Beyond Words Magazine, Issue 58

OUR EDITORIAL BOARD A hearing impaired writer and artist adopted in Luxembourg, Kelly Sargent is an awardwinning 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 PolishItalian 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_ 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 Anne Bower's poetry includes 3 chapbooks: Poetry for Tai Chi Players (Kattywompus Press), The Space Between Us (Finishing Line Press), and Getting it Down on Paper (coauthored with Pamela Ahlen, Orchard St. Press), along with numerous poems in journals such as Evening Street Review, Rabble Review, Nine Cloud Journal, The Raven's Perch. She lives in rural Vermont, teaching tai chi, gardening, and visiting with family whenever possible. She continues to write poems, but is mostly focused on crafting a novel set in Appalachia with a protagonist who works on flood control but becomes a world-famous art quilter. www.annebower.studio 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.

Emily Paige Johnson is a Chicago-based writer, bartender, and traveler with a degree from Columbia College Chicago. Known for crafting work that is “kind of funny, wildly unsettling,” she explores themes of loss, love, and the unrelenting beauty of human resilience. Her work appears in Chicago Story Press.

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.

Sumit Parikh is a poet from Cleveland, OH, whose work is shaped by his experiences as a pediatric neurologist, a son, and a father. He finds poetry in both the complexities of his work as a physician and the quiet moments of everyday family life. His work has appeared in I-70 Review, North Dakota Quarterly, The Marbled Sigh, and Intima, among others. Some of his poems can be found at sumitspoetry.com. Sumit lives with his wife and daughter.

Rease Rios is a content marketer, lifelong traveler, and recovering perfectionist who cannot say no to an indie bookstore or ice cream shop. When she's not reading and writing, you'll find her absorbed in true crime podcasts, savoring strong coffee, or forcing herself to slow

down with embroidery. She's currently based in Philadelphia with her husband and two dogs.

Magnolia Jane Dill has lived in Mississippi since the age of four. She is an artist with a BA in Fine Arts, an MA in French Literature, an MFA in Creative Writing (2024) and is a beginning PhD student in French Literature. She is janedill1969 on Instagram, but doesn't have many friends she can relate to. She is happily married, with a chihuahua and has travelled many times to Paris.

Bri Ditzler is a graduate of the Iowa Writers' Workshop. She currently lives and writes in Duluth, MN, where she teaches at Lake Superior College.

Laurie Hollman is a psychoanalyst who has published award-winning nonfiction books (lauriehollmanphd.com), scores of articles (“Huffington Post”, “Thrive Global”, and others), short stories, novel excerpts, and poetry (“California Quarterly”, “Beyond Words”, and others). She has also widely exhibited her paintings in New York and published cover art.

She recently received Honorable Mention in the 2024 Art Of Unity Literary Award presented by the International Human Rights Movement for her poem, "An Ashkenazi Beauty" published in "Never Again: Remembering to Heal and Overcome." A Fence is accompanied by a remarkable photo taken by Laurie’s son, Rich Hollman, who climbed above his 4-yearold daughter on that tree. She inspired the poem.

Liz Weber is a writer born and raised in Kentucky, who now finds herself living in Idaho.

She holds an MA in journalism from American University, and her work has appeared in The Washington Post, High Country News, Sky Island Journal and various publications around the western US. She is fascinated by poetry's ability to communicate those achy truths where other forms of writing often fall short.

Margaret Kiernan is an Irish writer who writes prose and poetry. She is widely published in literary journals and magazines. She has also been nominated for The Best of The Net Award three times.

Mikela Bjork (she/her) is a queer creative, educator and mother in Southern California. Her work engages the intersections of identity formation, motherhood, sexuality and capitalism.

She has been published in Intima: A journal of narrative medicine; The Bombay Literary Magazine; OneArt Poetry; Cutthroat Magazine; Altadena Poetry Review; Gnashing Teeth, and Parchment and Quill.

Joanne Alfano lives in Lakeland, FL. Besides writing, she enjoys long deep conversations that end with everyone laughing, classic old movies (for the part of her that likes movies that clearly end), and family time. She has published two poetry collections: Soul Tracks (2020) and dreams drumbeats heartbeats (2022). Several anthologies and journals have published her poems, including 10th Anniversary Bards Against Hunger anthology, Poetry Quarterly, Poets to Come: A Poetry Anthology, and several editions of NOVA Bards.

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.

A.E. Copenhaver is a writer, editor, and novelist living in Oregon. Her debut novel, My Days of Dark Green Euphoria, was published by Ashland Creek Press in 2022 and was awarded the Siskiyou Prize for New Environmental Literature. Her poetry, essays, and flash fiction have been published by Dusk Magazine, Dusk Magazine Columns, Fiction Attic Press, and in the Kirstofia Anthology.

Kelly Sue Rothe lives in Western North Carolina, United States, a landscape where grand mountains converge and freshwater bubbles from the earth. Hit by Helene, the landscape collapsed onto our community in mudslides and washed homes downriver. That spring can simply grow from such profound devastation has mobilized her to share stories of healing and resiliency, rich in sensory details that illustrate how beauty can be found through suffering. Her education and research: Cornell University, Harvard, OCU-COM, European Journal of Pharmacology. Kelly Sue Rothe’s writing mentor is author Abigail Dewitt, and a guild inspired by Katey Schultz, www.writeability.org/mission with annual weeklong writing residencies at Arrowmont School of Arts. She enjoyed Writer-in-Residence at Weymouth Center for the Arts in the fall of 2023 and 2024, published three short stories in The Great Smokies Review in 2017, an excerpt from her unpublished memoir appeared in Beyond Words Magazine April 2023 Edition, and another about connecting with her son through his psychosis has been selected for Réapparition Journal's ninth issue to be published fall 2025. She has been a full-time physician since 1999 and, with her husband, has raised three children, who are now grown. The words featured in this Beyond Words Magazine issue were selected from her memoir: A Journey into Autobiographical Fiction, where emotional truth reigns over fact, in a quest for joy and a deeper, more human understanding.

Brenda Covarrubias is a freelance writer from Southern California. Her work can be found in various outlets including Medium and her recently-published book, Monday at Sundown.

When she is not writing, she enjoys spending time with friends and family.

Jodi Pickering is a writer and educator. She has a Masters in Creative Writing and is a member of Queen City Fiction Writers.

VISUAL ARTISTS Cover art: Mental Pathways by Kaitlyn Synan. 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.

Ellen June Wright, Watercolor #3705, previously published in Quibble Quarterly: Volume III. Ellen June Wright’s work revolves around the power of color and the emotions and memories they evoke. She is inspired by the works of Stanley Whitney, Mary Lovelace O’Neal, Frank Bowling, Howardena Pindell, Jamaican Artist Cecil Cooper and others. Her art appears in LETTERS, Gulf Stream Magazine, Wild Roof Journal, Breakwater Review, Burningword Literary Journal, Hole In The Head Review, Oyster River Pages, Kitchen Table Quarterly, NOVUS Literary Journal and others.

Lawrence Bridges, Floating Ranunculus. Lawrence Bridges' photographs have recently appeared in the Las Laguna Art Gallery, the HMVC Gallery in New York, and the ENSO Art Gallery in Malibu. He created a series of documentaries for the NEA’s “Big Read” initiative, including profiles of Ray Bradbury, Tobias Wolff, and Cynthia Ozick. He lives in Pacific Palisades, California. You can find him on IG: @larrybridges GJ Gillespie, Broken #3. GJ is a collage artist living in a 1928 farmhouse overlooking Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island, WA. A prolific artist with 22 awards to his name, his work has been exhibited in 69 shows and appeared in more than 185 publications.

Sarah Gomez, Import. Sarah is constructing misidentification of the mirrored-self due to grief, illness, and trauma. She paints the body slightly strained with the clench of a hand or the stretch of a neck to depict the restrictions and barriers language possesses while one strives for internal understanding. Her figures are found interacting with subtly deteriorating domestic objects build of frosted mylar, cold wax, and tape to characterize a disentanglement from the ubiquitous man-made system of identity and vocabulary.

Suzanne Lehuanani, Snaked Away. Suzanne is an abstract artist and fiction writer originally from Hawai‘i, raised in Utah, and now living in England. Her vibrant, nature and biologybased drawings and paintings celebrate organic forms and bold color, often echoing her experiences in life. Suzanne's fiction leans into human flaws, healing, and everything in between.

Rayastre, Cadavre Illuminé VI. Rayastre (b. 1968) is an Indonesian artist working in collage and assemblage art. He has experimented extensively with entheogens like Bufo Alvarius which had a profound effect on his personality and artistic work. His work's focus is enlightenment, folk art. https://www.rayastre.org; IG: rayastre_ Michelle Oconis, Trying to Remember. As a self-taught artist with a severe form of Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, Michelle often explores the physical and cognitive

ramifications of her disease in her work. As a woman of Native American descent, she tends to reference nature and the spirit world. She works in mixed media with a primary focus on ink.

Shannon George, Take a Bow. Shannon is a former teacher who now works as a children's librarian, fostering a love for reading in young minds. In her free time, she enjoys writing poetry and creating vibrant drawings with pastels, often exploring other artistic mediums.

MJ Okawa, Turning Tides (Triptych). MJ Okawa, an Arizona based multidisciplinary artist, creates vibrant silk paintings and multimedia works inspired by nature, relationships and even the cosmos. With over two decades of experience in visual and performing arts education, MJ nurtures creativity in students of all ages. Her dynamic and intricate pieces and award-winning designs have been showcased across the state, captivating audiences with their energy and beauty. Website: https://www.mjokawa.com Melissa Neeley loves using a variety of both traditional and digital artwork to create her pieces. She is inspired by nature, which is showcased throughout her work.

Marina McKay is an amateur artist. She lives in Scotland.

Giancarlo Lecca, Nightmare. Giancarlo makes visual artworks using vivid colors and portraying dark emotions. He uses multiple media, ranging from a drawing tablet to nail polish and other cosmetic materials.

Annika Connor, Caution. 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.

Shelbey Leco, fruit bat. Shelbey is a mixed media artist. Her style was heavily influenced by her grandmother growing up. As a child, when spending time with her grandmother, Leco enjoyed coloring in giant coloring books. Her grandmother soon realized that Shelbey went through art supplies rather quickly. So, her grandmother taught her the art of zentangle, by creating various patterns and shapes within negative spaces. Through time, Leco’s work developed more into mixed media, however repetition and pattern work is present in her work today. @shell_b3 Joe Barbella, The Artist. Joe attended the University of the Arts in Philadelphia and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Art. After graduation, he worked in the jewelry industry for more than 30 years, involved in both design and production, all while continuing his passion for oil painting and commissioned portraiture. His work has been exhibited at The University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia City Hall, the Perelman Center, The Barnes Foundation, Rehoboth City Hall, and the Rehoboth Art League. He has also participated in events with the Rehoboth Beach Writers Guild. In addition to being a visual artist, Joe is a musician and songwriter who has produced several CDs. Now based in Lewes, DE with his partner Tim, he paints full-time in his home studio and performs regularly at local venues. Website: www.joebarbella.com; Facebook: @joe.barbella; Instagram: @joebarbella

Sarah Smiley, Double Dutch Rose. Sarah is a multidisciplinary teaching artist and facilitator with a focus on painting and photography. Her belief in the transformative power of art drives her to help individuals understand their inner landscapes and reclaim suppressed parts of themselves. Through youth art workshops, particularly in non-traditional self portraiture, she nurtures emotional exploration and self-connection. Her art is entwined with her community-driven ethos, seen in projects like "Coming Home," challenging normative survivor representation, and in founding a "Queer Art Collective" to foster connections among queer individuals through creativity. Her work explores queer intimacy and tender moments, emphasizing the vital interplay of art and community.

Laura Wright is Professor of English at Western Carolina University, where she specializes in postcolonial literatures and theory, ecocriticism, and animal studies. She is a self-taught artist working in the media of acrylic, watercolor, and alcohol ink.

Patricia Cannon, Rose Ripples for Glennis. Patricia has been a Registered Nurse at UCSF since 2001. With over two decades of experience, she has worked in various areas of critical care, including cardiac and neuro-intensive care, hematology-oncology, and school nursing. Outside of her work at the hospital, Patricia finds refuge and creative expression through her faith, photography, and poetry.

Mary-Jo Adjetey, Duo II. Mary-Jo Adjetey (b. 1992) is an artist based in Accra, Ghana. She studied Math & Art B.A. at Syracuse University and Data Analytics MSc. at Warwick University. Starting her art journey in 2020, her creative practice transitions between acrylic paintings, digital art and experimenting with mixed media. Her exhibitions include Aja Monet's "Voices" and "Echoes of Ghana" immersive art exhibition. She is a recipient of the 2024 API x Gallery Soview grant.

Ron Theel, Cold Front. Ron is a freelance writer, photographer, and mixed media artist living in Syracuse, New York. His work has appeared in Beyond Words Literary Magazine, Pithead Chapel, The Ravens Perch, and elsewhere. facebook.com/rons.stories