Beyond Words Magazine, Issue 38, Summer 2023 (July-August 2023) by Beyond Words Literary Magazine

Issue38 July-August 2023

A r tw or k : D av i d Bi r ozy

Beyond Words

Bey on d W or d s ? I n ter n at i on al M agazi n e of W or d & I m age I ssu e 38, Ju ly - Au gu st 20 23

Ed i tor : Gal Sl on i m

Ed i tor i al B oar d : Kel ly Sar gen t, Cal l u m Fou l d s, D i l i an a Stoy an ov a, K .D . Z w i er z, Col by Fl ad e, Er i n Ch al l en or , N oah Evan W i l son , Can d i M ar t i n , Br i an "B r i e" Sh er i d an , Rober ta L au r i e, Sam Bu r t

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, Ju ly 20 23 I SBN 978- 3- 948977- 28- 3 h ttp s:// w w w.bey on d w or d sm ag.com

O d e t o O l d Fr i en d s A l ex i a L i u I n t h e n i gh t f or est , u n d er th e n i gh t m oon ? th e h ou r s su m m er f i r ef l i es h ave to p r of ess th ei r l ove. L ove bal l ad s, l ove p oem s, l ove stor i es et ch ed i n l i gh t on a d ar k n ess th at th ey ?ll soon m eet.

B egi n n i n gs t o th e sl ow d y i n g of l eaves, r u st cr eep i n g u p th ei r d el i cate vei n s. T h ei r si l en t , w i l l i n g sacr i f i ce r ew ar d ed by qu i ck , et er n al v i br an ce.

N i m bl e sh ad ow s, r u n n i n g r i p p l es. N o t h ou gh t saved f or th em ei th er . Cl ou d s ch asi n g th r ou gh th e sk y ? th en cau gh t by th e r ai n . A p ebbl e?s f al l i n to w at er on e secon d , sou n d l ess. T h e r i ver son g con t i n u es on .

Per h ap s a p i an i st?s si n gl e n ot e, as h e jou r n ey s d ow n to h el l . O r a t er n ?s p i vot i n th e w i n d , as sh e cl i m bs u p to th e h eaven s. A n d t h e cr y of a ch i l d as i t r ecal l s n ei t h er , en t er i n g th i s w or l d an ew. (T h ou gh i t s m oth er w ear s th at ar ou n d h er n eck . I n a l ocket th at on ce con t ai n ed t h e h ai r of th e d eceased . Sh e m ou r n s f or w h at can n ot be u n d on e.)

T h e si gh of a p ossu m as sh e tr i es to keep h er ch i l d r en i n l i n e, l i ke gr ad e sch ool er s on a f i el d t r i p to th e gr eat gr ay ci ti es; ju n gl es i n t h ei r ow n r i gh t , th e scu r r y i n g of p eop l e above an d r ats bel ow, m over s of con cr et e an d steel to each d ay br eak .

B ey on d m y r ef l ect i on i n th e l ook i n g- gl ass w i n d ow ? I see th e str et ch i n g of m an y w i n gs, h ear th ei r r u st l i n g m el od i es. Bu t th at f l ock of sw an s i s n o m or e th an a sn ow f i el d , an d th ey can n ot al l f ly.

L et u s si n g of ou r ol d f r i en d s? an od e to t h ei r l i n ger i n g sou l s.

A r tw or k : A l ex an d r a Ri gor es

Sh e C am e t o St ay Ly d i a M i l l er I t w as su m m er v acat i on M y gr an d m ot h er cam e to stay Sh e?d h ad h ear t su r ger y W as h ooked u p to an ox y gen tan k A m etal on e w i t h a car t Goi n g f or th e m ai l toget h er W as an ad ven tu r e O n ly abou t seven ty f i ve f eet Bu t a gr avel d r i vew ay W e sat ou t si d e O n ou r w i cker cou ch W atch i n g bi r d s At th e f eed er s by th e w ood p i l e A n d l i f ti n g h om e sew n h an d w ei gh ts Fi l l ed w i t h r ol l s of p en n i es W e d eci d ed to w at ch T V toget h er A n obstacl e r equ i r i n g a cl i m b u p th e stai r s Sh e sat i n th e bi g r ed ch ai r W i t h car ved l i on s on th e ar m s T h e ch ai r w as too d eep an d l ow To l et h er ou t easi ly W h en w e w er e d on e W e str u ggl ed , m an eu ver i n g togeth er L i f ti n g, p u sh i n g, f ai l i n g, agai n Fi n al ly r el i eved to be f r ee O n e n i gh t I w as w i t h m y p ar en ts W atch i n g T V u p stai r s W e h ear d a sou n d I f ou n d gr an d m a on th e f l oor Cou l d sh e h ear m e? H er ey es w er e gl ass

I st ar ted CPR, cal l ed ou t to m om D o y ou gi ve ch est com p r essi on s A f ter op en h ear t su r ger y ? I d on ?t r em em ber br eat h i n g i n D on ?t r em em ber p l u ggi n g h er n ose I r em em ber stop p i n g an d k n ow i n g I w as u sed to ti m e al on e W i th Gr an d m a W e stay ed at th e cabi n toget h er For w eek s i n th e su m m er s Sh e m ad e m e w ash d i sh es A f ter each m eal B ef or e I ?d be f r eed to Fi sh of f th e d ock Go sw i m m i n g Pi ck bl u eber r i es Catch cr ay f i sh I w as u su al ly an n oy ed T h ose gl or i ou s d ay s W at ch i n g th e l ake ou t th e w i n d ow L on gi n g to be d on e T h e p r ocess of d i sh w ash i n g Requ i r i n g a f i n al r i n se i n boi l ed w ater I d i d n ?t r eal i ze w h er e I w ou l d r em em ber h er T h e bag of coi n s w e?d f ou n d i n h er h ou se B an k of Evel eth , u n d er a ch ai r p ad T h e l on gi n g f or h om em ad e d ou gh n u t s T h e m em or y of gar l i c bu t ter d u m p l i n gs T h e f ace of m y d au gh ter W h en sh e w as bor n W ash i n g d i sh es an d l ook i n g ou t a w i n d ow L i sten i n g to D el ta D aw n Seei n g w ood en f r u i t H er / m y f ei st i n ess Sh e i s a p ar t of m e Even m or e th an I r eal i ze

A r tw or k : Yi l d i z Gr od ow sk i

Ex cel Sar a Gor ske (A 1) 10 0 % (A 2) an O K gr ad e on a test w i t h 20 p oi n ts ex tr a cr ed i t (A 3) i d eal ly, t h e n u m ber of p eop l e i n th e of f i ce on a Fr i d ay (A 4) h ow of ten m y d og i s h u n gr y (A 5) al l y ou can gi ve even i f y ou th i n k y ou t op p ed u p y ou r tan k (B1) 80 % (B 2) t h e h i gh est scor e on th e ex am w h en th e p r of essor w an ted t h e m ean at 50 (B 3) th e n u m ber of cr u sh es I ?ve h ad th at w er e gu y s (B 4) t h e n u m ber of cr u sh es I ?ve tol d m y f am i ly abou t (B5) t h e am ou n t of w or k d on e by on e p er son i n th e gr ou p assi gn m en t (C1) 60 % (C2) w h at I got w h en I h al f - assed a cl ass ju st to see i f I cou l d (C3) p ol i t i ci an s n eed ed to br eak a Sen ate f i l i bu ster (C4) h ow m u ch of M oon l i gh t Son ata I can p l ay th r ou gh er r or - f r ee af ter f i ve y ear s ou t of p r act i ce (C5) th e n u m ber of em ai l s I n ever r ep l i ed to l ast w eek (D 1) 40 % (D 2) f ai l u r e (D 3) a good w i n p er cen tage i n a gam e of ch an ce ver su s t h r ee ot h er s (D 4) a bad w i n p er cen tage i n a gam e of h ead s- t ai l s (D 5) h ow m an y of th e book s I sai d I r ead i n sch ool I actu al ly h ad (D 6) t h e p er cen tage of m y p an t r y t aken u p by sn ack f ood s (E1) 20 % (E2) so f ar bey on d f ai l u r e i t ?s em bar r assi n g (E3) th e n u m ber of f i r st d at es I ?ve h ad l ead to a secon d (E4) h ow m an y ch est f ly r ep s I got th r ou gh bef or e I sw i tch ed m y 15 l b d u m bbel l s f or 10 ?s (E5) t h e p er cen t age of su ccu l en ts I ?ve kep t al i ve l on g en ou gh t o n eed t o tr an sp l an t th em to a r oom i er p ot (F1) 0 % (F2) w h y ar e y ou even tr y i n g n ow (F3) som eth i n g stati st i cal ly si gn i f i can t , r ou n d ed d ow n (F4) qu al i f i cati on s f or an y job ot h er t h an t h e on e I ?m d oi n g n ow (F5) ser i ou sly, ju st gi ve u p

A r tw or k : Sam i Cave

T h e W al l o f Q u est i o n s Patr i ci a Can n on

W h at i f I t ol d y ou a sp l i n t er ed f am i ly tr ee com p el s m e to sear ch f or a r est i n g p l ace an d a f ace?

W ou l d y ou t h i n k m e l ost ?

W h at i f I t ol d y ou a n est of sn akes i n v ad ed m y gar d en f or ced m y h ear t t o h i ss i n si d e m y ch est ?

W ou l d y ou t h i n k m e bi tter ?

W h at i f I t ol d y ou a ch i l d ?s l au gh ter an d l i tt l e f i n ger s w r ap p ed ar ou n d m i n e saves m e f r om a h u n ger to i n h al e th e star s?

W ou l d y ou t h i n k m e si m p l e?

Q u esti on s su ch as t h ese ar i se i n si d e m y m i n d as I l ook i n t o y ou r ey es?

W h at i f I cou l d d est r oy th i s w or d ?i f ??

W ou l d t h e t r u th cr ou ch i n g beh i n d m y cl en ch ed teeth escap e t h r ou gh t h e cor n er s of m y m ou th ?

A r tw or k : A n n a K ar ak al ou

T h e L ast T r i p l e D av i d R. A l tm an T here is no remorse so deep as that which is unavailing; if we would be spared its tortures, let us remember this, in time. ? Ch ar l es D i cken s I L i sa i s w at ch i n g a y ou n g boy eu l ogi ze h i s f ath er , an A r m y Ran ger , p ar aly zed f or 10 y ear s af t er d i v i n g of f a p i er to r escu e a ch i l d , a H er o w h ose l i f e w ou l d l ater col l ap se i n d i vor ce. II L ast Ju n e, w at ch i n g th e Ran ger ?s el d er ly f at h er f eed i n g h i s cr i p p l ed son Fr en ch f r i es at Fr azi er Fi el d , d i p p ed i n ketch u p ju st t h e w ay th e Ran ger l i ked th em as a ch i l d , 25 y ear s bef or e, bef or e Ran ger Sch ool , bef or e t h e acci d en t . Bef or e t w o ch i l d r en w h o al on e cou l d n ot salv age h i s m ar r i age an d th e br ave h er o?s m oth er w h o en d u r ed h er d au gh ter - i n - l aw ?s secon d m ar r i age t o a n i ce m an , u p r i gh t, n ow th e boy ?s n ew coach . III T h e Ran ger , u n abl e to cl ap or ch eer th e son or th e boy ?s Secon d Fath er ? w h o sat i n th e d u gou t w h er e t h e Ran ger sh ou l d be excep t th e w h eel ch ai r w ou l d n ot f i t, so h e w at ch es n ow besi d e h i s qu i et , cop i n g p ar en t s. Cal l ou s f i n ger s cu r l ed ar ou n d th e stem th at m otor ed h i s w h eel ch ai r , a sol d i er w h ose ar m s an d l egs r em em ber ed n oth i n g of t h e bod y th ey on ce k n ew, w i l l i n g bu t u sel ess, l i ke ol d Ch r i st m as can d l es w h ose stem s w er e al l t h at r em ai n ed . A setti n g su n sh i n es on h i s son , D an i el , w h ose m ot h er , t h e h er o?s ex- w i f e, w as ch eer i n g f r om t h e t op r ow of th e bl each er s w h i l e h er son st r oked a tr i p l e an d th e n ew h u sban d gave h i gh f i ves. IV A f l ag- d r ap ed casket , f ol l ow i n g by a gr i ev i n g, bl en d ed f am i ly, agai n st a backd r op of sp oken m em or i es of com bat an d tr avel bal l at th e h er o?s f u n er al , h i s son aw k w ar d ly escor ted th r ou gh ch u r ch by a step - f at h er i n t o th e boy ?s secon d w or l d of l oss.

A r tw or k : Tajl a M ed ei r os

M y Secr et Patr i ck ten Br i n k I tr i ed to keep t h e secr et h i d d en i n a f ar r ecess of m y m i n d , bu t i t bu l l i ed ever y w eaker t h ou gh t asi d e an d p ossessed m e. So I w r ot e i t on p ap er , exor ci si n g i t . I t l ay on th e p age cal l i n g t o m e. I t u r n ed i t over . I t w h i sp er ed . I p u t i t i n a d r aw er . I ts m u f f l ed cal l sou gh t m e ou t . I l ef t m y r oom , bu t I r an back u p bef or e I got d ow n t h e stai r s. Yes, I h ad l ocked t h e d oor . W ai t. Yes, th e d esk d r aw er w as al so secu r ed . T h at d ay w as l on g, an d I r u sh ed h om e f r om w or k ear ly. H ad I l ocked th e d oor on ce or tw i ce th i s m or n i n g? H ad som eon e? ? Ph ew, m y secr et w as st i l l i n th e d r aw er , n ow back i n m y t r em bl i n g h an d s. I y ear n ed t o l ook at i t , bu t i t w ou l d t h en l eap back i n t o m y m i n d . So, ey es cl osed , I qu i ck ly f ol d ed i t i n to a cu be, w or d s on t h e i n si d e. I r el axed f or t h e f i r st t i m e i n ages. I l ay back on m y bed an d f el t l i ke I cou l d m el t t h r ou gh t h e m att r ess. W ai t. Som eon e cu r i ou s op en th e p ap er cu be.

cou l d

I p aced u p an d d ow n . T h at ?s i t . I bu r n t th e secr et i n m y m et al bi n . A h , bu r n t w or d s. Far ew el l . M y n ose ti n gl ed w i t h t h e acr i d sten ch of d estr oy ed secr et . D r ead f i l l ed m e. Soon t h e w or d s w ou l d r eassem bl e i n m y m i n d an d agai n h au n t m e. I p aced som e m or e. M ay be, m ay be... Yes. I l au gh ed an d r an d ow n th e st ai r s t o t h e sh op th at of f er ed 3- D p r i n ti n g ser v i ces. I

tor e th e secr et i n tw o an d gave th e h alves to d i f f er en t staf f , say i n g i t w as a p r i v at e joke an d p l ease cou l d th ey p r i n t t h e w or d s on an i n si d e l ay er of tw o sep ar at e d i ce. I w asn ?t a m on st er . I d i d n ?t w an t m y secr et to i n f ect th e i n n ocen t . W al k i n g h om e, I th r ew th e d i ce i n to th e ai r an d cau gh t th em , over an d over , l i ke a p r i vate ey e l ean i n g agai n st a l am p p ost f l i p p i n g coi n s to p ass th e ti m e. I f el t l i gh t. Bu t m y d i ce l an d ed m or e of t en on th e f ou r s. T h e bl asted w or d s i n si d e w er e com m u n i cati n g som eh ow. Even th i s w asn ?t saf e! W i th r egr et, I cr u sh ed th e d i ce u n d er f oot an d k i cked th e cr u m bs d ow n a d r ai n . T h e secr et w as gon e. By th e ti m e I got h om e, th e d r ead h ad r etu r n ed . T h e secr et w ou l d r etu r n i f i t d i d n ?t h ave a saf e p l ace of r est. I bar ely tou ch ed m y d i n n er . O k ay, ok ay. I l ean ed m y h ead agai n st th e col d w i n d ow - p an e. I d on ?t k n ow h ow l on g, bu t i t w as d ar k . Got i t ! I w r ot e a stor y, an d i n th e stor y w as a secr et, h i d d en i n a n ew box m ad e on ly of w or d s, an d th i s box d i d n ?t h ave seam s w h er e y ou cou l d i n ser t y ou r f i n ger n ai l to tease op en th e secr et; i t cou l d n ?t be bu r n t or cr u sh ed to er ase th e w or d s. Fi n al ly, i t i s saf e, m y secr et, w i t h y ou .

A r tw or k : Ch er l or i a M askel l

St eal i n g M i n d D i ck A l tm an Your data is diminishing your freedom - - N ew Yor k T i m es

I n th e bi n ar y aby ss I n p l asm a/ m i asm a of d i gi t al h aze t h at cl oak s i n v i si bly m y l i f e I n i n ter st i t i al h ol l ow s of gr an u l at ed Cl ou d I n A I ?s f oot p r i n ts l ef t i n d el i bly beh i n d I n T i k Tok ?s t r acker s tr ack i n g m e i n exor ably I n Ch atbot ?s an sw er s u n w r ap p i n g t h e ou t er cor e of m e I n qu est i on s ? m i n e ? u n vei l i n g bel i ef s/ t r u t h s/ d esi r es h el d i n n er m ost I n si n s/ sed i t i on s?cod i n g I on ce bel i eved i n m i n d vau l ted f or al l t i m e I n p r obi n gs r est l ess on e d ay m ay f i n d m e i n f ar tu n d r a ex i l ed I n n aked d eser t l ef t to t h i r st N ot f or al l I voi ced ... bu t sou n d i n gs si l en t of th ou gh t

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

A r tw or k : D i am an te L aven d ar

T el l m e o n Su n d ay O livia Kim L e Take m e back t o t h e h om e w e k n ow W i th t h e f u t on i n t h e k i tch en ; y ou tel l u s I t?s too h ot , y ou t r y to sh oo u s Aw ay each t i m e, an d each ti m e w e i n si st T h at th i s w as ex act ly w h at w e tr avel l ed f or , th e h eat f r om th e gas stove T h e ber r i es i n t h e bow l s, on th e w i n d ow l ed ge You h ave u s p l ed ge t o eat th em ; y ou r em i n d u s f i ve ti m es a d ay You r m em or y i s an an ch or to a ti m e th at w as si m p l er You tel l u s t i m e h as str et ch ed , f ol d y ou r m agazi n e et ch ed I n th e w or d s of t h e d ay You r l egs h u r t , w e ar e tet h er ed To y ou r voi ce, y ou h ave y et to r u n ou t of w i t ty r em ar k s You ?r e as sh ar p A s th ey com e I taste i t n ow i n bl u eber r i es, r asp ber r y sy r u p , an d gi n ger I f eel i t n ow i n t h e k n ead i n g of d ou gh , i t tear s of f so ten d er I sti l l h ave ei gh t d ol l ar s an d f i f t y - f i ve cen t s i n Sk y p e cr ed i ts Tel l m e y ou r u n w aver i n g f ai th i n th e ef f or ts I m ake, tel l m e on Su n d ay A sk h ow t h e cat s ar e d oi n g, p r et en d y ou d i sl i ke th em , tel l m e I ?m r i d i cu l ou s For cel ebr at i n g t h ei r bi r t h d ay Tel l m e som et h i n g f u n n y, tel l m e w h at y ou at e f or br eak f ast Tel l m e i f y ou w en t f or a w al k , tel l m e w h at th e w eath er i s l i ke Tel l m e a w i se st or y, tel l m e y ou k n ew, tel l m e y ou w er e r i gh t Say, ?D i d I n ot t el l y ou th e f i r st ti m e?? You h at e t o h ave y ou r p h ot o taken bu t y ou r p or tr ai t i s l i gh t Sm i l e br i gh t l i ke p i an o key s, I th i n k y ou ?r e a d r eam I n ch oosi n g t o be k i n d d esp i t e ever y excu se to be h ar d en ed O p i n i on s bey on d y ou r ti m e ex p r essed w i t h zeal , sat atop y ou r ottom an You tel l u s i t ?s t oo h ot, y ou tr y to sh oo u s Aw ay each t i m e, an d each ti m e w e i n si st T h at th i s w as ex act ly w h at w e tr avel l ed f or , th e h eat f r om th e gas stove Br ead on t h e boar d W ater boi l i n g, m u gs on th e tabl e Tel l i n g m e I ?m m or e th an cap abl e, tel l i n g m e on Su n d ay

I taste i t n ow i n su gar , sou r cr eam , an d tea T h e ju i ce of a p l u m , i ce- cr eam f i l l ed w i t h r u m I f eel i t n ow i n t h e w i n d i n g of a cl ock Su n ken to a f r i n ged r u g, th e r ecol l ecti on of ou r l ast h u g I h ear i t n ow f ai n t as a h u m ? I n th e w h i st l e of a gol d en ket tl e, br eeze of a f an , th e d i al th en th e ? D oo (D # ) doo (B?) doo (D # ). D oo (B?) de (D) doooo (B?)? D oo (D # ) doo (B?) doo (D # ). D oo (B?) de (D) doooo (B?)?

A r tw or k : A n d r ew O 'B r i en

Si n C ar go Bar ton T h u r ber I. T h e w or l d i s bl essed , or n ot , W i th m an y ex p er ts. T h i s on e sp eci al i zed i n d eath A n d d y i n g. I br i ef ly p on d er ed I f th at m ean t cau si n g i t ; N o, cop i n g w i t h i t , Com p r eh en d i n g i t w el l en ou gh To be at p eace, even . I w as w i l l i n g to en ter tai n T h e p r osp ect of cozy i n g u p To d eat h , u n t i l th e ex p er t savaged A w eep y qu esti on er ; h er tear s Pr et ty m u ch w r ecked T h e sp eaker ?s w h ol e d eal . Bu t h u m i l i at i n g th e w eep er ? N o. I n th e en d I l ef t , su r r ou n d ed By a m u r m u r ou s gr ou n d sw el l O f af f i r m at i on I cou l d n ot sh ar e. II. A s I str od e ou t to th e l i n e of car s A f r ai l voi ce cal l ed ou t . I cou l d n ?t p l ace i t at f i r st; L i kely d i d n ?t w an t to. Bu t th er e sh e w as, A n u n , I cou l d see, on e of th e f ew St i l l i n th e h abi t, m oon br i gh t ey es, A f ace r ad i an t en ou gh To br eak y ou r h ear t . I t d i d n ?t br eak m i n e: W h at bot h er w ou l d th i s be? Pl u s th er e w as h er car , H u ge, f l at, l ay er ed w i t h d u st A n d at l east tw o bal d ti r es; Pr ocl ai m i n g i t v i n t age W ou l d h ave been ex tr avagan t.

A r tw or k : Josh u a Atl as

H ow i t even got h er th er e W as a w on d er . ?Can y ou h el p m e, si r ?? Sh e tu r n ed th e key. ?I t w on ?t star t .? III. N ow th i s w as tr ou bl e. W or se th an bei n g accosted By th e h om el ess, becau se th er e I cou l d l i e, say al l I h ad w as p l asti c, Bu t y ou can ?t l i e to a n u n , A n d n ei t h er of u s H ad br ou gh t a p h on e. I p r obably l ooked ar ou n d , H op i n g to f oi st h er of f O n som ebod y n obl e; Bu t th e d ep ar ti n g cr ow d H ad n oi sel essly ev ap or ated , L eav i n g th e tw o of u s al on e. ?Si ster ,? I gr ou n d ou t , d ef eat ed , ?I ?m n ot a car gu y.? Bu t h er f ai th N ever w aver ed ; i n n o w ay Cou l d I h ave been an acci d en t. I d i d n ot d eser ve h er ad or i n g ey e, Yet th er e I w as, h er f ai th i n car n at e, A su r e en ou gh an gel i n th e sp eak i n g n i gh t. I V. I f th at w as h er th ou gh t I d i d n ?t sh ar e i t . I d i d , h ow ever , h ave on e: H er car w as ol d . O l d en ou gh , M ay be, to h ave a d i st r i bu tor . A n d al l th at h i gh sch ool en gi n e D oo- d ah w as d u ly r esu r r ect ed i n m e, A f ou r - bar r el ed car b, D u al over h ead w h at ever s, T h e h u sk y w i r i n g, som et h i n g l i ke A d i st r i bu t or , m ay be? an d , th en , y es, Ri gh t w h en sh e tu r n ed th e key,

N oth i n g h ap p en ed ... el ect r i cal , th en . ?Pop th e h ood , Si st er ,? A n d I sh ow ed h er h ow to d o th at, A n d w h en sh e d i d , t h e w i r i n g L ed m e t o, su r e en ou gh , th e car bu r etor , A n d th en t o t h e d i st r i bu t or , on w h i ch ? W h o k n ow s? A bad con n ecti on ?? I l ay m y h an d . T h at ou gh t to be ju st En ou gh t o say I t r i ed , I th ou gh t , an d t h en I w ou l d h ave t o d r i ve h er h om e. ?T r y i t n ow, Si st er .? T h e car st ar t ed . V. I ?ve n ever been good At con tr ol l i n g w h at I th i n k . T h i s i s f ai r ly cool , I gu ess I t h ou gh t , I f al so l u d i cr ou s. D am n , I am an an gel . Bu t I d i d n ?t f eel l i ke on e, N o i d ea even h ow I t w as su p p osed t o f eel . T r u e, t h e ai r h ad som eh ow Becom e t h i ck , an d t h e n u n , H er ey es d ar k w i t h excessi ve br i gh t , W as l ook i n g su p er n atu r al ; Bu t sh e w as u sed t o th at. I f I f el t an y t h i n g i t w as ju st ? A m u sed , bu t al so i n ev i t abl e, Som eh ow : I w as bei n g cast I n a com m u n i on I h ad n o h an d I n joi n i n g an d cou l d scar cely Com p r eh en d , y et I d i d n ot m i n d . I u n f ol d ed , an d t h ou gh I k n ew I t w as ch eesy I sai d w h at Cam e t o m i n d : ?Si ster ,? sai d I , ?You r p r ay er s h ave been an sw er ed .? A n d as I t u r n ed t o l eave Sh e an d t h at v i n t age car Gl eam ed i n t h e l oom of d aw n i n g n i gh t.

VI. Year s l ater , i n a tou r i st stor e I n Gu an aju ato, I tol d th e sh op gi r l A l l abou t i t . Sh e r each ed f or a box O f or n am en t s an d w i t h d r ew A ter r acott a an gel . ?Si n car go,? sh e sai d . ?N o ch ar ge.?

A r tw or k : Casey L aw

Pi n oy M i st Fr an ci s Fl av i n Sh eet l i gh t en i n g f l i cker s i n d i n gy h otel w i n d ow s, A n d r ef l ect s of f t h e si d ew al k s an d w et p avem en t . T h u n d er , seem i n g t o ar i se f r om th e su l l en str eet s, I s ch an n el ed t h r ou gh th e gl ass an d steel can y on s To r ever ber ate am on g th e scoot er s an d jeep n ey s. Ten d r i l s of r ai n d escen d i n v ap or ou s w aves. T h ey car ess t h e ci t y w i t h a m el an ch oly m i st, T h at d am p en s sp i r i ts m or e th an cl ot h i n g. T h i s i s n ot t h e ?B l essi n g Rai n ? of ear ly M ay, Bu t th e v an gu ar d of th e su m m er m on soon . T h e r ai n com es i n f i ts an d star t s. O n th e st r eet s u m br el l as p op op en . L i ke a bl oom of m u l t i col or ed f l ow er s T h ey u n d u l at e w i t h th e f l ow of tr af f i c, A n d th e v i ci ssi t u d e of th e r oi l i n g cl ou d s. T h e tor r en t ar r i ves w i t h a f l ash of l i gh t, Sen d i n g t h e ven d or s an d cou r i er s to cover . Ben eat h t h e si d ew al k can op i es an d over h an gs. T h e p et r i ch or i n f u ses th e sh el t er i n g cr ow d W i th a sen su ou s sen se of l i qu i d m y r r h .

A r tw or k : Gabr i el M cL eod

A r tw or k : Sam u el Bar tl et t

W i n t er A r m i st i ce Ben jam i n Rose T h e Ch r i stm as l i gh ts ar e taken d ow n A n d n ow th e W i n t er gr ey B er ef t of sn ow en f ol d s th e tow n I n d r ear y m ol d , an d sp r ay O f f eck l ess r ai n th at w i l l n ot f r eeze, N or h ar d en i n to i ce, Col l ects u p on th e m i r y str eet L i ke gr ease of sacr i f i ce.

T h i s y ear m y h ear t stood u n ap p al l ed By gr i ef m y y ear s h ave k n ow n : T h e sh ad ow th at assu m es i n Fal l M y w ear y h ou se of bon e, W h er e, Gr en d el - l i ke, i n W i n ter s p ast I ?ve h eaved th e r agi n g cr y O f i sol at i on , an d th e gh ost O f y ou th h as f l eeted by.

To Ph i l om el a?s star k l am en t T h e op i at e w as d r ai n ed By som e I k n ew, w h om r av i sh m en t D r ove n eed l e i n to vei n . A n d I h ave p aced th e f r i gi d w ar d s W i th avatar s of Ch r i st W h o r aged , l i ke sch i zop h r en i c L or d s, At or d er l i es an d m i ce.

A n d , i n th e gol d en - am ber gl ow O f l i gh t- bu l bed tr ees an d f ai r Rem em br an ces of W i n t er sn ow, W h en I w as u n aw ar e T h e sti n g th at br oken gl ass i m p ar t s A gai n st a l over ?s sk i n W h en p i ty - cr azed h e bear s h i s h ear t A gai n st th e ou t r aged d i n ,

I d r eam ed m y sel f a f l an n el ed boy U p on a p ast u r e gr een I n joy n o an ger cou l d al l oy, N or gu i l t , n or w r ath ; w h en sp l een A n d sor r ow, an d cl ose- bu r i ed h ate T h e l ove of cr y p ti c God Kep t f ar f r om m e; bu t n ow, i t 's l ate, A n d str an ger h i l l s I ?ve tr od .

Yet w r etch ed n ess, i n ar m i sti ce, Per m i t s a secon d y ear To set asi d e th at l i f e- i n - d eat h T h at gn aw ed a d ecad e cl ear Fr om m y i n f l am ed an d h asten ed p u l se, T h e n er ves abu ser s tor e W i th w or d , an d d eed ; th at m y ow n f au l ts Com p ou n d ed to th e cor e.

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

I n Ri o Gr an d e's Go r ge/ C l i m b i n g T i m e's Ram p ar t s D i ck A l tm an W ater ? w h i t e ? r agi n g

th r ash i n g ? sp i r al i n g

h u r d l i n g bou l d er / d ow n ed

tr ee/ car d oor l ost

t o f l ood ? T i m e?s bl ad e r i ver i n e

k n i f i n g d ow n can y on

ar m ?s l en gt h aw ay ? as I begi n

to tr aver se a tr ai l

r i si n g h u n d r ed s of f eet

u n ti l I cr est th e gor ge

W al l s of t i m e ? r em n an ts

of l av a seas ? em br ace m e

Ri p p l ed st r at a ? as i f ech oi n g

a sy m p h on i c scor e ? si n g

of er u p ti on s ? son gs

bey on d age ? as h i gh d eser t ?s

gr eat r an ges t h ey f or ge

of gr ass/ sage ? p i n i on /

p r ai r i e? Fam i l i ar m et ap h or

of ti m e?s f ootstep s

excep t th e f oot st ep s m i n e

an d ti m e?s cad en ce

etch ed i n ever y f oot f al l

as l egs r each / str etch f or sk y

Can y on ?s f ar w al l l ean s cl oser

sk i n r aw / r ou gh /

p i tted ? y et of beau t y

on ly Ri o?s cascad i n g ch or u s

of ti m e cou l d scu l p t

m on u m en tal i ty d r essed

i n w h i sp er ?s i n t i m acy

as i f a cl i f f of br ai l l e

of ti m e?s t ex t u r e ? I w an t

to r each ou t ? r u b m y ch eek

agai n st i t s Ri o- w or n st u bbl e

f eel ti m e?s r asp

t aste th e f l am e of i t s bi r th

H al f a m i l e ah ead

I see th e t r ai l d i sap p ear

a h ei gh t at w h i ch Ri o?s

l i f e began as a w r i n k l e

of tear s ? bef or e tu r n i n g

i n to ti m e?s cu t t i n g t or ch

h am m er / ch i sel

u n ti r i n g ? car v i n g ? p ol i sh i n g

tw o th ou san d m i l es p l u n gi n g

p assagi n g p eak s/ p ast u r e/ p l ai n

to d i ssolve i n Gu l f

of M ex i co?s t i d es of sal t

O n e N ov em b er , an d i t w i l l b e cl o u d y L i n a Bu i v i d av i ?i ? t?

T h e w or l d h as su n k i n t o sl eep , th e w i n d ow an d an over cast gl an ce, th er e?s n ot h i n g to w ake y ou , d ar k n ess en gu l f s th e d ay m or e an d m or e, an d som et i m es y ou can ?t tel l w h at ti m e i t i s n ow, ever y th i n g becom es str an gely d i stan t, m i st, gl ass, I n eed str on ger gl asses, m or e ex p r essi ve r i t u al s.

I d on ?t w an t t o w ake i n th e m or n i n g, I gr ow l f r om u n d er th e cover s, bu i l d i n g t en ts f r om m y ch i l d h ood , ever y t h i n g i s ju st ech o, I n o l on ger i gn i te th at joy f u l gam e. T h e sou p i s bl an d , n o on e ch ases t h e sh ad ow s i n cor n er s, n ow I th i n k th at I ?ve alw ay s l i ved so t ep i d ly, i t ?s n ei th er N ovem ber h er e, n or i s i t an y t h i n g.

T h e f or est an d t h e t r ees, f ad i n g sh eet s, u n r i p e w i n t er ber r i es an d col or l ess bi r d s, I t r u d ge al on g em p ty by w ay s, soaked by t h e col d au t u m n r ai n , d r op s on m y sh or t ey el ash es ? ? ?

I tr y to ech o, t o an sw er , I h oot w i t h l au gh ter at d eat h ?s d oor step , I m u st r ebu i l d l i f e f r om th e ash es, I n eed bl ood an d m i l k , m y vei n s ar e al r ead y bar r en .

I m u st toss back m y h eav y h ead , d r u n k f r om th e h u m i d i ty, k i ss th e qu i et p asser by i n th e ci ty, w or sh i p n u d i ty, com m em or at e al l of th e sai n t s, cr eat e a l i tan y of h u n ger , su r v i ve th i s m on t h .

T ranslated from Lithuanian by Ada Valaitis

A r tw or k : K ar en Esp i g

Su p er sed u r e T S Cood y I. T h ey ?ve com e f or m e. T h e ol d n u r ses. D an d er - sl i ck , h u m m i n g w i t h an t i ci p at i on of a v i r gi n qu een . T h e h i ve m i n d i s r oi l i n g p i p i n g tr em bl i n g. T h e com bs ar e d ar k w i t h i n d i f f er en ce. I ?ve l ost th e th r ead of i t . I w as on ce f l u sh , a gr een d r eam , p r ef er r ed an d con f er r ed . L u sh w h i t e p ear l s sl i p p ed f r om m e l i ke su ck l e f r om a f l ow er . A h al f m i l l i on d au gh t er s, an d on e w i l l en d m e. I d i d n ot ask t o M ot h er . I w as p l u m p ed , ten d ed by t h ese sam e si ster s w h o n ow w ou l d see m e d i e. W h at I k n ow of sw eet com es on ly f r om th e stor i es of m y ch i l d r en w h o sp eak of su n bu t n ever t o m e. II. I str etch ed m y gol d en l egs f u l l an d l eap t i n t o bl u e, p u r p l e w i t h k n ow l ed ge th at I w as st r en gt h f r om w h om com es al l sw eet n ess, a m ou th of ver ses f or m y br ood . A n u p t i al f l i gh t i s n o ti m e to p l u m b y el l ow - t h r oat ed w i st er i a, th ou gh th ey l i f t ed t h ei r sk i r t s f or m e. So I p u sh ed aw ay m y t h i r st , an d d i d w h at I m u st . M y son g w as h i gh an d al i ve, an d m i n e al on e. III. I am em p t y of ver se an d v i an d , u sel ess to m y sel f an d t o m y r eti n u e th at sl i ck s th ei r am ber an t en n ae f or an oth er . M y d an ce i s d on e. Com e th en , d au gh ter s, y ou r bod i es ar e y ou r cu d gel s. L et m e d i e as I l i ved : en r obed by f or ew i n gs an d h i n d w i n gs, t h or ax an d tar su s. D ar k i s th e h i ve, d ar ker st i l l th i s good by e, m y f ever ed h ear t bu r sti n g at th e cen t er of y ou r col l ect i ve em br ace. Go n ow, th er e i s h on ey.

A r tw or k : A n i A ssatou r i an

Recr eat i o n : A Recr eat i o n Go l d en Sh ov el H ol ly Besw i ck "Touching you I catch midnight as moon fires set in my throat" after Recreation by Audre Lorde At n i gh t w e sh ed l ay er s, cl i m b th r ou gh sk i n , tou ch i n g th ose p ar t s of each ot h er h i d d en i n d ay l i gh t. You r each th r ou gh m y r i bcage, h an d on h ear t, I p r om i se t o r em ai n op en , u n gu ar d ed . I catch y ou r br eat h , a bu t t er f ly cu p p ed i n m y p al m s. M i d n i gh t an d w e ar e w i d e aw ake, n ot h i n g bu t br eath an d h ear t beats, as th ou gh t i m e h as been con d en sed to th i s m om en t. T h e m oon sh i n es l u m i n ou s i n a d ar k sk y, al i gh t n ow w i t h f i r es th at bu r n br i gh t est w h en th e su n h as f i n al ly set . You l ean f or w ar d , r each i n g d eep er an d f u r th er i n an d I p u sh back , r ed u ci n g th e d i st an ce betw een m y f ear s an d y ou r s, so cl ose I f eel y ou r p u l se i n m y t h r oat.

A r tw or k : A m y W el l m an Ed w ar d s

A r tw or k : Pau l a D eStef an i s

Ru sh H o u r Ch ey en n e W i l bu r T i r ed com m u t er s, soon to be v i ct i m s, p acked th e El T r ai n car s. T h ey squ eezed i n cl ose on t h i s st eam y h ot d ay. I n ti m ate od or s, bot h sw eet an d v u l gar , h u n g an on y m ou sly i n th e ai r . I n si l en ce, th ey gazed ah ead , sh ou l d er s jost l i n g to th e r h y t h m i c m ot i on of th e tr ai n . Ru t h T h om p son , a secr etar y f or 14 y ear s n ow at th e Fi r st I l l i n oi s Sav i n gs & L oan , w or r i ed abou t h er d au gh ter ?s ol d er boy f r i en d . H e?s dangerous, sh e th ou gh t . Lord knows, all men are dangerous. I just barely made it out alive from my husband, the bastard. Su d d en ly, h er at ten t i on sn ap p ed back i n to t h e t r ai n car . Ju st t en m i n u t es ear l i er sh e h ad been st an d i n g at op th e M on r oe St r eet st op ? a th r ee- st or i ed w ood en con t r ap ti on d esti n ed to be a p y r e som ed ay ? w ai ti n g p ati en t ly am on gst th e f am i l i ar cr ow d of com m u ter s. T h er e, beh i n d t h e y el l ow l i n e bey on d w h i ch w as p osted a si gn th at r ead , ?D an ger : H i gh Vol tage. Keep O f f T h e T r ack s,? th ey st ood saf ely. Som e r ead m or n i n g- ol d n ew sp ap er s;

ot h er s ch atted ; d ow n bel ow.

oth er s star ed

T h e str eet w as cr am m ed w i th m om an d p op stor es. T h i ck el ectr i cal w i r es l op p ed acr oss th e i n t er secti on . I n th e m i d d l e, a tr af f i c l i gh t l azi ly or d er ed tr af f i c. A s th e l i gh t sw i tch ed to r ed , p ed estr i an s stop p ed at th e str eet cor n er an d w ai t ed . M etal l i c scr eech i n g cu t th r ou gh th e ai r . T h e gr ay tr ai n car s w obbl ed to on e si d e as th ei r i r on w h eel s gn ash ed th e r ai l s. Sp ar k s f l ew. A boy at th e str eet cor n er th r ew h i s h an d s u p to h i s ear s, h i s el bow s ju tti n g ou t at r i gh t an gl es. A bove, n on e of th e com m u t er s tr i ed to bl ock th e sou n d . T h ey w er e u sed to i t. W i th m ou t h agap e, th e boy star ed . H e w or e sh or ts h el d u p by sk y bl u e su sp en d er s an d a cl ean w h i te p u l l over . N ex t to h i m stood h i s f ath er . O n h i s l ef t h an d ?Ri ck ? w as r ou gh ly tat tooed i n t o h i s sk i n w i th br u i se col or ed ink. H is gi r l f r i en d , si x m on th s p r egn an t , w or e a f ad ed sm ock , th e col or of au t u m n ber r i es.

Ri ck jer ked h er el bow tow ar d s h i m an d w i t h h i s ot h er h an d , i n d ex f i n ger ex t en d ed , jabbed h er ster n u m , jabbed h om e som e m essage si x , seven , ei gh t ti m es. T h e w om an l ooked d ow n , h er l on g br ow n h ai r f al l i n g l i ke a sh r ou d abou t h er f ace. Br akes squ eal ed as th e tr ai n sh u d d er ed t o a h al t . Ri ck sh ot a gl an ce u p w ar d , t h en gr abbed h i s gi r l f r i en d w h o sw oop ed u p th e ch i l d . T r ai n d oor s cl at t er ed op en . T h ose w ai ti n g n ow cam e t o l i f e. Sl i d i n g by th e ex i t i n g p assen ger s, th ey h asti ly f ou n d a p l ace i n th e car . T h r ou gh t h i s h u m an r i p ti d e, on e y ou n g boy bu m p ed al on g. H i s ey es, th e col or of ol i ves, assessed t h e best cou r se. H i s sl i gh t bu t str on g f r am e st eer ed i t tr u e. I t w as n ot so m u ch h i s bod y th at sl ow ed h i s p assage, i t w as w h at h e car r i ed : a bass f i d d l e. H e p osi t i on ed h i m sel f at th e f r on t of th e car st an d i n g i n th e ai sl e. W i p i n g t h e sw eat f r om h i s br ow, h e gl an ced ou t t h e w i n d ow an d n oti ced sk y bl u e su sp en d er s on a ch i l d ju st h i s si ze bei n g w h i sked i n to th e ad joi n i n g car . Sk y bl u e w as h i s f avor i t e col or . T h e d oor s si gh ed sh u t; th e t r ai n l u r ch ed f or w ar d . T h e sou n d w as h ar d to p l ace. T h at?s w h y Ru t h t u r n ed h er h ead ,

to see w h er e i t w as com i n g f r om . Sh e sp ot ted th e y ou n g boy w h o p l u cked aw ay at his bass, accom p an i ed by an ol d er m an squ eezi n g a con cer ti n a an d an ot h er boy saw i n g a f i d d l e. Sh e, l i ke ever y on e el se, sat sti l l , assessi n g th e d an ger . T h e f at h er , sh or t an d p l u m p , w or e ch i n o p an ts an d a l i gh t br ow n bu t ton ed sh i r t op en ed to r eveal si lver - gr ay ch est h ai r . Acr oss h i s h ead f r om f r on t to back r an gl ossy str eak s of bl ack h ai r . B ead s of sw eat str eam ed d ow n h i s f ace as h i s sm al l , l eath er y h an d s squ eezed an d p u l l ed th e con cer ti n a. H e sm i l ed ex p an si vely r eveal i n g on e gol d cap p ed can i n e toot h am i d st l ar ge y el l ow ed teeth . T h e th i r d boy w as tal l er th an h i s d ad an d sk i n n y. L on g br u n ette h ai r f r am ed a d ead ser i ou s ex p r essi on as h e bow ed h i s w ay th r ou gh th e n u m ber , car ef u l n ot to p oke som eon e?s ey e ou t. A br ow n d er by sat sm u gly on h i s h ead . T h ey p l ay ed ?Sw eet Geor gi a B r ow n .? Chicago T ribunes l ow er ed an d gazes f ocu sed . T h e m u si c sof ten ed tau t m u scl es. T h en th ey p l ay ed th e th em e f r om Rocky. Ru th sm i l ed . U p u n ti l th en , sh e h ad been r esi st i n g th e i n t r u si on , su sp i ci ou s of th ei r i n t en t i on s. Bu t at th e sou n d of Rocky, h er f oot began to tap .

A r tw or k : M ar y M or gan

T h e f ath er ?s ey es sp ar k l ed as h e l ooked f r om on e p er son to th e n ex t, set t i n g ot h er ?s ey es sp ar k l i n g. W i t h gu sto h e w or ked t h e con cer ti n a. At t h e f i n i sh of t h e son g t h e f i d d l er d of f ed h i s cap an d bow ed . T h en w i t h a t h i ck I tal i an accen t h e sai d , ?W e t h an k y ou f or y ou r ap p r eci ati on .? T h e f ath er n od d ed v i gor ou sly, sw eat r ai n i n g f r om h i s ch i n . T h e f i r st r eci p i en t of th e h at h esi tated , t h en d u g d eep i n to h i s p ocket. O u t cam e a h an d f u l of ch an ge w h i ch h e d r op p ed i n to t h e h at. O t h er s d i d t h e sam e. ?T h ose W er e t h e D ay s? n ow f i l l ed th e t r ai n as i t n ear ed th e n ex t st op . T h e bass p l ay er n od d ed t o t h e f i d d l er to r ep eat t h e ch or u s. T h e f at h er f ol l ow ed r i gh t al on g, h i s con cer ti n a as r i ch as a p i p e or gan . H ead ach es d i sap p ear ed , an d th e h eat l et u p . D r u n k s l au gh ed an d

l aw y er s san g, ?L a l a l a l a l a l a.? M ean w h i l e, i n th e n ex t car , th e p r egn an t w om an , Ru th ?s d au gh ter , w as bei n g beaten sen sel essly by Ri ck . O ver an d over agai n h e sm ash ed h er f ace i n to th e saf ety bar of th e seat . W i th sp i t sp ew i n g, h e sh ou ted , ?You bi tch ; y ou f i l th y sl u t.? Peop l e sat i m m obi l e. T h e ch i l d f or th e secon d ti m e th at d ay h el d h i s h an d s cu p p ed over h i s ear s, h i s ey es bl ack w i th f r i gh t. Sh er i d an - - Sh er i d an - - Sh er i d an - Sh er i d an , th e si gn s f l ash ed by th r ou gh th e d u st caked w i n d ow s. T h e tr ai n br aked to a h al t. Q u i et, th en th e d oor s ex h al ed op en . T h e boy w i th th e sk y bl u e su sp en d er s an d th e boy w i th th e bass f i d d l e ex i ted at th e sam e ti m e. T h ei r ey es l ocked . T h e boy w i t h th e bass sm i l ed an d w aved . T h e ot h er boy sp i t back at h i m .

Time! The following literary works are the winners of our Summer 2023 issue 250-word writing challenge. The theme: TI ME!

A r tw or k : D el ay n a Robbi n s

Fu n n y H ow T i m e Bai l ey L am beth st om p s ar ou n d . H ow y ou gl i sten w h en k n eel i n g to p l u ck an d w at er agai n !

W h en st an d i n g too f l atf ooted , t oo sk i t t i sh ? f u n n y h ow w or d s u n d r ess i f y ou l ook too l on g.

Fu n n y h ow r ot ten m att er ? A gr ou p of gazer s. A stat u e! N o, a w om an i n a l em on d r ess sm ok i n g bef or e a sh r u n ken f l ow er bed .

A r tw or k : Jan i ce Ph el p s W i l l i am s

Sp i d er Seaso n Jan Sci l i p oti A sp i d er h an gs i n h er w eb, d ar k

d escr i p ti ve con n ecti on s w i th th e

agai n st th e l i gh t w al l , u n m ov i n g.

p eop l e i n h i s l i f e. D u r i n g h i s 65th

W ai ti n g.

y ear , h i s l ett er s w i th er ed . T h ey

D ay s p assed , an d st i l l sh e h ad n o bu n d l es of i n sects. I cap t u r ed an an t, an d bl ew i t i n t o h er em p ty l ar d er .

T he

sp i d er

br oke

h er

d r i ed at l ast to a l on e p ar agr ap h w r i tt en by h i s l ov i n g com p an i on , w h i ch Eu gen e su m m on ed str en gt h to si gn .

st i l l n ess an d m oved t o th e an t, h er

T his

l egs f ol d i n g an d

h u m an

w r ap p i n g h er

p r ey.

seem ed

t o sen se h er

p ati en t

h u n ger .

w as

h au n ti n g.

l oss f or th i s sp i d er , star v i n g i n m y h al lw ay. One

T h er e cam e a su bt l e ch an ge i n th e sp i d er ?s

life

l essen i n g

St r an gely, I f el t a si m i l ar sen se of

O ver th e n ex t w eek , n oth i n g m or e. I

p oi gn an t

p ost u r e.

T he

m or n i n g

sh e

h u n g,

l egs

cu r l ed . D on e.

wide

L at er I l ooked tow ar d th e w eb, an d

con f i d en t st r et ch of h er l egs began

n ot h i n g w as th er e. N o su sp en d ed

t o sag. Sof t ly, t h e l egs con ti n u ed to

bl ack bod y, n oth i n g at

ben d . H er bod y con t r act ed i n on

en ti r e

i t sel f , sl ow ly, so sl ow ly.

p l ay ed ou t , th er e i n th e cor n er of

I n an od d bu t m ov i n g p ar al l el , I

si l en t,

p at i en t

al l . A n life

h ad

m y h al lw ay.

r ead a com p i l at i on of l et ter s by th e

Su ch a si m p l e th i n g - an em p ty

p ai n ter Eu gen e D el acr oi x . I n i t i al ly

w eb agai n st a w al l - w i th th e p ow er

w r i tten by a v i br an t , en th u si asti c

to str i ke M or t al i t y i n a h u m an

17- y ear - ol d an d con t i n u i n g u n t i l

h ear t .

h i s d eath , t h e l et t er s w er e l on g,

A r tw or k : Em an u el a I or ga

Per so n al A r ch eo l o gy D .R. Jam es I m agi n e t h e gr ap h abl e sh i f ts i n y ou r ow n sel f - ci v i l i zat i on f r om p r ou d , y ou n g h u n t er to cal cu l at i n g gat h er er to stead y cu l t i v ator : i n d u st r i ou s over - w or ker of y ou r f r agi l e i n n er - ch i l d . A n d n ot i ce th ose t h i n bu t al ar m i n g l ay er s i n y ou r sed i m en t ar y r ecor d , th e r el at i ve m om en ts i n d i cat i n g od d br eak t h r ou gh s, ben ef i ci al m u tat i on s, w eat h er ed d i sast er s ? i n m y case, t h at d ead ly th aw of m ar i t al i ce, t h e on e th at d i sp l aced m y p sy ch i c sh or el i n e i n l an d h u n d r ed s of m i l es, su bm er gi n g r em n an t s of a d om esti cati on I ?d su r v i ved i n i gn or an t an d t h er ef or e p r ecar i ou s p eace. A n y tr ai n ed obser ver cou l d w r i te u p th e r ep or ts, even p oem s on th e h i gh l i gh t s. W h y, I can r ecou n t al l k i n d s of p ar ti cu l ar d ay s l i ke geol ogi cal cal am i ti es: w h en m y gr an d f at h er d i ed an d h i s w r i st w at ch stop p ed on th e m i n u t e h e h u n g h i s scr eam i n g ar m over t h e gu n w al e at th e Red U m br el l a I n n ; th e f i r st t i m e I got d r u n k , so si ck on a bu d d y ?s d ad ?s secr eted l i qu or I th ou gh t m y l i f e w ou l d sp i n f or ever ou t of con t r ol ; m y w ed d i n g w h en I ser ved t h e w i n e, p l ay ed cr azy bl u es h ar m on i ca an d scatted u s on ou r m er r y m ar r i ed w ay ; th e d i vor ce. So,

w h y, y ou m ay n ow w an t to k n ow, can ?t I r ecal l th e eon s i n betw een , th ose th i ck , bl an d str at a, th ose u n i f or m ly - st r i p ed p i l es of y ear s on y ear s w h en n ot h i n g n ot ew or th y seem s to h ave h ap p en ed bu t w h er ei n m u st h ave d evel op ed th e i n si d i ou s d i si n t egr ati on s, an d w h er ei n I m u st h ave l i ved over tw en ty th ou san d of m y gi ve- or - t ake tw en ty th ou san d f i ve h u n d r ed d ay s?

A r tw or k : Vel i bor Ba?o

OUR EDITORIAL BOARD Kelly Sargent is the author of poetry books, Seeing Voices: Poetry in Motion and Lilacs and Teacups, while other cover art and poems have appeared in more than sixty literary publications. Her works have received nominations for 2021 Best of the Net, a 2022 Touchstone Award for Individual Poems, and a 2022 Eric Hoffer Book Award. Another recognized poem received a placard in Washington, D.C. this year. She also serves as the CNF editor of The Bookends Review. Callum Foulds is a poet, recording artist and an Arts and humanities graduate based in Nottingham, UK. Their work has been featured in Beyond Words Magazine and their debut pamphlet, Morning, grey sky is out February 2023 on Electric Frog Ltd. In their free time they enjoy writing poetry, consuming copious amounts of gorgeous coffee, releasing music as ghost orange and scaring themselves silly watching horror movies. They are most passionate about innovative forms of poetry and prose. Diliana Stoyanova is a Bulgarian-Finnish spoken-word and sound poet, and PhD candidate based in Helsinki. A 2019 Finnish national slam finalist and an avid performer, she writes to take ownership of her own narrative. Her poetry moto is 'Sometimes I do the words, and sometimes the words do me.' She has been published in magazines and anthologies, most recently in the "Poetry and Settled Status for All" published by Civic Leicester to support refugees and migrants. K.D. Zwierz is a lecturer, musician and poet. His poetry was recently featured in the anthology Ukraine in the work of international poets (Literary Waves). His writing explores themes of displacement, cultural identity and historical relativism, explored through the analysis of his own experiences growing up in a migrant farming community. Of Polish-Italian descent, he lives and writes between Croatia, Kuwait and the UK. Colby Flade (he/him) is a queer writer, artist, avid drinker of coffee, and student based in Chicago. He is the author of The Smell of the Light Blue House in Summertime (2021), Menthol (2022), Fear Home (Oyez Review, Vol. 49, 2022), Short Sweet Simple: Love Poems (Bottlecap Press, 2022), and Ignis Fatuus (Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Issue 35, 2023). Colby’s work can be found online, at bookshops like This Old Book in Grayslake, Illinois & The Book Teller in Whitewater, Wisconsin, and elsewhere. Flade attended DePaul University, studying Writing, Rhetoric & Discourse, and is currently pursuing a degree in Early Childhood Education. Find him on Instagram @theflade and on www.theflade.com Erin Challenor (she/her) is an undergraduate at the University of Iowa, studying creative writing, political science, and American studies. Originally from Portland,

Oregon, she likes pennies, sticky notes, slam poetry, and cats. She likes writing about the Generation Z experience and is Managing Editor for the literary magazine The Jupiter Review. Noah Evan Wilson is a writer and musician based in New York City. His stories have been published in Beyond Words, Dreamers Creative Writing Magazine, and Prime Number Magazine, among others, as well as the anthology, Ten Ways the Animals Will Save Us, from Retreat West Books. Noah is currently an MFA candidate at Rutgers University-Newark. His latest record, The View from the Ground – EP, is now available on all major streaming platforms. Candi Martin is a Creative Writing tutor and published writer/ editor who writes on social equality and our roots in this world. She holds MA Creative Writing and Wellbeing from Teesside University and has always written for her own wellbeing. She can usually found listening to BBC6 music with a huge cup of tea. Insta @candi_says_ @writingforwellnessrossendale Brian "Brie" Sheridan is a writer and editor existing on the East Coast. They are currently trying to publish their first chapbook. In their free time, the enjoy playing nostalgic video games, planning out tattoos, and drag. Roberta Laurie is the author of Weaving a Malawi Sunrise. She holds an MA in Environmental Education and Communication and teaches in the Bachelor of Communication Studies program at MacEwan University. Roberta writes about writing, nature, sustainability, and sustainability communication. She is currently writing a memoir inspired by a box of letters left behind by her father. Sam Burt is a tutor and proofreader living in London. Since finishing a master’s in creative writing, he has edited for Exposition Review, Bandit Fiction, F(r)iction, and Beyond Words. Off-page, he volunteers with an LGBTQ+ charity and runs the East London Indie Book Club. He is always thinking about working on a novel.

WRITERS Alexia Liu is an 11th grader studying creative writing at the South Carolina Governor’s School for the Arts and Humanities. She enjoys writing fiction and poetry, and takes her inspiration from nature often. She enjoys the outdoors and birdwatching. Lydia Miller has been working on poetry since high school when she was dissatisfied about her teacher’s analysis about what a poem meant. Since then, she studied English and Mechanical Engineering at college and has continued writing poetry on and off as her life brings her back to it. Sara Gorske (she/her) is a graduate student, yoga instructor, and writer currently based in Southern California. Her debut chapbook, I Left a Piece of Me in a Dream and Now I Don’t Fit Together Anymore, was published by Bottlecap Press in 2022, and her works have been featured or are forthcoming in Cornell Claritas, Soft Star Magazine, the Mandarin Magazine, SeaGlass Literary, and Full House Literary. She can be located on Instagram at @meetyouonthe_matsci and www.sarafgorske.com. Patricia Cannon is a registered nurse. She has worked in cardiac critical care, neurointensive care, heme-oncology, school nursing, and currently, in research. Her passion is her faith, photography, and the written word in all its forms. “The Wall of Questions” was inspired by a previously published poem called “Stifled Truth” in the 33 Review edited by Nancy Keane. David R. Altman is a former Georgia Author of the Year nominee. His second poetry collection, Cold Remembered, was published last month by Finishing Line Press. He has published in the Journal of American Poetry, the Blue Mountain Review and Riza Press’ Multimedia Poetry and Art Journal in 2020. Patrick ten Brink lives and writes and works in Belgium, his day job dedicated to tackling the environmental and climate crises. He studied Physics and Philosophy in England, French literature and civilisation in Paris, and Mexican literature in Mexico City. His short story "Amelia Borgiotti" was published by Coffin Bell, "The Carp and the Magpie" by Night Picnic Press, "Ersatz" was published by 101 Words. Dick Altman writes in the high, thin, magical air of Santa Fe, NM, where, at 7,000 feet, reality and imagination often blur. He is published in Santa Fe Literary Review, American Journal of Poetry, Fredericksburg Literary Review, Foliate Oak, Blue Line, Landing Zone, Cathexis, Humana Obscura, Haunted Waters Press, Split Rock Review, The Ravens Perch, Beyond Words, New Verse News, Wingless Dreamer,

Blueline, Sky Island Journal and others here and abroad. A Pushcart Prize nominee and poetry winner of Santa Fe New Mexican’s annual literary competition, he has in progress two collections of some 150 published poems. His work has been selected for the forthcoming first volume of The New Mexico Anthology of Poetry, to be published by the New Mexico Museum Press. Olivia Kim Le is a queer writer based in Ottawa, Canada. Their poems tend to be based on personal memories and reflections, often around intergenerational trauma, mixed-race and queer identity, queer love, and healing. They are active in their local poetry reading and art showcase community, both as spectator and contributor having recently showcased their poetry alongside a local play production, and having read at their local Urban Legends Poetry Collective open mic. This edition of Beyond Words Magazine is the first time that their poetry is published in print. Barton Thurber quite recently discovered a need to write poetry, which was an enormous surprise. But he grew up in Bakersfield, CA, and was a professor of English at the University of San Diego. He taught poetry, nineteenth century British fiction, and assorted other areas. Francis Flavin draws upon his experience as an educator, public interest lawyer and observer on four continents. He was the Winner of the 2021 Poetry Quarterly Rebecca Lard Award, placed first in the Memoir/Vignette category and received recognition for humor and flash fiction (2), short story (2), novel excerpt (3), creative nonfiction and personal essay categories in the Soul-Making Keats Literary Competition. Benjamin Rose is a poet from Washington, D.C. His work has appeared in Beyond Words, Cathexis Northwest Press, and Vermilion. Lina Buividavičiūtė was born on May 14, 1986. She is a poet and literary critic. Lina is an author of two poetry books in Lithuanian language. Her poetry is published in "Matter", "Masters", “Proverse poetry prize" contest anthologies, "Drunk monkeys", "Beyond words", "The Dewdrop", "The limit experience", "Beyond queer words", "Maudlin House", "Cathexis northwest press", "Poetry online" magazines and "Versopolis" poetry platform. Upcoming publications will appear in “New millennium writings”, "Red noise collective", "Cathexis northwest press" and “Beyond words” magazines. TS Coody is a former journalist and will complete her MFA in Poetry from Texas State University in Spring 2023. A mother of three, she writes about mothering, myth and metaphor in her upcoming collection, Mad Honey.

Holly Beswick: teacher, cat-lover, poet. Beginning to write more regularly and experiment with both form and feeling. Cheyenne Wilbur has published in The New York Times, The Sacramento Bee and The Seattle Times. A Los Angeles resident, he is a single dad raising two boys. He has an acting career, but keeps the day job as a real estate agent. Bailey Lambeth is completing her M.A. in English at the University of Louisiana at Monroe, where she serves as Editor-in-Chief on ULM's literary mag, Helicon. She has previously been published in Aurora Poetry and Red Noise Collective. Jan Scilipoti is currently a gardener and artist on a small island in the Pacific Northwest. Jan has been writing through life, collecting experiences along the way. Jan’s focus is to improve our human connection to the wild things by using nonhuman animals as characters in short stories and fiction. Recently retired from nearly 40 years of teaching college writing, literature, and peace studies, D. R. James lives, writes, bird-watches, and cycles with his psychotherapist wife in the woods near Saugatuck, Michigan, USA. His latest of ten collections are Mobius Trip and Flip Requiem (Dos Madres Press, 2021, 2020), and his prose and poems have appeared internationally in a wide variety of print and online publications. https://www.amazon.com/author/drjamesauthorpag

VISUAL ARTISTS Cover art: Why Gummy Bears Are So Afraid of Dinosaurs by David Birozy. Mr. Birozy left the urban life of southern California in 2014 for the peace, quiet, and open spaces of Wyoming. Here he found a slower paced life in a beautiful piece of the nation where anything outdoors is on the top of the list for just about everybody. He is married, with two teenage and three adult children children spread across California, Wyoming, Washington, Nevada, and Texas. Mr. Birozy has spent thirtytwo years working in the public sector, for both state and municipal governments in California and Wyoming. He has been a supervisor, manager, department head, and leader for twenty-one of those years. Mr. Birozy has both a Bachelors and Juris Doctor degree. Alexandra Rigores, Purple Forest. Alexandra is a 25 years old illustrator and graphic design student on her third year based in Buenos Aires, Argentina. She’s making drawings since she was a toddler. 2 years ago she took the decision to start living as an artist and try to make this passion her living but always open to the idea of learning and trying new techniques. Yildiz Grodowski, Under Or Over. Originally from İstanbul, Türkiye Yildiz Grodowski lives and works in Boston. Her abstract paintings, based on relationships, are an amalgam of these two cultures. An international award winner her art is exhibited in solo and group shows, and collected both nationally and overseas. Sami Cave, Santa Fe Sunset. Sami is an award winning watercolor and mixed media artist living in Texas. She is inspired by nature, animals, and the complexity of human emotions. The intention behind her art is to share a sense of peace and playfulness. Visit her website: https://www.peacefulpainting.net/ Anna Karakalou, Murakami. Anna is a scenic artist and illustrator living in Ventura, CA. She loves to paint with her eyes closed to see what story wants to be told, and then she pulls out the pieces from the mess to make something new and surprising. She generally work in inks on card, but also enjoys acrylics, oils and working digitally. Tajla Medeiros, Ancestors. Tajla is a Brazilian multidisciplinary artist currently researching queer ecologism. She grieves for the world's last forest by embodying its verbs. Her artwork has been recently published in Wild Roof Journal, Rawlit and has been selected for Beyond Queer Words 2023's anthology.

Cherloria Maskell, Soul. Cherloria has cerebral palsey. Her mind works differently. Art and novel writing is her therapy. Christopher Paul Brown is known for his exploration of the unconscious and the serendipitous. His first photography sale was to the Standard Oil Company of Indiana and his video You Define Single File was nominated for the Golden Gate Award at the 47th San Francisco International Film Festival. He earned a BA in Film from Columbia College Chicago in 1980. Diamante Lavendar, Grandma’s Parlor. Diamante lives in the Midwest US. Her art is created in regard to the themes of spirituality, the human condition, and the interdependent relationship between humanity and the environment. The majority of her work is mixed media digital art which includes some or all of the following: photography, fractals, drawing, painting, and digital art. Grandma's Parlor was first published in The Closed Eye Open, February 2021. Andrew O’Brien, Abutment. Andrew is a stay at home dad who lives in Maine. Joshua Atlas is a drafter by trade but far more interested in the socio-visual realms of art and how it can be combined with other fields of practice. He is a painter and uses any and all available media, but when he discovered drawing (at a time he could only take pen and ink on the road) he realized it to be perhaps the most candid of all media and could be considered his primary medium of late. In short, if you ever want to know 'what any artist is all about', the place and time they lived, or even 'who' they are/were as individuals, look to their drawings, such that they exist... Casey Law, The Golden Angels of Queen Victoria. Casey is a 15-year-old writer and poet who was born and currently resides in New Jersey. She has published a poetry book that focuses on teenage mental health struggles, while her other work appears in Ayaskala Magazine, The Field Guide Poetry Magazine, Rhodora Magazine, and elsewhere. She is also a staff writer for Sex, Etc. a sexual health magazine that speaks predominantly about the sexual health struggles of teens. Gabriel McLeod, Brainstorms. Gabriel is a writer and artist who resides in a place called Florida in a home nestled by swamp darkened trees. His work has been featured in Storyteller Magazine, Poet's Choice, Wingless Dreamer and Beyond Words Literary Magazine. He is currently working on a chapbook of poetry, a collection of short stories and a memoir.

Samuel Bartlett, A Winter Scene. Samuel is a painter and digital artist in northeast Florida. He has been creating work since the 1990s and has been featured in gallery exhibitions and publications in the US and Europe. Rita Malenczyk, Aspens, Winter. Rita is a writer, English professor, painter, and printmaker living and working in eastern Connecticut. Mark Rosalbo, Red Mirage, Blue Wave. Mark was raised in Leeds, Maine where he spent much of his early childhood exploring along the banks of the Androscoggin and Dead Rivers, the latter one of only a handful of rivers in the world that can flow in either direction. After graduating from high school, Mark moved to Los Angeles to study at The American Academy of Dramatic Arts. After graduating from AADA, he moved to NYC and remained in the city until shortly after 9/11 when he moved his family to Vermont to enjoy the banks of (this time much cleaner) rivers. Karen Espig, Self Portrait Blue. Karen is a Canadian artist currently living in Albania. The figure is the focus of her work. She takes advantage of oil’s long drying-time to respond to her paintings as she plays with the dialogue of form, colour, and focus. See more of her work at https://www.karenespig.art or on Instagram @karen_espig_art Ani Assatourian, Ginger Revolution. Ani was born in 1983 in Tehran, Iran. She immigrated to the United States in 2009 and started using her unique ability to paint and express her emotions towards different subjects and create visual art pieces. She is a self taught abstract expressionist artist and her pieces have been exhibited few times during recent years. Amy Wellman Edwards, Botanica. Amy has worked in photography, digital art, acrylic and encaustic. She is currently working in mixed media with collage and has had some of her recent work featured on the cover of Quibble, as well as in Landing Zone, Red Noise Collective and Red Ogre. Her work often references other arts or literature, but is also largely based on her own experiences. You can get this work or many others by Amy printed on a variety of useful products at aewedwards.redbubble.com. Paula DeStefanis, Mid Century Modern. Paula is an American painter known for her multilayered abstract paintings. Working alternately in acrylic and oil, she uses repetition and layering to symbolize time, duration, and change. Her process leads to in-depth exploration of a concept from multiple perspectives. Layering paint, sometimes with unconventional tools, often scratching away to find what lies beneath, the work celebrates both the physical and emotive qualities of each medium.

Mary Morgan, Manhattan 1. Mary is an abstract expressionist painter and a former art teacher. Her artwork is about her life's journey that expresses the joy of living through abstract form and color. Her influences include: nature, spiritual truths, family and everyday events. Delayna Robbins, Father Time. Delayna, also known as A Colorful Chaos, is a multidisciplinary artist who explores her take on Contemporary Afro Surrealism. A genre which seeks to highlight the complexities and unique experiences and struggles faced by People of Color, while also celebrating their resilience and beauty. You can find her on these platforms: Instagram: @_acolorfulchaos Tiktok: @acolorfulchaos YouTube: @acolorfulchaos Janice Phelps Williams is a writer, illustrator, and painter who has been involved with the launch of 200+ titles. She has a BFA in Studio Art. Visit her website at janicephelpswilliams.com; connect with her on FB: janicephelpswilliams.paintings and IG: janicephelpswilliams. Emanuela Iorga, Mother and Baby Octopus. Emanuela is a filmmaker, artist, and screenwriter. Art represents for her a recently rediscovered passion, following a series of world and inner changes. She was previously published in Jet Fuel Review, Pithead Chapel, and Up the Staircase Quarterly. Her work can also be found at https://manolcaincosmos.wordpress.com/

Velibor Baćo, Mnemonika. Velibor was born in Bosnia and came to Austria as a war refugee. After studying law in Salzburg, Austria he worked in the banking industry. Currently living in Vienna, Austria he paints abstract art and writes German and English poetry and prose.

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Beyond Words T he I nternational M agazine of Word & I mage

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