Beyond Words Magazine, Issue 39, September 2023 by Beyond Words Literary Magazine

Beyond Words Issue39 September 2023

A r tw or k : D eb Ch an ey

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 39, Sep t em ber 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, Sep t em ber 20 23 I SBN 978- 3- 948977- 46- 7 h ttp s:// w w w.bey on d w or d sm ag.com

T h e C o n st an t Gar d en er Ben jam i n Rose A Promise T h e l an d I l ove i s l eagu es aw ay ; T h e w om an too as w el l ; T h e w ood s h ave l ooked on d eat h th i s d ay ; T h e cr ossi n g l ead s to H el l . A n d u n d er n eat h th e an ci en t th or n B r ave B or om i r l i es d ead W i th t h ose h e sl ew i n p en i ten ce, W h o d i ed i n h on or ?s stead . Far f r om t h e u p l an d f l ow er ed l aw n s A n d h i l l s of r ol l i n g gr een W h er ei n I p assed m y y ou th i n son g A n d d r eam ed su ch v al i an t d r eam s A s t h ose an i d l e boy w i l l f ei gn To be am on g th e br ave B ef or e h e k n ow s th e bat tl e- t h r on g, T h e f oe l ai d i n h i s gr ave, For m an y y ear s I ser ved a y ou th A l l - gen er ou s an d good W h o seem ed th e Su m m er ?s ch i l d , i n tr u th , W h o l oved an d u n d er st ood T h e p i ty of al l su f f er i n g th i n gs A l t h ou gh h e l i ved f or joy, U n bu r d en ed by th e k n i f e?s col d sti n g N o ti m e can y et al l oy. A n d i n t h ose y ear s of m er r i m en t I t en d ed to h i s y ar d , A n d p r u n ed th e v i n e, an d w as con t en t ; H i s ser v i ce w as n ot h ar d . For w e w ou l d w al k th e Sh i r e?s en d A n d er r or th r ou gh th e w i l d , A n d d r i n k , an d sm oke at Su m m er ?s en d . Each m an w as sti l l a ch i l d .

Bu t t h en , l on g y ear s of d ar k n ess cam e, A n d m u r m u r i n gs of f i r e; A m ad p u r su i t th r ou gh sh ad e an d f l am e, T h e cl ash of sw or d an d ly r e; A l l an ci en t r eal m s ar e over th r ow n A n d battl e scar s th e ear th ; T h e ei gh t y y ear s of p eace w e?d k n ow n H ad star ved th e w or l d w i t h d ear th . For y ou , m y d ear , an d ol d est f r i en d , I ?d n ever w ai t beh i n d ; T h r ou gh gr i ef an d tear s th e Road m u st w en d U n ti l th e en d of ti m e; For t h ou gh y ou bear th e seal of d oom , T h e w oe i n ci sed by f at e; A n d t h ou gh y ou w al k th r ou gh sh ad e an d gl oom I n to th e d al es of h at e W h er e bar r en ash an d sor r ow s d w el l ; W h er e h op e i s n ever f ou n d ; W h er e p oi son ed str eam s p r of an e th e w el l A n d d em on s gn aw th e gr ou n d ; W h er e Ev i l seem s to w or k i t s w i l l U n ch i d d en by th e f ar A n d cr y p t i c f ace of God , th er e sti l l I see a si n gl e star T h at bu r n s above th i s w asted w or l d Ju st l i ke th e T r ees of ol d I l l u m i n ed H eaven ?s gr een , an d h u r l ed I n Si lver an d i n Gol d T h e Sh ad ow back bey on d th e vei l A n d d oor s of en d l ess ti m e; So I w i l l w al k th i s Road , n or w ai l , Bu t ease ou r w ay w i t h r h y m e. W e ar e n ot n ow th ose h ap p y l ad s W h o w al ked th e y ar d u n ben t I n w or k an d l ei su r e, w h o w er e cl ad I n m i r th an d m er r i m en t ; Yet t h ou gh w e tw o h ave w an d er ed f ar T h r ou gh su f f er i n g an d i n y ew, I can n ot ease y ou r an ci en t h ar m , Bu t I can car r y y ou .

A r tw or k : M i ch el e D 'Acost a

A r tw or k : Jack Bor d n i ck

Ch i l d h ood L i n a Bu i v i d av i ?i ? t ? T h e p sy ch oth er ap i st ask s abou t m y ch i l d h ood . Ch i l d h ood l i ke an y ot h er ch i l d h ood . L i ke ever y on e el se?s. I l i ved i n Sov i et bl ock s h ou si n g, w as r ai sed by m y gr an d m ot h er f r om age on e ? i t w as th e st y l e back t h en ? (m oth er s d i d n ?t w an t t o w i t h er aw ay w ash i n g p ot s or m assage sti n gi n g sol es of f eet t h r ou gh ou t t h e n i gh t), I d i d n ?t go to k i n d er gar t en , st ar t ed r i gh t aw ay i n t h e secon d gr ad e, bu t th e ch i l d r en l au gh ed at m e, becau se m y br eat h sm el l ed (w e br u sh ed ou r t eet h w i t h bak i n g sod a), m y br ai d s w er e ti ed w i th str an d s of h ai r an d m y u n i f or m w as w i th ou t pleats I l ear n ed t o r ead at f ou r , an d I r ead , I r ead , I tr avel ed , I , L i n a, t h i ef ?s d au gh t er , a d i scar d ed t oy by t h e cam p f i r e at n i gh t, m y p l an ets ? bu r n ed by sp ar k s, bu r n ed by coi n ci d en ces, i n m y ey el ash es ? st al agm i t es of ash es. At n i gh t I w i p ed p i ss of f t h e f l oor , becau se H e h ad ter r i bl e ai m , at n i gh t I gu ar d ed t h e d oor , becau se H e h ad t er r i bl e ai m , at n i gh t I cl ean ed u p vom i t, becau se H e h ad t er r i bl e ai m , I sh u d d er ed u n abl e to f i n i sh th e w h ol e d r eam , becau se at m i d n i gh t Boogeyman is coming for you Freddy is coming for you Voldemort is coming for you H e?s n o l on ger h er e, bu t I st i l l r ead an d t r avel , becau se I , L i n a, am t h e t h i ef ?s d au gh t er .

T ranslated from Lithuanian by Ada Valaitis

I l ov e y o u Gr ay son T h om p son each on e com es w i t h t w o tor t i l l as f ol d i n g m y d ep r essi on u n d er th e r aw w ei gh t of on i on s an d ci l an t r o w i tn essi n g m e i n n eon bath ed i n h oly L ED on th e backd r op of a p ar k i n g l ot w h er e I cr i ed al on e i n th e car I ?ve alw ay s been scar ed of f ood p oem s t h ey ?r e alw ay s r om an ces sal i va an d gl ee br ow sw eat an d h u n ch ed over ben ch es r ol l ed u p sl eeves

A r tw or k : N ad i a H asan

t h i s p oem i s p or t i on con t r ol I can ?t l et th e w ei gh t I car r i ed h er e get th e best of m e t h e cen t er of th e su cker w i t h ou t ch ew i n g keep i n g p ati en ce keep i n g th i s sm al l est of l i f e togeth er af t er m y step f at h er w en t to sl eep I h i d f ood i n th e tr ash can w r ap p ed i n p ap er tow el s t u cked i n p ap er cu p s f l i p p ed u p si d e d ow n h e w ou l d n ?t l et u s l eave th e tabl e u n t i l th er e w as a w astel an d of cr u m bs a d i n i n g tabl e l i t u p by th e stove l i gh t col or i n g m e i n a stat i c d i jon m y m oth er w or ked th e l ate sh i f t br oth er i n ou r r oom l au gh i n g at car toon s h e w as bi g en ou gh to eat tw o of u s bu t m y p l at es w er e alw ay s f u l l m y d i sh es col l ected tear s cor n ed beef an d on i on s cooked on r ep eat w e ex p ect ed i t l i ke Su n d ay ch u r ch l i ke ou r M assach u set ts w i n t er s l i ke h i s f i sts som e p eop l e th i n k w e r ep eat t h i n gs becau se w e l ove th em bu t stu d i es sh ow w e d o i t becau se i t f eel s good to k n ow w h at ?s com i n g n ex t w h en a p er son l oses al l of th ei r en er gy t h e sen si t i v i t y of th ei r tast ebu d s i n cr eases an oth er stu d y sh ow ed t h at ou r f ood i s m or e l i kely to taste better w h en w e eat i n f r on t of m i r r or s

i t took y ear s t o l et m y r ef l ecti on keep m e com p an y to stop d u ck i n g h i m i n h al lw ay s box i n g m y sel f i n t o su bm i ssi on ter r i f i ed t o bear w i t n ess to h ow m u ch I ?ve gr ow n to scal e m ad e u p of n o bad p ar t s m em or i es an d m u m bl e br ook tear s aged i n t o m y f ace l i ke gl ass ch i p s I th ou gh t I st ar t ed an d en d ed th e sam e a son g w el com i n g a ch i l d m e, th e ch i l d t h ou gh t to h ave n ever com e ou t r i gh t m om , I w as bor n t o bi t e of f m or e l i f e th an I can ch ew I d i d n ?t p l an on ar r i v i n g n aked d i sh em p t y w i th ou t t h e m u scl es to con su m e th e total i ty of ou r f am i ly on e of t h e h ol i est t h i n gs a h u m an can f eel i s h u n ger f or m ed i n ou r f i r st k i ck f i r st h ol l er ou t t h e w om b w h en t h e p eop l e t h at r ai se y ou can ?t l ove y ou y ou becom e a w al k i n g f am i n e sp en d i n g l i f eti m es w i t h ap ol ogi es m ov i n g th r ou gh y ou l i ke w h i sp er s tr y i n g t o get f i l l ed i n an y w ay y ou r bod y can take i t a col l i si on of i n com p l et e sen t en ces I r ai sed a gar d en above ever y th i n g th at r u n s on h op el essn ess I k n ow w h at i t f eel s l i ke to gr ow ou t of a r eap i n g th er e ar e m or e d el i ci ou s th i n gs th an h at i n g th i s l i f e a ch i l d an d a ch i cken n u gget ey es w i d e l i ke t h e begi n n i n g sh ow i n g al l of u s h ow good i t f eel s to eat I am a san d - bod i ed Fl or i d a boy w h o l ear n ed m er cy i sn ?t on ly f ou n d i n sti l l n ess th er e ar e al l i gat or s h er e th at can star ve th em selves f or u p to th r ee y ear s I w as bor n t o be h er e

A r tw or k : N i jol e Rasm u ssen

a gr ou p of t h em , cal l ed a con gr egat i on tau gh t m e h al l el u jah s ar e p r eh i st or i c been h er e l on ger t h an I ?ve k n ow n th i s l i f e t h at ch ose m e gave m e a bl essi n g i n sw al l ow i n g m e w h ol e sh ow ed m e t h at t r u e m er cy m y h on est r ed em p t i on began w i t h t el l i n g m y sel f an u n bear abl e tr u t h I l ove y ou I f or ced each sy l l abl e i n u n ti l ever y t h i n g I t ou ch ed h ad to m ake t h e sam e ch oi ce r ead i t agai n m or n i n g gl or i es l ay acr oss m y ch est l ove an d d eat h i n a si n gl e d ay l i l i es acr oss m y h ear t a d ar e t o l ove m e w i th so m u ch f l avor w h en I l ook at y ou , I h ave cr av i n gs w e can w i p e t h e sl at e cl ean at 11:59 on e m i n u t e sh or t of m e k n ow i n g w h at ?s com i n g n ex t th an k god y ou cam e

A r tw or k : Jessi ca D u an

Su i ci d e by Van i t y L u ci e Jam es A bou t ei gh t y p er cen t of th ose w h o d i ed w er e w om en . Su i ci d e by van i t y, t h at ?s w h at th e m ed i a cal l ed i t, i r on i c r eal ly, con si d er i n g a l ar ge p or t i on of t h ose tr agi c n u m ber s w er e f r om t h e cel ebr i ty w or l d . W al k i n g t h e st r eets of an y l ar ge ci t y or t ow n y ou cou l d see th em ; th ey h ad a cer t ai n w ay abou t th em . Ad u l t si zed , bu t ch i l d l i ke i n d em ean ou r an d beh av i ou r . Som et i m es w i t h th e w or st cases th ey cou l d n ?t even sp eak , th e i n com p r eh en si bl e babbl e em i tt ed f r om t h ei r gap i n g m ou th s as p asser s- by w as p i ti f u l to h ear . N ow I l ook d ow n at m y baby d au gh t er ?s f ace. H er r ou n d ch eek s ar e r osy, h er sk i n cl ear . Sh e h as h er w h ol e l i f e ah ead of h er , an d I p r ay i t w i l l be a l on g on e. I l on g to see h er gr ow ol d an d w r i n k l ed bef or e m y ey es. M ost i m p or t an t ly, I w an t Et er n al t o keep th e h el l aw ay f r om h er . * M y h u sban d goes ou t to w or k ever y d ay an d com es h om e w ear y f r om t h e w ei gh t on h i s sh ou l d er s. H e i s a d oct or an d sp eci al i ses i n tr y i n g t o r ever se th e ef f ect s of Et er n al on th ose w h o h ave over - i n d u l ged . I l on g t o t el l h i m abou t m y d ay s sp en t al on e w i t h ou r ch i l d , w or r i es con su m i n g m e ever y m i n u t e abou t w h at t h e f u tu r e h ol d s f or u s an d f or h er . D u r i n g d i n n er as alw ay s I f eel h i s ey es sear ch i n g

over m y f ace, l ook i n g f or an y si gn s of agei n g. A n ew w r i n k l e h er e, or a gr ey h ai r th er e. I al m ost w i sh to age qu i ck ly, p u t h i s m i n d at r est. Ever si n ce Eter n al Cor p or ati on becam e th e bi ggest n am e i n beau ty ar ou n d th e w or l d ten y ear s ago, l i f e h as n ever been th e sam e agai n . T h ei r f i r st i n n ovati on w as a l i gh t th er ap y bed , l i ke th e ol d tan n i n g bed s f r om y ear s ago. I t p r om i sed to m ake y ou r sk i n l ook at l east f i ve y ear s y ou n ger . T h e com p an y m ad e m i l l i on s f r om th e r i ch an d f am ou s w h o sw or e by th e tr eatm en t . I t cou l d ?ve al l en d ed th er e, an d p eop l e w ou l d n ?t h ave d i ed . A s y ear s w en t by, th e tech n ol ogy becam e m or e d evel op ed , of f er i n g l on ger l asti n g ef f ects an d m or e d r asti c r esu l ts. N ow in i ts f ou r teen th evol u ti on th e n ew bed s com e w i th th e p r om i se of w i n d i n g back th e y ear s, l i t er al ly tak i n g y ear s of f y ou r l i f e. T h e f i r st p eop l e to h ave n oti ceabl e d ef i ci ts w er e th e w eal th y, f am eh u n gr y i n f l u en cer s. T h er e w as a f am ou s r eal i ty star cal l ed Jem i m a L ove, on e of th e f i r st to ad op t th e r egu l ar u se of th e bed s. Sh e w as f i r st i n l i n e to agr ee to a p ai d p ar tn er sh i p w i th Eter n al to p r om ote th ei r n ew w on d er d r u g. T h e d r u g p r om i sed f an t asti c r esu l ts w h en ad m i n i ster ed th r ou gh a d r i p th at att ach ed to th e bed .

T h e d ecl i n e w as n ot i ceabl e each t i m e sh e ap p ear ed on y et an oth er # sp on sad d or on h er T V sh ow. At f i r st h er gi r l i sh d em ean ou r an d ch i l d - l i ke p h r ases seem ed to be an act, som et h i n g t o en h an ce h er i m age to h er m i l l i on s of f ol l ow er s, bu t h er beh av i ou r of f scr een becam e m or e er r ati c. Pi ctu r es em er ged of h er h av i n g t an tr u m s i n p u bl i c, th r ow i n g t h i n gs at p eop l e an d sh ou t i n g. T h e w or st p h oto I saw on l i n e w as w h er e sh e h ad soi l ed h er sel f i n a l ocal p ar k . T h e p h ot ogr ap h er cau gh t t h e m om en t w h er e h er bow el s l et go an d a d ar k stai n em er ged on h er l eggi n gs. Jem i m a?s car eer bom bed af t er t h at, an d sh e en d ed u p i n a m en tal h eal t h h osp i t al . At th at t i m e n obod y k n ew w h at w as to com e, or t h at sh e w as th e f i r st of m an y. T h ey ju st assu m ed sh e h ad a m en t al br eak an d n eed ed sp eci al i st car e. A f t er t h at i n ci d en t t h er e w er e cases r ep or ted ever y m on th of p eop l e act i n g l i ke th i s an d ever y on e w as bem u sed to begi n w i t h . I t w as on ly af t er a f ew y ear s t h at th e link w as sci en ti f i cal ly p r oven to be d ow n t o Eter n al Cor p or at i on . I t took m y m oth er f r om m e n ot l on g af t er t h i s. By t h e ti m e h er m i n d h ad com p l et ely r egr essed sh e l ooked absol u tely beau t i f u l , bu t sh e cou l d n ?t t al k , w al k , eat, or u se th e bat h r oom by h er sel f . Sh e w as taken aw ay t o on e of th e sp eci al ly con st r u ct ed h osp i t al s, to

be taken car e of f or th e r est of h er n atu r al l i f e by a team of n u r ses m asqu er ad i n g as baby si tter s. * N ow, m y h u sban d battl es d ai ly to f i n d a cu r e or a r ever sal f or th i s w h i l st I si t at h om e an d p r ay f or m y d au gh ter . Som eti m es h e ask s m e w h y I n ever tr i ed i t, h e sees th e ef f ect s of i t ever y d ay at w or k an d h e tel l s m e h or r or stor i es abou t i t , m ay be i n th e h op e i t w i l l keep m e on th e str ai gh t an d n ar r ow, bu t h e d oesn ?t n eed to, m y m oth er w as en ou gh to p u t m e of f f or l i f e. I f i r st m et h i m as m y m oth er w as i n h er l ast l u ci d d ay s, so h e d oesn ?t k n ow m u ch abou t m y ear ly l i f e, abou t w h o I w as th en . I f h e k n ew w h o I r eal ly am th en ou r f am i ly w ou l d f r act u r e f or ever . I w i l l d o ever y th i n g I can to m ake su r e m y d au gh ter h as th e best l i f e p ossi bl e, an d m y f i r st task i s to keep ou r l i ttl e f am i ly togeth er . T h e secon d task i s keep i n g h er sh el ter ed f r om Eter n al . I am h op i n g th ey w i l l f i n d a r ever sal bef or e sh e i s a teen ager , or even bett er , p u t th e com p an y ou t of bu si n ess en t i r ely. I can ?t see th at h ap p en i n g an y t i m e soon , ou r gover n m en t an d l ead er s m ake too m u ch p r of i t f r om Eter n al ?s bu si n ess d eal i n gs. Even th ou gh i t i s l i ter al ly k i l l i n g p eop l e, i t w on ?t be stop p ed . A l th ou gh , I ?m h ar d ly on e to tal k . I m ad e en ou gh m on ey f r om Eter n al .

I w as a p oor sci en ce stu d en t at t h e t i m e, w or k i n g on m ed i ci n e f or bu r n s v i cti m s. I d evel op ed a f or m u l a th at r ad i cal ly r egen er at ed sk i n cel l s an d I w as on th e br i n k of m ed i cal excel l en ce. I cou l d ?ve been a h ou seh ol d n am e, gon e d ow n i n h i st or y as a gr eat con t r i bu tor to m od er n m ed i ci n e. I n st ead , I w as

a stu p i d k i d w h o got an of f er f r om a cosm eti cs com p an y, an of f er w or th m or e m on ey th an I cou l d ever n eed or d r eam of . I w as set f or l i f e. So, I sol d ou t. Sol d m y sou l to th e d ev i l an d cau sed on e of th e gr eatest tr aged i es i n th e h i st or y of th e w or l d .

A r tw or k : GB Cl ar k son

V i gi l K i m ber ly Bel l a I r em em ber w h en I f i r st f el t th e p ow er of w or d s: t h e cr i p p l i n g f or ce of n egati ve; th e i l l u m i n at i n g f r eed om of p osi t i ve.

I r em em ber w h en I saw th e sam e d aw n i n g i n y ou r ey es, an d I cu r l ed i n to m y sel f an d tr i ed to tear m y or gan s ou t,

t h e or gan s th at kep t th e bl ack w i t h i n m e i n a gr asp so t i gh t i t t ook m e y ear s to l ear n h ow to br eat h e.

N ow, y ou h ol d back , an d I am y ou r r ef er ee.

I st ar e at y ou f r om al l si d es, u n su r e i f I see gr ow i n g bl ack n ess or ju st t h e m ood y p u r p l i sh - gr ay of ad ol escen ce. H ow w i l l I h el p y ou

i f gr ay t u r n s to bl ack an d th e sti gm a I car r y f i n d s y ou r sh ou l d er s? I ?ve n ever su cceed ed i n ban i sh m en t. D ar k p u l l s m e back l i ke a p ossessi ve l over .

So I scr u ti n i ze al l of y ou r si d es an d tr y n ot to bu r y y ou i n what ifs ju st becau se m y i l l n ess bu r i ed m e i n cer t ai n ty.

A r tw or k : Ji h o K i m

A f t er Sh e H ear d H i m C al l T ak e B ack T h e N i gh t A ct i v i st s "Fem i n azi s" H an n ah Beh r en s L ean i n g back i n h er ch ai r sh e takes a br eat h an d sm i l es to h er sel f . T h e w or d y sm ash w h i ch d r i bbl ed f r om th e i d i ot i c f or t r ess of h i s m ou th i s i ts ow n v i n d i cat i on . T h e u tt er an ce i s cl ar i f y i n g. Su d d en ly, al l t h e p u bescen t p r et en d er s w i th th ei r m agn et i c ey es l ocked d ow n on th ei r ow n i n secu r e cool n ess i s p u r ely a sh am of ad ol escen ce. Sh e h as k i d h er sel f , attem p ti n g t o en gage i n i n tel l ect u al i n ter cou r se w i th th i s st on e. H i s jest i s f eebl e an d w i l l even t u al ly m el l ow over i n th e f u t u r e ad u l t w or l d . Sh e l ook s i n t o h i s d u l l an d bl ood sh ot ey es, d r y l i p s, sw eat y p i m p l es f or m i n g ar ou n d t h e base of h i s bal l cap . H e h as m i xed som eth i n g boozy i n t o a w at er bot tl e tod ay. A sch ool boy ?s f l ash - i n - th e- p an w i t ty i d ea of su bstan ce. T h i s al m ost m an w i l l su r ely d r ow n h i s d r eam s. Sh e w i sh es h e w ou l d ju st m el t back i n t o t h e cr ow d of stu d en t s, bl ar i n g at t h e d ay - en d bel l , bou n d f or bor ed om s u n k n ow n . A l l sh e can d o n ow i s stab th at w r etch ed w or d t h r ou gh th e h ear t i n si d e h er ow n m i n d .

A r tw or k : Jack Bor d n i ck

C ap e Sp l i t Tobi A l f i er Cape Split is quite literally the "end of the world" - Googl e qu ot e I Pai n i s l i ke t h e p r en u p y ou f or got to get, i t takes al l t h e sw eet n ess, l eaves y ou w i th th e p aw n t i cket s. You w i l l n ever be abl e to bu y back an u n f u r l ed f or eh ead , t r u e sm i l e an d t h e gr ace of com f or t. II So y ou si t i n t h e bar , l i st en to com p l ai n t s of oth er p eop l e?s u n w an ted h ou segu est s, d r i n k ju st en ou gh . O n e m or e w i n t er ou tl i ves i t s w el com e as y ou l i ck y ou r col d l i p s, sear ch f or a w ar m f ace. III T h e w eat h er i s i ce over sh ad e, y ou n eed an el bow t o p i t y y ou h om e. T h i s i s n ot t h e f i r st t i m e. T h e ti d e i s ou t , y ou ar e r est i n g on m u d , y ou n eed a p i l ot , w h o k n ow s y ou r an al ogi es ar e w eak an d y ou r p r i d e i s m i gh ty. L i ke a sh i p a- sai l w i th n o en gi n e, y ou p r ay f or w i n d to l ead y ou p ast th e sof t sw el l of y ou n g l over s to th e br eak w at er of h ear th , t o t ea an d t h e qu i et com p ass of a str an ger ?s voi ce bi d d i n g y ou saf e tr avel s, sm al l h u r t s.

A r tw or k : A n n Fi sch er

O n C o u gar M o u n t ai n Ri d ge D i ck A l tm an I w an t t o w r i t e abou t m ou n tai n l i on s, m ou n t ai n l i on s of w i n d ? scor n f u l , u n t am ed , v i ol en t, n at i ve t o h i gh cou n tr y I w an t t h e m et ap h or to tr an sf u se y ou w i t h ch i l l , th r obbi n g f r i gh t ? as I h ave f el t, tr aver si n g cl i f f to can y on ? as p i ck- u p s r av i n e of f by w ay s, tool sh ed s f l i p , ch ai ses or bi t i n to gl ass I w an t y ou t o f ear h ow th e beasts ch ar ge d ow n th e r oad , h ow t h ei r p aw s gr i t , ci n d er , r asp y ou r f ace, h ow y ou t w i st aw ay, as I h ave, as th ey k n ock y ou d ow n I w an t y ou t o i n h al e th ei r br eath , f et i d , bi tter , sear i n g I w an t y ou t o f eel , f or an i n st an t , y ou r ey es go d ar k , as m i n e h ave, as i f i n br i gh t su n , y ou w er e r u n n i n g, scr am bl i n g, t u m bl i n g i n tu n n el of n i gh t I w an t y ou r h ear t p u m p i n g i n ter r or , as y ou r ace u p sk i - steep h i l l , on ly w ay ou t , on ly w ay h om e I w an t y ou r m i n d t o sei ze on th e i m age, th en f or ce i t aw ay bef or e i t f r eezes w i l l , as w i n d ?s jaw s bu r n , r ake f l esh , as th ey h ave m i n e I w an t y ou st ar v i n g f or ai r , as th i gh s, ar m s, l u n gs scr eam i n p an i cked sy n cop ati on , as h ou se f i n al ly r i ses i n v i ew I w an t y ou t o t r i p an d f al l , ch oke agai n on th e br eath I w an t y ou t o gag, as I h ave, on tast e of su p p u r at i n g bon e, on gr i st l e of w i l d f i r e ash , r an ges ch ar r ed , bl acken ed p eak s I w an t y ou t o f or ce f r on t d oor sh u t , sl am bol t I w an t y ou t o f eel sou n d of beasts u n l eash i n g th ei r f u l l r age agai n st d oor I w an t y ou t o h ear si l en ce, as I h ave, bef or e w i n d ow s sh at t er I w an t y ou t o st op r ead i n g, bef or e th ey go f or ey es, t h r oat , m i n d i n h el p l essn ess ex p l od i n g

A r tw or k : L i l l i an Ch ow

Ei d o l o n T . S. Page

Sh e k n ew sh e w as h i s Ei d ol on , u n h ap p y as th at w as. He n eed ed su ch a h au n t i n g, an d sh e, cu r v i n g an d sel f p ossessed f i t th e sp ace. I t w as ti r i n g at best. Som et i m es sh e er ect ed a cop y of h er sel f to h an g, f oggy i n th e ai r , to escap e. H e d i d n ot seem to m i n d or n ot i ce, k n eel i n g, seei n g th r ou gh th e ey e of w af t i n g n eed . Sh e cam e back w i th ar m l oad s of d ai si es, d u m p ed u p on th e al tar h e h ad m ad e. H e tor e th e p etal s on e by on e. sh e l oves m e, sh e, u n d er on e su n , h ot , l oves m e n ot .

A r tw or k : Sam i Cave

Sax i f r aga x u r b i u m Br i an Ri gg O n th e n i n t h d ay y ou w en t af t er m y m oth er . I w atch ed as y ou h el d h er ton gu e back f or th e r est of ou r st ay, tu r n ed i t i n to a sn ake bi t h er voi ce r ep eat ed ly u n t i l , bl oat ed w i t h f ear , i t th r eat en ed t o ju m p ou t of h er m ou th .

To p r ot ect m y bod y, I w eave a su i t of an ti - w h i te bed azzl ed w i t h m u t i - col ou r ed cr y st al - bead ed bags, I k n i t i n f i r e an d r et r i bu ti on an d r ai n bow s. D on i t l i ke ar m ou r w i t h a d i sco bal l h el m et an d becom e r ad i oact i ve.

I n stead of m y bl ack h an d to sh ake I gi ve y ou a m ol d ed , p l asti c r ep l i ca of m y bl ack h an d w r eath ed i n th e w el com e of Sax i f r aga x u r bi u m ,

I gi ve y ou h op e an d tr u st i n th e sh ap e of r u by f eat h er s an d ti n y em er al d w i n gs f r om l on g ex ti n ct bi r d s, p er h ap s of a p ar ad i se.

Bef or e I p ar e y ou d ow n to a f l i gh t l ess w or d r ead y t o d evou r t h e y ou n g of y ou r p ost w ar w or l d , I w i l l m ake cer t ai n t o p r om i se y ou ever y th i n g An d in th e f in e pr in t I w i l l m ake n o p r om i ses.

A r tw or k : T i f f an y T u ch ek

I car u s L o st T h om as Si m s W e?d l on g gr ow n t i r ed of th at d ar k , d oom ed h ol e: t h e w or k sh op . Sw eat , h eat, an d sear i n g f l am e f r am ed al l m y d ear son ?s y ou th . I n tr u t h , w e th i r st ed f or f r eed om , p u r e an d w h ol e an d h oly. Sover ei gn t y over t over ou r selves, d evoi d of p ai n or bl am e, an d n atu r al . Som e essen ti al l on gi n g th at ou r ver y bei n gs cr aved : t o take a st ep ? u n gr ou n d ed . A n d so, I ben t ar t an d sk i l l an d tech n i qu e to m y w i l l . A r ti f i ced agi l i ty, an d f r am e h el d w ax an d d ow n ad h esi ve. A f at h er ?s l ove, d ov i sh i n f or m , an d st r ap p ed to bot h ou r back s. M i m i cked m obi l i ty t o gi ve m y son a f u t u r e, an d al l of m y af f ect i on ben t to m ake h i m h over above an d aw ay f r om sl av i sh i m p r i son m en t. At l ast, ar m s beat i n g d ow n agai n st th e ear th an d ai r w e str ove aw ay f r om al l ou r ch ai n s. A n d h ow h e d an ced on cl ou d an d l i gh t l i ke som e god ; h e str od e w i t h ease above th e w i n d s. W e w er e f r ee to soar an d f l ee an d p l ay am on g th e h eaven s. H el i os m u st h ave taken af f r on t at h ow m y son tr od w i th i n h i s si gh t ; f or h i s br i gh t an d bu r n i n g r ay s f i l l ed th e boy ?s sof t ey es, an d bad e h i m f or get h i s f at h er ?s si l ly f ear s. So u p h e f l ew, r en ew ed h op e an d joy an d l ove f or al l th e w or l d w i th i n h i s sm i l e. H e l au gh ed an d bad e m e w at ch h i s br ash ascen t . L u n gs p ai n ed , as I scr eam ed h i s p r eci ou s n am e agai n st th e w i n d s, w h i l e t h e su n n on ch al an tly m el ted al l h i s w axen w i n gs. I m age stai n ed , ever on m y m i n d : h i s f ace as h e f i r st began to f al l .

I ?d h ave p l an t ed h i m a gar d en , h ed ged h i m r ou n d abou t w i t h f r u i t s an d al l good th i n gs. I ?d h ave br eath ed l i f e i n t o h i s l u n gs an d f ash i on ed h ap p i n ess i n d eep set gr ou t an d m or t ar . I ?d h ave h el p ed h i m f i n d a w i f e t o sh ar e w i t h h i m i n al l an d al l , an d I ?d h ave kep t h i m f r om al l k n ow l ed ge w h i ch i m p er i l s. Fool i sh m or tal ?s p l an s: d esi r e d evoi d of n eed ed m ean s, an d i n l i eu of each of th ese beau t i f u l an d f i r m bl essi n gs, I gave h i m a p ai r of qu i ck ly br oken , f r agi l e, w axen w i n gs.

A r tw or k : w i n d f l ow er

A Few Q u i ck W o r d s Jo U r tasu n L et?s sp eak as t h e bees d o. A f ew qu i ck w or d s as I w al k ou t th e d oor w h i ch m att er n o m or e th an l eaves. M e y ou ? y ou ? m e y ou h ave f or got t en m e w el l an d I f or get t o sm oke to l ook to w r i te. I w i sh I d i d n ot f eel l i ke y ou r m oth er , beau ti f u l an d f ai t h f u l an d an ci en t . Per h ap s I am m y sel f agai n ? p i n k as a p r on ou n .

A r tw or k : A n gel i ca Gar ci a

A r tw or k : L en a Z y ci n sk y

L at e W i n t er Sn ow Tai si a Paster n ak ?H i , d ear . T h e w ar h as begu n .? D ad ?s voi ce on th e p h on e w as

I tor e m y ey es of f th e scr een an d l i f ted m y h ead . A cascad i n g w al l of

bar ely au d i bl e, u n w i l l i n g to l eave h i s th r oat. I t w as a cl ear , w i n tr y d ay at th e en d of Febr u ar y. W e w er e i n a Ru ssi an Si ber i an tow n , a si x- h ou r f l i gh t f r om th e U k r ai n i an bor d er .

sn ow w as su r r ou n d i n g m y car , m ar bl e- si zed l u m p s of i t p ou r i n g d ow n on th e br i ck bu i l d i n gs an d si lver si d ew al k s. T h e sn ow w as so d en se i t ap p ear ed to seep th r ou gh m y w i n d sh i el d . I w atch ed i t f al l ,

I p ar ked m y car an d op en ed th e n ew s on m y p h on e. I r ead th at an h ou r ago, Pr esi d en t Pu ti n h ad an n ou n ced a sp eci al m i l i tar y op er ati on to d en azi f y an d d em i l i tar i ze U k r ai n e. I n d ep en d en t Ru ssi an m ed i a r ep or ted th at sou n d s of ex p l osi on s an d ai r r ai d al er ts h ad w oken u p th e r esi d en ts of U k r ai n e?s cap i tal Ky i v. Ky i v ?s m ay or tol d p eop l e n ot to p an i c, bu t to be r ead y to get to a sh el ter . T h e Ru ssi an D ef en se M i n i str y p r ocl ai m ed i t w as n ot car r y i n g ou t str i kes on ci ti es an d on ly u si n g h i gh - p r eci si on w eap on s to d i sabl e U k r ai n i an m i l i tar y i n f r astr u ctu r e. T h e U k r ai n i an gover n m en t sai d th at a Ru ssi an com bat d r on e f el l i n th e cen ter of Ky i v. I n an oth er U k r ai n i an ci ty, seven ap ar tm en t bu i l d i n gs cau gh t f i r e af ter sh el l i n g. A bu i l d i n g w as bom bed i n a th i r d ci ty, k i l l i n g a ch i l d .

h y p n oti zed , si tti n g m oti on l ess i n m y w ar m , m u r m u r i n g car . I m ages f r om th e n ew sf eed began ap p ear i n g i n f r on t of m y ey es: sm oke- cover ed sk i es, sh atter ed bu i l d i n gs, sm ol d er i n g car s. I kep t th i n k i n g h ow ou r gover n m en t w as r esp on si bl e f or th i s, an d h ow si m i l ar i ts acti on s w er e to th i s sn ow : p er vasi ve, u n r u ly, an d u n p u n i sh ed . A m i d th e w h i te f r en zy, I saw a m i d d l e- aged m an m ar ch i n g ah ead i n a th i ck gr ap h i te coat. H e w as ch eck i n g th e w atch u n d er h i s sl eeve, i m p er v i ou s to th e sn ow. T h en a y ou n g w om an str u tted by, so cl ose I cou l d h ear h er boots cr u n ch i n g agai n st th e i cy p avem en t. Sh e sh i el d ed h er ey es f r om th e sn ow w i th on e or an ge- gl oved h an d an d h el d h er p h on e to h er ear w i th an oth er , gi ggl i n g.

I w an ted to ju m p ou t of m y car , stop th e m an an d th e w om an , an d

th e sn ow stor m ch oi ce. I t w as

m ake th em see h ow th i s sn ow, our sn ow, w as d r op p i n g bom bs on i n n ocen t ci ti es an d k i l l i n g p eop l e at d aw n . I w an ted to scr eam , ?H ow d ar e y ou go on w i th y ou r l i ves i n th e m i d st of th i s aval an ch e? W e?ve

en em i es, i t w as ju sti f i ed . I t w as on ly tr y i n g to p r otect u s. A l l of i t h ad been ex p l ai n ed to th em on T V, h ad n ?t I h ear d ?

been tol er ati n g i t f or y ear s, w e can ?t d o i t an y l on ger !? Bu t I k n ew th ey w ou l d tel l m e th at

?Bu t w h at i f i t?s n ot tr u e?? I w ou l d ask i n a qu aver i n g voi ce. T h ei r an sw er w ou l d be si m p l e. ?W h o ar e we to con tr ol th e sn ow ??

A r tw or k : Col l een Bu gg

h ad n o oth er f or ced by th e

Idea...

A r tw or k : Sam an t h a Par d o I r i goy en

The following literary works are the winners of our I DEA-themed 250-word creative writing challenge!

Em er gen cy Pau l Festa I d eal ly

u n d er

I t ?s alw ay s been back of m i n d to

bet t er ci r cu m st an ces. I d on ?t l i ke

w ou l d

m eet, ju st n ot l i ke th i s. A gai n st al l

an em er gen cy an y m or e th an y ou

od d s w e h ave i d eal i zed th e f u tu r e.

d o, as y ou h ave i n d i cat ed i n y ou r

For som e, th e p ast sm ooth s over

ap p l i cat i on ;

see

an d sw eeten s, bu t f or av i d u s th e

p ot en t i al h er e, w aves th at p ass i n

con d en sati on on ly col l ects, p u l -

var i ed l en gt h s an d h u es th r ou gh a

l i n g u s f or w ar d . O n th e w h ol e, I

p er son al h i st or y, a l i n eage, a cu l -

th i n k w e h ave th e h ar d er r oad .

an d

m eet

y et

tu r e. W e l i ke y ou , an d w e l i ke w h at y ou h ave t o of f er .

Can th e r el ati on sh i p save u s? To u n d er stan d

Ci n d er el l a

com -

Bu t n ot h i n g i n y ou r ap p l i cati on

p l ex , go back to th e Gr i m m s an d

i n d i cates t h at y ou h ave gi ven th e

con tem p l ate a p ar tn er so d esi r -

m at t er

su f f i ci en t

abl e as to w ar r an t sel f - m u ti l ati on .

th ou gh t . T h i n k on i t . Get back to

To ap p ly ou r selves u n d er th ese

u s, an d w e?ll get back to y ou . I t ?s

con d i ti on s, w e m u st act as th ou gh

n ot a n o, i t ?s n ot a w ai t- an d - see. I t ?s

h obbl i n g bl i n d on sel f - m u ti l ated

m ot h er

em er gen cy

f eet an d seek sh el ter i n a k i n d er

p r ecoci ou s ch i l d bor n f r om h er

i n ven t i on ,

i m agi n at i on . I t m i gh t tu r n ou t th e

f at h er ?s h ead . I t ?s w h at w e m ake of

sam e, or

i t, an d w h at w e m ake of each ot h er

i n ter ven e.

m ak i n g som et h i n g of i t : a m ar r i age, a m er gi n g.

W i th ou t n ot h i n g.

w or se, or

y ou r

f ate m i gh t

i n t er est

ar e

A r t w or k : Joh n L an d er s

LA A l an a H ol l en bau gh I l ost m y f avor i te r ed l i p sti ck th at n i gh t on th e str eet s of L A bef or e th e p ar t y h ad i n t r od u ced i t sel f to m e. T h e u n i ver se of f er ed a bott l e of ch eap r ed w i n e as r ecom p en se, w h i ch I u sed to d y e m y l i p s th e d u l l v i ol et of n i gh t sh ad e. I cor n er ed th e gh ost of th e m an si on an d th ey tol d m e of t h e m i d su m m er r evel s th at w ou l d h ave m an i f ested th ei r m or e cor p or eal f or m , r at h er th an th e op aci ty of th e n i gh t?s N ovem ber ch i l l . T h ei r t r an sp ar en cy w as m y m oti v ati on f or con ver sat i on : th e w ay m oon beam s f i l ter ed th r ou gh th ei r ap p ar i ti on ech oed m y m el an ch ol i c secl u si on u n t i l th ey ev ap or ated . A st age sh on e w i t h th e gh ostl i gh t i n i t s cage. Poets, si n ger s, an d st r an ger s w ou l d p op u l at e i t i n th e h ou r s th at f ol l ow ed , sh ou ti n g th ei r th ou gh t s u n t i l th e ai r becam e th i ck w i th th eor i es. M asqu es f r om st or age t r u n k s an d l on g- l ef t l over s gave a f ace to th e ch ar ad e th at w e l i ved d u r i n g d ay l i gh t: bu t n ow w e h i d ou r selves f or a p ar ty tr i ck ou r p er son al i t i es car d s h i d d en u p th e m agi ci an ?s sl eeve. I l ef t t h e st age to i t s p r esh ow sl eep ? sw i tch i n g of f w i th th e l i gh t as I st u m bl ed t o m y d ew y - d am p gr ass an d m y ap p ar i ti on w h er e w e l et ou r selves sw ay w i t h a d i st an t accor d i on ?s br eath .

I n H er M i n d 's Ey e Ly n n Rad f or d A l l of a su d d en , sh e cu t th e m an n equ i n i n h al f !

sem bl an ce of w h at h er br ai n con coct ed .

T h e en or m i t y of w h at sh e?d d on e d i d n ?t h i t h er u n t i l th e gr ati n g, squ eak i n g sou n d of th e box k n i f e ceased . I t w asn ?t u n t i l sh e h el d t h e t w o h alves i n h er h an d s t h at sh e w aver ed .

I n th e m om en t, sh e w as si m p ly r i d i n g th e w ave of th e i d ea as i t h i t . Sh e w asn ?t p au si n g to con si d er th e ti m e i t w ou l d take to f i n d th e th i n gs sh e n eed ed to f i n i sh . Sh e w asn ?t l ett i n g f ear p ar aly ze h er . Rat h er , sh e h ad taken th e bu l l by i ts h or n s an d em br aced th e ch aos i n th e h op es th at w h at sh e saw i n h er m i n d ?s ey e cou l d be br ou gh t to r eal i t y to be sh ar ed w i th oth er s.

So m u ch f or t ak i n g th e saf e r ou te. Sh e ju st com m i t ted to h er sel f t o a y ear s- l on g h u n t f or ju st th e r i gh t p i eces to com p l ete h er v i si on an d h u n d r ed s of h ou r s m or e, t o m an i p u l ate each bi t an d bob i n to som e

T h at?s w h at m akes h er an ar ti st.

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

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 Benjamin Rose is a poet born and raised in the D.C. area. His poetry has been published online and in print at The Dillydoun Review, Beyond Words Literary Magazine, and Cathexis Northwest Press. He studies English Literature at the Catholic University of America. 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. Grayson Thompson is a Black, queer transgender writer boi, a poet, moonlighting as a therapist. He has been featured in Carnival Literary Magazine, Backbone Press, Belletrist Magazine, Cathexis Northwest Press, and High Shelf Press. A Florida cowboy with a West Coast heart, he chooses madness: of the wild, of the truth, of love, and of dreaming. He hopes you can find some in his poems. Lucie James lives in Kent (UK) and is currently working on her novel, whilst continuing with her short stories. Lucie lives with her husband and two cats and currently works in administration. Kimberly Bella lives just outside of Boston with her husband, college-student twins, and three cantankerous pets. Her poems and writing have been featured in Beyond Words Literary Magazine and Women on Writing. She holds an M.B.A. in Finance from Suffolk University. Hannah Behrens is a poet, freelance writer, and writing coach. She has an MFA in Creative Writing from the University of Colorado. She is a native of Boulder, Colorado, and has lived in the Netherlands since 2016. She is working towards her Ph.D. in Expressive Arts Therapy. See her work at weedsandwilderness.com Tobi Alfier is published nationally and internationally. Credits include War, Literature and the Arts, The American Journal of Poetry, KGB Bar Lit Mag, Washington Square Review, Cholla Needles, The Ogham Stone, Permafrost, Gargoyle, Arkansas Review, Anti-Heroin Chic, and others. She is co-editor of San Pedro River Review (www.bluehorsepress.com).

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 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. T. S. Page won awards in the FSPA poetry contest in 2022, and is published in several online magazines. Her Poetry Chapbook, Gradient is available on Amazon. Brian Rigg’s poems has been published in Canadian, US and UK literary magazines. They can also be found in the anthologies: Ma’ka Diasporic Juks: Contemporary Writing by Queers of African Descent and Seminal: The Anthology of Canada’s Gay Male Poets. His first book of poetry, A False Paradise, was published by ECW Press in 2001. A small collection of poems titled Soft Animals won the 2021 Steel Toe Books chapbook competition. He is a 2016 LAMBDA Fellow and is featured in their anthology, Emerge. Thomas Sims holds a B.S. in Biology from the Templeton Honors College at Eastern University. He currently teaches sixth grade science and eleventh grade history/philosophy/literature in Phoenix, Arizona. Jo Urtasun is a poet and translator who grew up between the Basque Country and the UK. She recently completed her MFA in Poetry and Literary Translation at Columbia University where she was a reader for the Columbia Journal. She is currently based in New York. @jourtasun Taisia Pasternak spent most of her life between Russia, where she was born, and the U.S. She currently lives in Thailand with her husband and two sons. This is her first publication. Paul Festa’s essays and criticism appear in numerous publications and anthologies, including The New York Times Book Review, The Los Angeles Review of Books, The Daily Beast, Salon, HuffPost Opinions, three editions of the Best Sex Writing series, and Nerve: The First Ten Years. He teaches fiction writing, poetry, and modern Italian history, among other subjects, at Bard College Berlin, and have won awards and fellowships including several residencies at MacDowell and Yaddo.

Alana Hollenbaugh is a Boston based writer. She spends her time wandering museums, knitting, or exploring the National Parks, when she can be pulled away from the book she's reading. Her recent works have been published in Beyond Words' January issue, Coffin Bell Journal, and The Write Launch. Lynn Radford writes from her home studio, The Studio at Piney Creek Acres, in Western Pennsylvania. Her passion for detailed imagery allows her stories to linger in the mind of the reader. Her flash, poetry and essays have been published in a variety of anthologies, literary journals and magazines.

VISUAL ARTISTS Cover art: Keep It Real, 23x30, 2018 by Deb Chaney. Deb Chaney has been creating and exhibiting her mixed media abstract paintings for two decades. Her work is composed of many intriguing layers and textures and inspired by her healing and spiritual journey back to her authentic self. Her work appears in corporate and private collections and exhibits nationally and internationally in galleries, public art, TV and Film. Wwww.debchaney.com Michele D’Acosta, Flowering Transformation. Michele creates to recalibrate and transform the trauma of past atrocities against BIPOC people into empowered envisioning and deep remixing in a bold attempt to loosen the bonds of normative structure to create a space for the celebration of BIPOC neurodiversity. Learn more at https://lookabox.me. Jack Bordnick, A Helping Hand; Facing It Together Series. Jack’s sculptures and photography incorporate surrealistic, mythological and magical imagery often with whimsical overtones — aimed at provoking our experiences and self reflections. Aiming to unbalance our rational minds, the predominant imagery deals mostly with facial expressions of both living and “non-living” beings, and things that speak to us in their own languages. They are mixed media assemblages that have been assembled, disassembled and reassembled, becoming abstractions unto themselves. Nadia Hasan, Hunger. Art is where Nadia commences self investigation. Her work is either hung on a wall or worn. The wearable pieces are what her great nomadic ancestral grandmother might wear on a Friday night while she crisscrosses a valley on the Silk Road. Nadia’s work arrives like a fever and emerges as she rummages for herself Nijole Rasmussen, Reversion, 20x16, acrylic on canvas. Abstract artist Nijole Rasmussen lives in Denver, Colorado. Her art is her perception of reality with touch of realism. She expresses herself with color and form as it speaks to her. Jessica Duan, New Love. Born in Manhattan and raised in Flushing, Queens, Jessica Duan grew up drawing from a young age and is technically an art school dropout! Her favorite mediums include watercolors, pencils, and now acrylics. Even with a Bachelors in Psychology, she continued drawing throughout school and would use art as meditation and a source of joy and expression.

GB Clarkson, Outing. GB Clarkson is a UK poet who enjoys exploring visual and verbal images. Jiho Kim (b.2005 in Korea, Seoul) is a Korean artist and high school student at Idyllwild Arts in California who mainly paints hyperrealism in oil on canvas. Her main theme is her personal story, which is about emotion, memory, and belief. She creates a representative image of the situation using a figure's pose and facial expression. Ann Fischer, On the Boardwalk in Winter. Ann is a writer and a photographer living in an Artscape community in Toronto, Ontario Canada. Her fiction and creative nonfiction pieces have been published in several anthologies as well as in literary magazines in print and online. Her photographs have been exhibited in galleries from time to time, most recently as part of the CONTACT Festival of Photography in May 2023. Lillian Chow, The Lion. Lillian is an emerging artist from Toronto, Ontario. She primarily works with acrylic paint on canvas and wooden board. She aspires to becoming an established artist with a definitive style and characteristics that can evolve into an emotionally stimulating images. Sami Cave, Daydreaming of Peace. 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/ Tiffany Tuchek, Vibrational Balance. Tiffany is an aspiring photographer and emerging writer. She lives in Michigan with her husband and rescue pets - two dogs and five parrots. She enjoys reflecting the powerful and fragile aspects of life through poetry and artwork. windflower, The Promise. windflower lives with her wife on the Mendocino Coast in Northern California, on unceded ancestral land of the Pomo people. Her poetry has been published in numerous journals and anthologies, including international publications. Her chapbook “Age Brings Them Home to Me” will be published in 2024 by Finishing Line Press. Angelica Garcia, Bee Chase! Angelica is an upcoming, recent graduate Illustrator from New Jersey City University. She loves to draw in traditional mediums such as pencil, charcoal and pastels, as well as paint in watercolors and acrylic. Her goals in her Illustration career are to create her own illustrated children's book, display

her artworks in galleries, and travel to many places which serve as live references for her future artworks. Lena Zycinsky, Georgia, mixed media on canvas (2021). Lena Zycinsky is an artist and poet. Born in Belarus, she has lived in the US, Greece and the UK. Her work has appeared in New York Times, Consequence and Poetry Archive among other places. She is the author of numerous books and shows. More at lenazycinsky.com. Colleen Bugg sees the elements of art in everything, for example when she looks at the human figure she sees line, shape, colour, texture, light, shadow.... Making art, experimenting with materials, experimenting with creative space, with size, with layers, breaking the art rules... makes things interesting. Samantha Pardo Irigoyen, Glass Half Full. Samantha is an aspiring photographer who has studied in New York City. Samantha Pardo Irigoyen aspires to master the arts in every form. She has worked closely with other artists, photographers, writers and playwrights. She hopes to inspire others to believe in themselves and fill the world with prose. John Landers, Painting the World. John is an illustrator and painter of weird and colorful characters. He has a supporting family always willing to take reference photos when necessary and multiple cats that, when they aren't sitting in boxes, are walking all over his paintings. He primarily works digitally but is known to throw acrylic paint at canvas every now and again. David Birozy, Everybody Told Woody That Flame Juggling Wasn't a Good Hobby. 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.

Contents 0 1 T h e Con st an t Gar d en er B en jam i n Rose 0 5 Ch i l d h ood L i n a Bu i v i d av i ?i ? t? 0 6 I l ove y ou Gr ay son T h om p son 11 Su i ci d e by Van i t y L u ci e Jam es 14 V i gi l K i m ber ly B el l a 16 A f ter Sh e H ear d H i m ... H an n ah B eh r en s 18 Cap e Sp l i t Tobi A l f i er 20 O n Cou gar M ou n t ai n Ri d ge D i ck A l t m an 22 Ei d ol on T . S. Page 24 Sax i f r aga x u r bi u m Br i an Ri gg 26 I car u s L ost T h om as Si m s 28 A Few Q u i ck W or d s Jo U r t asu n 30 L at e W i n t er Sn ow Tai si a Past er n ak 32 I D EA Ch al l en ge i n cl u d i n g Pau l Fest a, A l an a H ol l en bau gh , Ly n n Rad f or d

Beyond Words T he I nternational M agazine of Word & I mage I SBN 9783948977467