten t acl e- l i ke i n m y m ou t h . W h en a n ew f r i en d p r esen ts m e w i th a p i zza cover ed i n octop u s, I n ear ly cr y. 5. T h e sad n ess i n th e ci ty car r i es i n to th e w at er , t h e gasol i n e ai r , t h e cof f ee an d l i qu i d ch ocol ate an d th e sh u f f l i n g f eet of th e ch i l d r en i n t h e sch ool w h er e I t each En gl i sh . I f al l i n to a l u x u r i ou s d ep r essi on i n m y d am p ap ar t m en t , w h er e I f l oat f r om r oom t o r oom i n a set of r an k p ajam as, w eep i n g an d over w at er i n g a cr op of i n h er i t ed h ou sep l an ts. 6. I n Ad ol f Basti an ?s tr an sl ati on of th e H aw ai i an Kunulipo, t h e oct op u s i s t h e on ly r em ai n i n g su r v i vor of a p r ev i ou s, l i qu i d w or l d . D u r i n g t h e gr eat sch i sm , t h e f al l i n g aw ay of th e p ast, th e octop u s squ eezed i tsel f t h r ou gh t h e bar r i er bet w een t h e ol d an d t h e n ew. 7. ?T h e ei gh th ar m i s a p en i s,? I tel l th e bar t en d er on e n i gh t w h en w e l eave t h e back of t h e r estau r an t an d p ass a gl ass r ef r i ger at or f u l l of f r ost bi t t en t en t acl es. ?T h e m al es l ose i t af ter f u ck i n g an d th en th ey d i e.? H e cl am p ed h i s h an d over m y m ou t h w h en h e w as i n si d e m e, an d on ly h el d on ti gh t er w h en I t r i ed t o p r y i t of f , so I ?m f eel i n g sp i t ef u l . T h e bu ck- tooth ed si lver f i sh an d w et , p i n k sh r i m p sp r aw l ed on i ce ar e m y on ly w i tn esses. 8. I becom e obsessed w i th v i d eos of octop u ses escap i n g f r om jar s. T h er e?s on e I w at ch of ten , gr ay - gr een , bl u r r ed f ootage f r om t h e ocean f l oor . A n oct op u s st r u ggl es ou t of a p i ck l e jar , u si n g i ts su cti on i n g ar m s t o t u r n t h e t op f r om i n si d e t h e gl ass. T h e jar w obbl es, ei th er f r om th e cu r r en t or th e cr eat u r e?s t r em bl i n g. Even t u al ly t h e oct op u s f r ees i tsel f an d gl i d es ou t of th e f r am e.

A r tw or k : Jan i n e Caw th or n e 50

9. I n N ew Z eal an d , an octop u s n am ed I n k y escap ed f r om t h e aqu ar i u m . T h e w or k i n g th eor y i s th at i n th e d ead of n i gh t , h e su cked h i s w ay u p t h e w al l s of h i s gl ass en cl osu r e, sl i d d ow n th e tan k ?s w al l s an d squ eezed h i m sel f i n t o a f i f t y - f oot d r ai n p i p e th at l ed d i r ectly to th e ocean . T h e st af f w asn ?t u p set ? on e m ar i n e bi ol ogi st tol d r ep or ter s, ?H e?s alw ay s been a ver y cu r i ou s boy, i t ?s ju st h i s t em p er am en t. W e h ave alw ay s en cou r aged h i m t o ex p l or e.? T h at ?s a r i d i cu l ou s t h i n g to say, I th i n k , al on e i n th e ter r i bl e ap ar t m en t . 10 . I n th e cap i tal , a m ar bl e ci ty w h er e th e su n i s alw ay s sh i n i n g, t h ey ex h u m e t h e bod y of th e d i ctator . I n h i s ol d age, as h e gr ew m or e bi t t er , m or e d i st r u st f u l , m or e p ar an oi d abou t h i s l egacy, h e f or ced h i s p ol i t i cal p r i son er s t o bu i l d h i m a gr an i te tom b. T h e ex h u m ati on i s tel ev i sed . T h e m i l i t ar y gu ar d car r i es t h e cof f i n to a h el i cop ter , th e p r op el l er p u r r i n g u n d er t h ei r h eav y f oot st ep s. Som eh ow, th er e ar e sti l l p eop l e w h o say t h ey m i ss t h e d i ct at or . I n t h e m ar bl e ci t y, th ey car r y r ed f l ags i n th e p r etty str eet s an d t h r ow st on es at t h e m i gr an t s w h o sl eep i n th e f l ow er bed s. T h e w om en i n t h e sad ci t y w at ch t h e n ew s si l en t ly over beer at th e l ocal bar . T h ey con ti n u e goi n g abou t t h ei r bu si n ess, scal d i n g t h ei r h an d s i n boi l i n g w ater . 11. T h er e?s an oth er f am ou s escap e ar ti st, an oct op u s l ef t ou t on t h e su n n y d eck of a t r aw l er cr ossi n g th e En gl i sh Ch an n el . H e sn u ck d ow n t h e st ai r s i n t o t h e cabi n . T h e w h ol e ocean w as p i er ced by t h e sou n d of t h e ser v an t ?s sh r i ek w h en sh e f ou n d h i m , bu l bou s, jel ly - h ead w obbl i n g, i n si d e a t eap ot . T h i s st or y i s su p p osed to be f u n n y, bu t I th i n k i t?s ter r i f y i n g. 12. A n octop u s alw ay s tr i es to escap e. Accor d i n g t o t h e ar t i cl es I sk i m , oct op u ses ar e as sm ar t as h ou se cats, w h atever th at m ean s. W h at ?s u n cl ear t o m e i s h ow t h ey get i n th e jar s i n th e f i r st p l ace. T h e v i d eos alw ay s begi n af t er t h ei r cap t u r e. I get n au seou s th i n k i n g abou t th e i m age of a cr u el sci en t i st s sh ov i n g al l t h at sof t bod y i n to a cage. 13. I n th e sad ci ty, I sl i p w h i l e w al k i n g acr oss a r ot t i n g br i d ge i n t h e r ai n . I h i t m y h ead , r ol l of f th e br i d ge an d f al l i n to t h e d i t ch t en f eet bel ow. I t al l h ap p en s ver y qu i ck ly. I si t i n th e d i tch w i th a m ou t h f u l of d i r t , w at ch i n g t h e sk y cl ear , u n t i l a f am i ly ou t f or a w al k f i n d s m e th er e. I n t h e h osp i t al , a n u r se st i ck s a n eed l e i n m y ass. For th e p ai n , sh e say s, an d I w ai t f ear f u l ly f or t h e m or p h i n e t o sw eeten m y br ai n . I r eal i ze l ater th at i t w as p r obably ju st sal t w at er . 14. M ay be th e octop u s en d u p i n th e jar becau se t h ei r cu r i osi t y get s t h e bet t er of t h em ? catl i ke, th en , i n d eed . Getti n g st u ck i s easy, u n st u ck , l ess so. O r , m ay be, i n th e si cken i n g ex p an se of th e ocean ? cor n er - l ess, bor d er l ess? a gl ass cage m i gh t seem , tem p or ar i ly at l east, l i ke som ew h er e y ou cou l d cal l h om e.

T h e Attach m en t Ry an Rah m an T h e p r obl em i s on ce y ou f i n d com f or t i n t h e bot t l e I t becom es h ar d t o l et go. You d r ow n y ou r sel f n i gh t af t er n i gh t , Even th ou gh y ou k n ow h ow t o sw i m .

You h op e th at y ou 'l l w ash u p on som e f ar aw ay beach , A l l y ou r p r obl em s l ef t beh i n d i n t h e ocean . Bu t th ey ar r i ve at t h e sh or e al on g w i t h y ou A n d th e w aves ju st br i n g t h em i n cl oser .

A r tw or k : Sh ar m ai n e T h ĂŠr Ă¨sa Pr etor i u s

A r tw or k : Tabi t h a N ovot n y

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WRITERS Daniel Haislet is an Arizona-born poet working as a chef in Denver, Colorado. Alan MacLeod is a writer and retired psychologist with short publications in a number of literary magazines including: The Antigonish Review; The Nashwaak Review; Blank Spaces; Dreamers Creative Writing; and the Leaf. Amanda Leal is a Lake Worth, FL native pursuing a Bachelor's in Creative Writing with UCF. In her spare time, she chases around her toddler, pit bull and bunny. Connie Chen is a writer and photographer from the Bay Area. On weekends she enjoys thrifting for brown clothing and taking mirror selfies. Kristen Bales is a musician residing in Indianapolis, Indiana. Aside from her independent coaching of an assortment of keyboard, guitar, and piano students, she spends her weeks directing songwriting workshops and crafting sets for her weekend shows in the Midwest circuit. When sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unoccupied with an instrument, Kristen is dreaming up the next volume of poetry at her fingertips; you can follow her poetry journey @lilac_atlas or browse the collection of recent musings at lilacatlas.blog. Jason Emde is a teacher, writer, amateur boxer, and graduate student in the MFA Creative Writing program at the University of British Columbia. His work has appeared in Ariel, The Malahat Review, Anastamos, Miracle Monocle, Prometheus Dreaming, Panoply, Cleaver, Soliloquies Anthology, and Who Lies Beautifully: The Kalamalka Anthology. Jason lives in Japan with his wife, Maho, and their sons, Joe and Sasha. Hannah Dains is a senior at Washington University studying sociology, drama, and writing. She produces experimental theater as part of Thyrsus, and she writes all the time, for whoever wants to read it. Her plays have won the Dramatics Club of St. Louis Playwriting Award two years running, and you can read her work in the Comstock Review and High Shelf Press. Rachel Johanna Darroch is an emerging Canadian author from Kitchener, Ontario. She is the author of several published works, including The Paradox, Light Years and The Advent. She is a graduate of the University of Guelph in Sociology. Kat Milberger (Instagram Kat_Milberger) is an amateur poet who started writing poetry two years ago as a form of therapeutic expression. They are a social worker, a lover of music and meditation, and a proud member of the LGBTQ community. Kat is in pursuit of freedom; they believe it starts internally, in sensing the connection between ourselves and all things, and can be spread and shared. John Mattson plays guitar better than he sings. He lives in his pajamas in Los Angeles, and participates in society via Zoom. He misses some of his friends and some of his enemies; also, strangers. Kelsey Layne is a writer and photographer living in Madison, Wisconsin. Her writing has appeared in Metafore Magazine and Dime Show Review, as well as her photography in The Sun Magazine and The Esthetic Apostle. William Price is originally from San Diego, California. He holds two Master of Arts degrees in English and Classical Studies, and is currently an MFA student at the University of New Hampshire. This is his first published story. Nicole Leona Smith is a writer and theatre creator based in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada. Her work has been supported by the Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council and the Metcalf Foundation. She is currently working on her first collection of short fiction. Bruce Magnotti has been a writer for most of his life. He is just now getting around to publishing. He writes poetry, science fiction, science fact as fiction, scholarly and imaginative human histories about gods and goddesses, mystics and mages. He also writes erotica and mystery. He is founder of the web site UrbanNoire.com. Bruce wrote Microbes and Dinosaurs in Paris in 2017. He was working on a short story called Subtle Shift of Genre about an author

whose work was relegated, by fans, to a horror genre. The author had published three novels purportedly written in 2080 and was widely read and misunderstood. The first described viral exclusion zones in the world, place one could visit but could never return from. James Berkowitz is a poet, writer, performer, and producing artistic director for the Venice Art Crawl. He is a human camera of observation who loves painting and sculpting poetic words and imagery embracing the magnificence of nature in its many settings as well as the pulse and stimulation of city streets. His greatest reward is connecting with other sentient beings and lifting the spirit of humanity. Visit him at http://www.jamesberkowitz.com and www.facebook.com/jamesberkowitzwriter Robin Knight is a children's writer poet and features writer based in Brighton, Sussex & published in the UK & US by: The History Press, Psychologies Magazine, True West, Signo, Imprimo, The Whirlwind, Halfway Down The Stairs and others in anthology. He was long listed in 2015 & 2017 in the UK's National Poetry Competition. Jordan Griffin lives in California with her fiancé and her husky. She loves to read and write, and spends her time sharing that love with the students she teaches. This is her first publication. Aubree Tillett is a librarian, an art historian, and an emerging writer from Wisconsin. Her poem was written while her husband was recently deployed. She earned a MLIS from UW-Milwaukee, a MA in Art History from the University of Arizona, and a BA in Creative Writing and Art History from Valparaiso University. Catherine Witzling is a psychoanalyst in San Francisco, on the faculty of the San Francisco Center for Psychoanalysis; she has a PhD in Chinese literature from Stanford University. She won honorable mention in Tulip Tree Press’ 2018 Stories That Need to be Told contest; some of her translations of T'ang poetry appear in Renditions, Fall 2019. Zainab Saleh is an Iraqi-American, first-year Masters student at the University of NebraskaLincoln, where she is pursuing a degree in Literary and Cultural Studies. Based in Lincoln, Nebraska, Zainab writes creatively as an outlet. Nichole Brazelton lives in Pennsylvania, holds a master’s degree in Rhetoric, and is an MFA candidate at New England College. Aside from being a poet, she is an adjunct writing instructor, workshop facilitator, mother, partner, and a hopelessly romantic nature lover. Her poetry and creative nonfiction can be found in: Pretty Owl Poetry, For Women who Roar, Beautiful Cadaver, SPLASH!, and Voices From the Attic Volumes XXIV and XXIII. Sara Athouguia is currently finishing her Ph.D. in History. She loves real-life stories as much as she loves the ones that, despite being true, never happened. Sara lives between Frankfurt (Germany) and Florence (Italy), with a piece of her heart forever in Lisbon (Portugal), her hometown. Omar Kayal, an engineering drop-out turned economics alumnus turned banker turned screenwriting masters alumnus turned website salesman, who likes to write what you might consider to be poems, to express internal goings-on, in relation to the world. Otherwise, 26. Lebanese. Living in Dubai. Sofía Aguilar is a Latinx writer, poet, and third-year student at Sarah Lawrence College and originally from Los Angeles. Her work has appeared in The Westchester Review, The Gateway Review, and Palabritas, among other publications. You can find her at sofiaaguilar.com. Sophie Hoss is a creative writing student at Stony Brook University on Long Island, New York. Her work has appeared in the Where the Mind Dwells anthology. Mitali Desai is an emerging writer based in New York City. She holds a B.A. in Anthropology from Barnard College and was a fiction contributor at the Bread Loaf Writers’ Workshop in 2017. Her work has been featured in Rookie Magazine, 4x4 Magazine, The Columbia Current and on the Racist Sandwich Podcast.

Ryan Rahman is an emerging writer based out of Orlando, Florida. He's a fan of strong coffee, spicy food, and rainy nights. When he's not putting pen to paper, he enjoys discovering stories and poetry that are new to him. Laura Lucas is a Canadian poet, singer-songwriter, and recent Environmental Studies graduate from the University of Manitoba. Laura is passionate about music, yoga, and travelling with a purpose. Her work has appeared in Burnt Pine Magazine, Snapdragon: A Journal of Art and Healing, and For Women Who Roar. Navila Nahid is a writer and published poet who currently resides in Brooklyn, New York. Her pieces are featured in Spillwords Press and The Spectre Review. She can also be found on Wordpress: slnmten.wordpress.com and Instagram: @seasalt.rose

VISUAL ARTISTS Cover art: Salivation by Adele Peng. Adele is an incoming freshman at Princeton University, where she plans to major in neuroscience. Her work has previously been recognized by the National State Fish Art Contest, the Virginia Junior Duck Stamp program, and the National Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Her work appears or is forthcoming in Threshold Literary Magazine, The Loud Journal, Bitter Melon Magazine, and Beyond Words Literary Magazine. Jim Davis, Still Life with a Hawk. Jim is a graduate of Harvard University, Northwestern University, and Knox College. He is the author of a number of chapbooks and has read his poetry around the world. His visual art has been featured in galleries in Chicago's Fulton Market and in Cambridge at Harvard's Gutman Library. Find him on Instagram @jimdavis.artist Serge Lecomte, Where’s My Hat. Serge is a novelist (Snake Route and more), poet (Mother Speaks and more), playwright (Lasagna Gives me Gas and more) and painter. After 36 years in Alaska he moved to Bellingham WA. He has worked as a teacher, pipefitter, bartender, medic, gardener, poetry editor and translator. Visit him at https://sergelecomte.weebly.com Carol Gerhardt, Tiny Apocalypse. Acrylic & ink on paper, 26 1/2" X 40". Gerhardt engineers Gerhardt Studio Lab in Houston where she has exhibited artworks with Rice University, Diverse Works, Lawndale and Poissant Galleries. Gerhardt has written studies and curriculum for Yale University and Houston ISD and has been artist team leader for Creative Capital New York via Andy Warhol Foundation. The Lester Marks collection, recognized by Art News magazine as one of the top two hundred collectors in the world, has acquired Gerhardt’s installation work, “Safety-Net.” Arnab Barua, Sad Reality. Arnab is an amateur self-taught artist, who was born in Chinsurah, India. He finds beauty in Surrealistic and contemporary art. Throughout his life, he got inspirations from Salvador Dali, Vincent Van-Gogh, Banksy and Ice-Sot. Ella Baxter, Cocoon. Ella is a writer and artist living in Melbourne. In her spare time she makes death shrouds for the funeral industry. You can see more of her work at ellabaxter.com or @mouthcake. Her piece is called Cocoon. It is an ephemeral sculpture made from eucalyptus leaves, sticks, bark and string. Before making it, Ella studied clips of insects weaving cocoons so that she could re-enact those movements as she created her own because she wanted to be as true to the process as possible. Cocoons have always been a symbol for change, and Ella made this cocoon at a time in her life when she wanted to change many things in herself. After this shot, she carried it down to the river and stuck it in a tree and visited it for days as it slowly fell apart. Chidimma Ikegwuon, Beyond Beauty. Non biodegradable plastic straws; 2X3ft. Ikegwuonu Chidimma Urunwa was born in Nnewi, Anambra state Nigeria. Having grown in an environment blessed by nature she spent most of her time appreciating nature and also being an introvert she is also indoors creating imageries. Naturally she was drawn to art; the interest was cultivated during her teenage years and further developed when she was in senior secondary school. She later furthered it in her degree program at the University of Benin, Benin City Edo state. She is a versatile artist; she works with oil colour, Acrylic, rubber straws and carpet. Her works are mostly influenced by her society, and she gets inspired by what is going on around her. Beyond beauty looks beyond the physical beauty of a female to her intelligence, which some culture have trampled on, not giving women the respect and recognition they deserve. Natascha Graham, The Beginning of Summer. Raised simultaneously by David Bowie and Virginia Woolf, Natascha Graham is a fiction writer, artist and screenwriter who lives with her wife in a house full of sunshine on the east coast of England. Her work has been previously

published in Acumen, Litro and Flash Fiction Magazine. Alexey Skorov, Japanese Classroom Evening. Alexey is 31 years old and lives near Moscow. He loves anime, computer games and visual novels in the genre of romance and drama. He is fond of writing music, sometimes drawing and 3D modeling. Tiffany Pyette, Nagohvna (Overlooked). Tiffany is an Indigenous two-spirit disabled woman making art and writing poetry in the Appalachian mountains. She spends much of her time on activism, advocacy, and community organizing. She often titles her pieces in Tsalagi as a means to further language revitalization. Malia Nahinu, The Crying Woman. Malia Nahinu is a Bay Area author and artist who enjoys painting for fun. She can be found on social media as tallwomanpower. Al Robertson, Hydroponic. Al is a freelance Illustrator and animator from Newcastle, UK but currently living in Berlin. He started his career making posters for events and kept going from there. Search @alberto_eggmund on instagram to see all of his work or order a print! Cathleen Kivett Smith, Zombie Bot. Cat is a high school student who works as a freelance writer/illustrator. She has previously been featured in publications such as 'Mad Scientist Journal' and 'Medusa's Laugh Press.' Cat enjoys writing, history, and interesting tidbits of trivia. Hangama Amiri, Love with no Strings Attached (2019). Chiffon, cotton, silk, denim, hand-made weaved wool net, color-ink marker, flocking, silk-screen fabric, dye fabric, and found fabric. 134'' (H) x 96'' (W). Hangama (b. 1989, Kabul, Afghanistan) received her BFA (Major in Fine Arts) from NSCAD University in Halifax NS (2012), she was a Canadian Fulbright and Post-Graduate Fellow at Yale University School of Art and Sciences in New Haven, Connecticut (2015-2016). And currently, she is a MFA graduate student at Yale School of Art (Painting/Printmaking) in New Haven, CT. She has exhibited her paintings nationally and internationally, recently in New York City, Toronto, France, Italy, London (UK), and Sofia, Bulgaria. Kathleen Phalen Tomaselli, Matilde and Pablo. For Kathleen time stands still when she is able to feel paint or clay on her fingertips. She is a professional documentary photographer. Drawn to the works of Latin American writers and poets, much of her recent oil on wood painting has been inspired by the complexities of Naruda, Marquez and Lorca. Her early art lessons came from her Italian grandfather in his attic studio and her first gallery work was an abstract sculpture created when she was 12. Elisabeth Ajtay, Language Is Body II (2018). Photogram. 10.75 x 13.75 in. Born and raised behind the iron curtain and growing up in Western Germany, Elisabeth is a conceptual artist primarily working in photography. Her work, which has been shown internationally, reflects and questions western culture on a psychological level with themes related to advertising, technology and the notion of home. Her multi-facetted practice is a reflection on her translation from growing up in, and, constantly moving between two different systems. Erin Cassell, Bi-solar Disorder. Erin is a teaching Tie-dye artist and Owner of Roll Up N Dye. Her studio is located in Columbia, Maryland. Back when she created this Tie-dye piece, she felt quite out of control, fluctuating between fire and depression. She is grateful that gratitude practice, meditation, and a daughter who reminds her to look for the good, have helped her calm the storm within her mind. Doug Profitt, Hmmâ&#x20AC;Ś Doug Had some poetry published decades ago; but feels fortunate having his first photography attempt accepted here. He is an amateur photographer that enjoys sharing smiles too. Apoorva Prabhakar, Rain. Apoorva has been a storyteller her entire life and looks for new mediums to share her stories with the world. A fine-arts student of many years, her forte has mostly been in pencil sketches but she has been working up the courage to reach for paintbrushes more often. She is also a writer, photographer, and filmmaker and currently lives

in New York with a few supportive pets. Edward Michael Supranowicz, Ice Ages. Edward is the grandson of Irish and Russian/Ukrainian immigrants. He grew up on a small farm in Appalachia. Some of his artwork has recently or will soon appear in Fish Food, Streetlight, Penumbra, Another Chicago Magazine, The Phoenix, and other journals. Feng Gooi, The Start; Capture the Best of Me. Feng Gooi was born and raised in the sunny tropical island of Penang, Malaysia but is currently in snowy Buffalo, New York studying for a Masters in Mental Health Counseling. He used to work in Saint Paul as a mental health rehab worker. He will die if you feed him peanuts and is an easy prey for salesmen of all sorts. Tamar Raine, Night Sky Illuminates Tree. Tamar Raine is an artist and writer with disabilities who lives in Oakland California. She created this artwork in Corel Painter. She recently selfpublished her first chapbook of poetry and art: Life is a Journey, a poetry retrospective 19652008. Whitney Weisenberg, Guns. Whitney is a teacher who loves to draw pictures that feel like stories. When she’s not drawing most likely I'm writing, reading, singing, binge watching something, and/or spending time with her family in Ohio. You can see more of her work at instagram.com/w_whitney Elaine Person, Cactus (Sore Thumb), Oatman, Arizona. Elaine has been photographing the world since she was eight years old. She attended Nikon School at Disney Institute, and her degree in television production sharpened her motion and still photography skills. Using her photography as writing prompts, Elaine teaches writing workshops at libraries and an art school, taking attendees on vacation without leaving the room. Scott Goodpaster, The Road of Life. Scott’s intention is to present the subject honestly and without sentimentality. Everything necessary to make a successful painting is present in nature. Painterly techniques are avoided. The goal is to create a simple, honest exploration of the subject in oil on canvas. Lisha Nasipak, Apple Slices. On any given day, you can find Lisha in her studio tucked away in a corner of her home, a cup of brewed tea at her side and a paint brush in her hand. Working with watercolors since 1992, her work has been in local co-ops, gift shops and local art shows in Ohio. “Time for Bed”, a charcoal portrait was featured in the Living Artists 13th Edition Directory of Artists through their annual art contest. Allison Paoli, Ceremonial. Allison is a published poet and visual artist who resides in Nashville, Tennessee--USA. Her artwork can be found at local events, such as Nashville's monthly art crawl, and her photography and poems are widely published in a variety of publications, including, but not limited to, Poetry Quarterly, Tiny Seed Journal, and Cathexis Northwest Press. See https://www.instagram.com/alifewitart/ for more information and/or commission inquiries. Anna Kuczynski, Threes a Crowd; Oranges. Oil paintings. Southern New Jersey artist Anna Kuczynski belongs to the long respected school of self-taught artists that have often dominated American painting. While her works exhibit the influence of paintings she has observed over the years, her approach and style remain very much her own, free from the restrictions and boundaries imposed by rigid training. Anna expresses her artwork through charcoal, graphite, encaustic, oil and pastel painting mediums, utilizing each for their unique properties and capabilities. Oranges is offered in lithograph print. Samantha Van Heest, Meet the Queen. Samantha is an artist living in Northern Virginia, and her work explores personal memory through still life, materialism, and absurd humor. She has exhibited her work in the Mid-Atlantic region and in Aix-en-Provence, France. She has worked as a studio intern for the painter Amy Sherald, and is also the recipient of the Alfred Levitt Memorial Scholarship in Art, the Emil R. Schnellock Award for Excellence in Painting, and the

Rosalie Chauncey Memorial Scholarship. Visit her at www.samanthavanheest.com and on instagram: @samanthavanheest. Leah Dockrill, The Comfort of Strangers. Leah Dockrill, an award-winning painter and collagist, lives in Toronto, Canada. Her artwork, which has been exhibited in both Canada and the United States, can be viewed at www.leahdockrill.net. Leah is an elected member of the Society of Canadian Artists and the Colour and Form Society (Based in Ontario, Canada). Janine Cawthorne, Tangled Up in Deep Blue. Janine Cawthorne is an illustrator who is inspired by folk art, mandala design and macro photography - anything with lots of detail and pattern. She creates her work in watercolor, ink and colored pencil and can be found working in her home studio outside of Memphis TN. For a closer look at her work and studio she can be found at her Etsy shop - JanineCawthorne. Sharmaine Thérèsa Pretorius, Messages in a Bottle - Minds can Meet - not smoke signals 08. South African artist Sharmaine Thérèsa Pretorius (SHARM.T.P) lives in Nizwa, in the Sultanate of Oman. She is a prodigy with wild hair, loving her stay in the middle of the desert, saying it is her creative space at the bottom of Jebel Agdar Mountain, where she encodes her artwork with puzzles, music, and hidden messages and is known for her extraordinary mind. It is also where she is currently under lockdown due to the worldwide coronavirus. She was one of the first people to point out on her Instagram feed that the 'coronavirus' has perhaps been announced earlier by the comic 'Asterix and the Chariot Race' - the 37th book in the Asterix series, by Jean-Yves Ferri and illustrated by Didier Conrad, which was released worldwide on 19 October 2017. She believes all artists tap into some creative spatial knowledge dimension, be it positive or negative. Tabitha Novotny, Winding Oak. Tabitha adores the raw expression of emotion that art can provide. She herself is a visual artist specializing in photography, film, and painting. She is a horror film fanatic, a lover of old books (and their smell), who would drop anything to walk the streets of Paris in the rain. Jocelyn M. Ulevicus, Everything I’ve Done to Keep Myself Alive. Jocelyn is an artist and writer based in Amsterdam. Her work is forthcoming and published in magazines such as Dewdrop, Mindful Matter, Entropy, and Life in Ten Minutes. Her in-progress memoir titled, The Birth of a Tree, was shortlisted for the Santa Fe Writer's Program 2019 Literary Award. In her spare time, she hunts for truth and beauty. In her featured piece, the floral motif testifies to the laws of nature and the impermanence of all things. Kevin Morris blends together wonder and joy; nature and humanity to produce photographs which will ignite your wanderlust for Southern California beaches and nostalgic childhood memories. When he is not capturing moments on his camera, he is typically found hiking, or near the ocean with his wife and son.

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Beyond Words I nternational Literary M agazine