Beyond Words Magazine, Issue 57

OUR EDITORIAL BOARD A hearing impaired writer and artist adopted in Luxembourg, Kelly Sargent is an award-winning author of two memoirs in verse, a haiku and senryu poetry collection, and a children’s storybook. Recent honors include: Firebird Book Award winner, The Rash Award in Poetry finalist, Eric Hoffer Award nominee, Touchstone Award for Individual Poems nominee, and Best of the Net nominee. Her other works have appeared in more than eighty literary journals. She also serves as the creative nonfiction editor of The Bookends Review. Visit www.kellysargent.com to learn more about her.

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), Ignis Fatuus (Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Issue 35, 2023) and The Fly & Odor (Beyond Words Press, 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 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.

IG: @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.

WRITERS Alexandra McIntosh lives and writes in Kentucky, her favorite place in the world. You can find pictures of her dogs and links to her publications on her Instagram @the_real_alexmac.

Rachel Parker lives in Delaware with her husband Dustin and two children, Avery and Ford. Her work has appeared in Riverteeth, Penstricken, Anomaly Poetry, and Beyond Words Magazine. She writes regularly on Substack at Fragments of Humanity, exploring literature's intersection with psychology. She is a member of the Rehoboth Beach Writers Guild and an alumna of Lauren Grodstein and Ann Garvin's "After the Novel" workshop in Paris.

Chaim Wachsberger is a student at the MFA program in Queens College, New York, focusing on writing poetry. Prior to joining the program, he had practiced law in New York for several decades. He lives in Manhattan with his wife.

Lina Buividavičiūtė was born on May 14, 1986. She is a poet and literary critic. Lina is author of two poetry books in the Lithuanian language. Her poetry is published in Matter, Masters and Proverse Poetry Prize anthologies, and the magazines: Drunk Monkeys, Beyond Words, The Dewdrop, The Limit Experience, Beyond Queer Words, Maudlin House, Cathexis Northwest Press, Poetry Online, Red Noise Collective, Sad Girls Diaries, as well as the Versopolis poetry platform. Upcoming publications include New Millennium Writings, Cathexis Northwest Press, Red Noise Collective, The Stardust Review and Beyond Words.

Eliot Wilson’s work has appeared in many journals over the years. He is two-time winner of poetry fellowships from the National Endowment from the Arts and has three books to his credit.

Wes Ritchie is a writer living in Provincetown, Massachusetts. His forthcoming chapbook, Just Out Here Trying to Feel Something, is under contract with Finishing Line Press for Fall 2025 publication. His poetry and other publications have appeared in Bay Windows, Wingless Dreamer, Suffolk Transnational Law Review, and the MWDN. Mark Williams’s poems have appeared in Beyond Words, The Southern Review, Rattle, Nimrod, New Ohio Review and other journals and anthologies. His fiction has appeared in Eclectica, Cleaver, The Baffler, Valparaiso Fiction Review and elsewhere. He lives in Evansville, Indiana, with his wife, DeeGee. Syd Shaw (@sidlantro) is a queer poet from the San Fernando Valley. Syd is Workshop Coordinator at Passengers Journal, and a typewriter poet with the city of West Hollywood's Pride Poets group. She has previously been published with Black Spot Books, Cathexis Northwest, Wild Roof Journal, and Eclectica Magazine, among others.

Dilys Wyndham Thomas's first-ever published poem appeared in Beyond Words back in 2021 (Issue 18). Since then, her poems and stories have appeared in journals and anthologies, including Ink, Sweat & Tears, Shooter Literary Magazine, Rust & Moth, and Wild Roof Review. Find Dilys online at dilyswt.com.

Nicole Bird is a poet whose work has appeared in the Angel City Review, Monadnock Underground, As Surely as the Sun, and The Acentos Review, among others. Her writing has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net. Her chapbook, Baptized by Earthquake: Poems about Hollywood, is available through Nat 1 Publishing and her website, www.nicolebirdthewriter.com. Currently, Nicole teaches creative writing in Orlando, Florida and plays tennis in her free time.

Dawny'all Heydari is an Iranian American Christian transgender climate, racial, and economic justice activist. Dawny’all is a first-year Ph.D. student in Ethnic Studies at University of California, Berkeley. Previously, Dawny’all served as Climate Campaign Manager, Advocacy at Pacific Environment. Visit Dawny’all on instagram @itsdawnyall and LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawny’all-heydari-55259214a/ 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, Landing Zone, Cathexis Northwest Press, 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. His work also appears in the first edition of The New Mexico Anthology of Poetry, published by the New Mexico Museum Press. Pushcart Prize nominee and poetry winner of Santa Fe New Mexican’s annual literary competition, he has authored some 250 poems, published on four continents.

Dario Cvencek is an immigrant poet from the Balkans. He started writing poetry in high school, inspired by his growing up during the Bosnian War in the 1990s, and his subsequent experiences as a refugee of war and an immigrant in Germany and the United States. In his poems, he explores the themes of war, trauma, healing, identity, gun violence, immigration, nature, and love. His work has appeared in independent literary magazines, such as Rising Phoenix Review, Gnashing Teeth Publishing, ANARKISS, Blood+Honey and others. He has also been featured in the anthology, Silence is Consent: American Poets Speaking to the American Conscience (Casablanca Press, 2025). His first full-length collection of poetry PTSD Martini will be released by Carbonation Press in May 2025. He lives and works in Seattle, WA. Connect with Dario on Instagram at @dario_poetry.

Karin Henrikson is a poet from Northern New Jersey. She considers two of the greatest gifts in her life to be adopting two children from the other side of the world who, though they look nothing like her, have hearts that are connected to hers in a way she never dreamed possible. After that how could there be another great gift, really,

but running second is the way it feels to have a poem write itself, with her fingers as merely the conduit for communicating the joys and struggles of her soul.

Alves dos Santos was born on February 4, 1978, in the South African city of Johannesburg, but he grew up in Machico, the land where Portuguese explorers first set foot on the beautiful island of Madeira. Alves dos Santos has been described as a traveler of the soul, an explorer of human stories and uncharted realms. In his words, we find the beauty of an essence in constant ferment—a blend of pure air and volcanic undertones—but above all, the portrait of a man who lives in harmony with discovery, truth, and, most of all, life.

Emil Kristèv is a twenty-three-year-old queer Anglo(-)Bulgarian poet usually residing in the Netherlands. He is reading to become a literary critic (graduating at the University of Utrecht in September 2025) after having spent six years dedicated to civil engineering and four to modelling. He has been published in the 8th ed. of Beyond Queer Words anthology, and in The Odd Review. One poem of his was shown at the 2025 Spring World Unite Festival in Leeds, the UK. His poetry explores the limits of poetic possession through linguistic instability, sexual yearning, and academic passion.

Ana Bochnicek is a Minnesota-based poet with a bachelor's degree in Writing. She primarily writes pieces inspired by spirituality, pain, family, and nature. She enjoys reading, collecting vinyls, and meaningful conversation.

Isaac Humphrey (they/he) is a recovering academic. A native of South Carolina, they’ve flitted across the country in search of the great, unknown Something. They enjoy exploring queer identities and existential themes in their writing.

Meg Taylor is a writer who spent years navigating corporate America before reclaiming herself through poetry, while exposing the absurdities of workplace culture, gender dynamics, and the struggle to break free. With humor and honesty, she explores what it truly means to live beyond the grind.

VISUAL ARTISTS Cover art: Helpless by Basak Devrim Andreutti. Basak Devrim Andreutti is a traditional oil painter based in Europe, shaped by life across many countries and languages. A quiet devotee of learning and Japanese culture, her work reflects curiosity and depth.

She believes art is essential to life, and that together, art and science can transform the world.

Samuel Bartlett, Seaside. 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. He fuses non-traditional materials and found items into his work, giving it a more sculptural quality. Nature and the effects of the passage of time are his two primary sources of inspiration.

Yvonne Rojas-Cowan, Garden of Thorns, Mixed, 30x40, 2021. Yvonne is a multi= disciplinary artist whose captivating works, characterized by layered textures and expressive brushstrokes, explore themes of resilience, transformation, and the human spirit. As a dedicated advocate for the arts community, she serves as Exhibitions Director at the renowned Woodstock Artists Association and Museum in Woodstock, NY, where she curates thought-provoking exhibitions that showcase the work of emerging and established artists. Her artistic vision has captivated audiences worldwide, with her work featured in numerous publications and prestigious commissions that demonstrate her exceptional talent and artistic depth.

Simon Piesse, Cascade. Simon is an emerging photographer, poet, translator and musician from London, UK. Simon's photography has recently been published by Fusion Art and by Light Space Time.

Ernest Williamson III, Loin De Quoi. Dr. Ernest Williamson III has published creative work in over 630 journals. His artwork has been published in hundreds of outlets including New England Review, Columbia Review, Penn Review, and Fourteen Hills.

His poetry has also appeared in hundreds of journals including Roanoke Review, Pinyon Review, and The Brazen Head (UK); Ernest lives in Tennessee.

Emma Cownie, Tory Island - a remote island on the northernmost edge of Donegal.

Emma Cownie is a realist landscape artist based in Donegal and Northern Ireland. Her work is informed by the past and a fascination with how people have lived and their buildings. Her website www.emmafcownie.com Lori Moretti, Scream: Portraits of Collective Rage and Reckoning. Lori is a Bostonbased visual artist whose work delves into the emotional landscapes of human experience, often exploring themes of identity, resilience, and societal dynamics. She studied Psychology and Fine Arts at Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, grounding her artistic practice in both creative expression and a curiosity about human behavior. Her paintings have been featured in several national juried exhibitions. In addition to her art practice, Lori is the founder of a boutique marketing

agency she has led for nearly 40 years. @lori_moretti

https://www.morettipaintings.com/; IG:

Moey Hewitt is an artist based in Tallahassee, Florida, where she is currently pursuing her MFA at Florida State University. She holds a BFA from the University of Central Florida (2016) and previously worked as an elementary school art educator. Her artistic practice is deeply informed by her lifelong connection to Florida’s diverse landscapes, which have provided a consistent sense of identity and inspiration. Hewitt’s paintings and sculptural works engage with themes of environmental stewardship, sustainability, and the complex interplay between humans and the natural world.

Crafted from natural and locally sourced materials, her work explores the intricate balance between human connection to landscapes and the ecological impact of human activity. By weaving myth, memory, and meaning into her artistic process, Hewitt examines the dual role of landscapes as both cultural anchors and sites of environmental exploitation.

Andreea Ceplinschi, After the Storm. Andreea is a Romanian immigrant writer, waitress, and kitchen troll living and working at the tip of Cape Cod, where every person with an SLR has an opportunity to call themselves a photographer. She likes to take things apart, such as 35mm cameras, which she puts back together and shoots test rolls. She also writes poetry, fiction, and creative non-fiction. Her work has been featured or is forthcoming in Solstice Literary Magazine, Cathexis Northwest Press, Hare's Paw Literary Journal, The Blood Pudding, Wild Roof Journal, The Quarter(ly) Journal, and elsewhere. When not writing for herself, she volunteers for Passengers Journal. Find out more about her at poetryandbookdesign.com Gabriel McLeod, Charred Palette. Gabriel is an artist and writer located somewhere in the Southeast corner of the Americas known to some as Florida. It is rare he refers to himself in third person narration unless it is for the possible publication situation or late-night talks with his other voices found within his head, looking back at how far they have come and how much they still want to accomplish in the future and beyond.

Lior Locher, Botanic. Lior is a nonbinary mixed-media artist, mainly working in acrylic, and collage and printmaking. After having lived in 6 countries on 4 continents and being homeless at some point, they are now based at the English seaside. Their training is in personal development, coaching and therapy, they are fascinated by people’s inner lives and how we make sense of our own inner journeys as humans, and the inner dynamics and stories we tell ourselves.

Lawrence Bridges, Motorcycle. Lawrence Bridges' photographs have appeared in the Las Laguna Art Gallery, the London Photo Festival, and the ENSO Gallery in Malibu. He lives in Los Angeles.

Amy Wellman Edwards, Umbrella. 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. IG: @edwardsartstuff Holly Willis, Blue Light Clouds. Holly is a writer and photographer interested in abstract, botanical, landscape, and experimental imagery. Her recent work has explored light and color, with images often captured at sunrise or sunset that veer toward the ecstatic and point to a sense of yearning for peace within intensity.

Laura Cleary Williams works from Chattanooga, Tennessee. In 2009 she received her Bachelor of Fine Arts from Tufts University and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Next, Williams received a full scholarship to complete her Master's in Printmaking in 2012 at SCAD-Atlanta. Visit her website www.lauraclearywilliams.com Kaitlyn Synan, Ancestral Bloom. Kaitlyn, an artist from the Catskills, explores the intersection of science and spirituality within the daily human experience. Her work captures the beauty of impermanence, where colors and forms embody both vulnerability and resilience. Each piece invites viewers to reflect on how fleeting moments, though brief and intangible, leave lasting impressions that connect us to the essence of being alive.

Paula Praeger, History Speckled. Paula is an artist and a writer. Her prints have been widely exhibited in the United States and abroad. She has also contributed images to literary magazines. Instagram: @paulapraeger Mark Rosalbo, Graffiti Art (2020). 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. He later 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.

J.C. Henderson, Passengers. J.C. Henderson was originally a medical biologist. In the last two decades, her vocation has been dedicated to art. Henderson’s works have appeared in numerous art and literary magazines. She has sold hundreds of her original paintings.

Sandra Slaughter, Remorse. Sandra is a German-American painter based in Houston, Texas. Deeply influenced by personal life events, her work explores the raw emotional landscapes that shape the human experience as a self-taught abstract expressionist.

To her, art is not just a visual experience but an emotional and spiritual one, where every stroke and color represents the complexities of our existence. “What will remain are the memories, music, love and art.”

Annika Connor, Our Secret. Annika Connor is an Artist, Writer, and SAGAFTRA Actor.

A modern-day Renaissance woman, Connor is primarily known for her Watercolor & Oil Paintings. Connor uses strong Symbolism and passionate imagery to ignite the imagination. More information at www.annikaconnor.com.

Isaac Dolores, Spirit. Isaac is a Colorado artist and writer who creates multimedia sculptures using organic objects.

Brian Corral, Sent Out. Brian is observer, recorder, and lover of the intrinsic yet unseen energies and aura of life that surrounds each of us.

Alex Gust, Bound to Blue. Alex Gust is a visual artist and poet from Tacoma, Washington.