Issuu

Quarant-Zine Spring 2021

Vax-Zine

Summer 2021

Poets and Writers Coalition at San Jose State University

“Fun, Sun, and EVIL!” A collection of short stories, poetry, art, and recipes!

Issue #2

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Table of Contents Who We Are ...... 4 Our Staff ...... 5 Contributor Bios ...... 6 Letter from the Editor ...... 7 Stories/Poems Eight Hours in the Shiftless Sun ...... 8 Agoraphobia ...... 10 Tenderness in Smoke ...... 12 Summer Surprise ...... 14 I'll ...... 17 summertime follows you ...... 18 Nice to Meetchu Again ...... 19 Road Trips ...... 21 Recipes Soggy/Unsoggy Cereal ...... 22 Zucchini Hash Browns ...... 23 The Optional Salad ...... 24 Blue Razz-o-nade (Raspberry Lemonade) ...... 24 Azorean Sunrise ...... 25 Strawberry Icebox Cheesecake ...... 26 Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Who We Are The Poets and Writers Coalition is an organization created to support the artistic community at San Jose State and the outlying Bay Area public. We strive to support any artistic avenues as a community of writers from all backgrounds who come together and write! We welcome all majors and levels of experience. We do casual group prompts, larger events such as Murder Mystery Night, and the Legacy of Poetry festival.

"Fun, Sun, and EVIL!"

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Spring 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Our Staff Chief Editor & Layout Designer: Rebecca Lee Art Director: Ryan Wada Social Media Coordinator: Emily Greulich

Contributors:

Bianca Rader* Coco* Cocoa+ Joshua Cruz+ Ryan Wada+* Oliver Cervantes+ Rebecca Lee+* Jackie Friedland+ Joshua Cruz+ Katherine Taddei* Kelsey Ward* Cynthia Lee* Miku King*

Models:

Marshmallow the Cat Pikachu the Dog

Special Thanks to:

Professor Alan Soldofsky Dr. Noelle Brada-Williams, SJSU English Department Chair *Artist +Writer

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Contributor Bios

Rebecca Lee is Jackie Friedland the President of the is a freshly graduated Poets and Writers History Major with a Coalition and is lord proteclove of puns and bad Fanfic. tor of this land. They are still trying to hide Kelsey Ward is Joshua Cruz from the local cat popan Animation major, graduated in 2021, ulation with mixed dungeon master, and and he’ll be working for results. craft hobbyist. Currently an elementary school. He’s reading Hitchhiker's Guide still writing, and he’s still buyJohn Paul Amaral Katherine Taddei to the Galaxy in her new ing cheap suits. studies History and is a 4th year animasweater she’s very Native American Studies tion student specializproud of making. who enjoys going to museing in visual development. ums and making jewelry. I love to embrace my inner Oliver Cervantes grandma by crocheting Ryan Wada is still studies poetry, ficand knitting! I am also a man. tion, and film. He plans a loving mother to to release his debut poetry two pet rats. chapbook in 2022. Cynthia Lee is an Bianca Rader is artist/teacher from an animation maSan Ramon, CA and enjor at SJSU. She enjoys joys hiking with her family. making comics and looking at hamster pics. Miku King is a Falcon is an Arts brilliant artist and Major and enjoys a graduate of SJSU. She scrolling through Instaplays a lot of Genshin Imgram. pact. Emily is a graduate with her BA in English. She is now pursuing her MAT at SJSU.

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Spring 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Letter from the Editor Dear Readers, When we started talking about the summer issue of the Poets and Writers Coalition Magazine, we had summer break on the brain. So, the theme for the second issue of the Poets and Writers Coalition Magazine was Summer. They’ve chosen to tell stories and I’m so glad that they can tell them here. We’re getting our feet under us. The motto is “Fun, Sun, and Evil” because we’re feeling a touch of the summertime madness. Peek inside this magazine for summer treat recipes, cool short stories, and amazing poetry! Have you ever wanted to meet an internet friend at a cute cafe? Have you ever worked a shift that dragged on and on and on? Have you experienced fear of the world outside your door? Have you seen the same scene over and over in the world? Do you feel a craving for blue raspberry lemonade? If you’re in a rush to go to a potluck gathering and you don’t know what to make, consider making our recipes! They are perfect for every occasion. Best, Rebecca Lee Chief Editor

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Eight Hours in the Shiftless Sun Written by Joshua Cruz Illustrated by Cynthia Lee

Cynthia felt like a smoker in a locked car. She worked in a nursery off Modesto where the Central Valley sun drove in circles. Except this joyride was stopped short—a gas guzzling mass which landed at the bridge of Cynthia’s nose. “Why,” Cynthia found herself asking. The sun had melted away any interest from potential customers, and she started to feel like her continued presence was a cruel joke. Only the silence of statues and plants answered—not even the Medusa was there to listen. “Why hasn’t the sun moved yet?” Her brain worked into overdrive. What started as a recap of last night’s movie marathon became a mythological stage play. She pictured Apollo with his lowrider, the Sun, foolishly driving into the In-and-Out parking lot. In classic fashion, the line spread like a putrid banana peel from Sac to San Fran—leaving the Central Valley to melt like a bowl of ice cream. All for an animal-style with the works. Apollo would post the burger on Insta, then cruise around Modesto before he built up the courage to travel east. Even with his meandering, he’d still have to wait for the Gang. Ra and Huitzilopochtli were the couple by the wall. They argued on Ra’s phone— Apollo was on the other end asking for hyacinths. This pissed off Ra who kept repeating “and?,” “get over it,” and “you broke up like three thousand years ago.” Huitzilopochtli’s turquoise jewelry

danced in the wind. He tried to pull Ra towards the hummingbird feeders. A singular hummingbird, whose feathered armor puffed with the colors of Mexico, sipped his syrup with a spaghetti tongue. Huitzilopochtli reminded Ra it was his fault Huitzilopochtli’s phone was out of power. “Like how,” asked Ra. “You wanted the damn aux cord.” “Yeah, but you guys got to hear my playlist,” was Huitzilopochtli’s answer every single time. He tugged at Ra’s arm and pointed at the only hummingbird thirsty enough to brave the heat. The thought made Cynthia laugh to herself. Especially when she pictured Huitzilopochtli’s playlist to be his Soundcloud link, and he refers to himself as Big H. “My sound is fire,” Big H argued. He stuck his tongue out at Ra. “I wouldn’t call you screaming and clapping into the microphone fire,” Ra replied. Cynthia’s laugh caught the eye of a customPoets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Spring 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

er who was just wandering by like a plastic bag in the breeze. Cynthia looked away, but she caught a glimpse of the customer’s kid pouring fountain water on his head. She imagined they were Shamash and Gilgamesh for no other reason than the theme of her thoughts. The heat was getting to her. Cynthia took an early break to rest inside the air conditioned breakroom. There, she felt like she contracted a rare form of jungle fever found only in California’s nurseries. Even after Cynthia’s fifth hour, the sun was in the same spot. She felt some reprise from a steady breeze, but the air was humid. The rush of taking lunch by the fifth hour meant the gardeners had to water the plants. Even if it meant the humidity made Cynthia want to dry heave over the citrus fruit. Cynthia tried to take her mind off the heat—so she thought of the sun gods again. In her head, the argument between Big H and Ra had died. Apollo’s car had broken down, and they called Amaterasu for help. Even though they were friends, Amaterasu took her time and charged by the hour. She also charged an extra fifty because Apollo’s trash had reached the dashboard—he tried to argue his brothers borrowed the car, but as Amaterasu said, “that’s no excuse.” “Besides,” she added. “I know for a fact your brother is a perfect gentleman.” Meanwhile, Ra had brought up a lapis lazuli colored terra cotta without its barcode. Cynthia had to kneel in the heat, straining her eyes to find the only pot with Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Summer 2021

a barcode, and trying to ignore the sun burns she got from the reflective brackets. When she finally got the pot, Amaterasu was finished fixing the car. It started up with a huff and a puff and a couple prayers. Finally, the sun gods reunited, and the sun began to move. It was now six o’clock, and Cynthia drove back home. She tailgated the sun even though she didn’t want to, and when she finally got home, the sun had broken down towards the end of the valley. Sleep was impossible. Cynthia felt herself drifting but never fully realizing the gift of dreams. She thought about the concept of sun gods driving around all summer, and while that distracted her from the horrors of a motionless sun, it distracted her from dreams. It was too high concept, she thought. A dream comes naturally, and the dreamer must wait for it to develop like a movie. Except every time she saw anything associated with the sun, from the color orange to a faint hiss of heat, she’d suddenly wake up thinking she was still outside. She swore—Cynthia grabbed her phone and started researching moon gods in hopes of taking her mind off the shiftless sun.

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Agoraphobia

Written by Ryan Wada Illustrated by Kelsey Ward Something squirmed under his arm… “Not there…not there…not there…” He said. You’ve lost it, you’re bat shit insane, you’re a disappointment, how could you have turned out this way… The text seemed to breathe on his phone as he read the lines again and again. The text vanished, the screen blared white at him, he read nothing…like every day. All he had to do was walk across the park, Union Square, through the shit contemporary art, past the nutjobs like himself only dressed worse, and make it to the rundown apartment. This should be a task like any other: no fuss, no worrying, just one foot in front of the other. The sun caressed his cheeks, first real day with no clouds, no fog. The movement of his legs through the miasma of memory filled his head with a warm nostalgia. People surrounding him all smiled and nodded. Police officers showed respect, random passersby beamed at his inherent confidence. A sudden jolt hit him in his temples… “Huh…?” An elderly Asian woman was grunting at him, the crosswalk blinked for him to move…move dammit, move! His leg creaked and his knee groaned after moving, finally. His teeth grit, clenching his fists he walked, his legs stuttering on pavement. A bored observer from a park bench would

see the awkward gait of a man trying so hard to seem normal. You’ve lost it— Idiot— Why are you like th— Can’t walk straight— Who’s watching you—? What’s that kid’s— Go away! RUN! He bit his tongue. He bit his cheek. Not so hard that blood would dribble from the wounds but hard enough to force him here, now. How long had his walk lasted? Years? Millennia? Eons? 30 seconds. 30 seconds he promenaded across the street towards Union Park. Moved like a stroke victim learning to walk again. His aneurysm affected all the normal parts of his brain. The parts that remembered to breathe, clench his fists, argue with his father in his mind, those parts were perfectly fine. “Father, allfather, Tuatha, please just… just let it be ok…” You have lost it, my son. Get to your apartment and you will be safe. I will be there, always… Those safe and sage words made his lungs feel the pull of a new wind. A second wind. “Good gods you look terrible!” “Who? What?” Where did this guy come Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Spring 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

from? Who was he? A hermit that crept down from the steel mountains to impart wisdom of the old ones? “Laze?” The man held out a thin graphite looking stick. Laze, that’s what they called it…apparently you stuck it under your tongue like those antique thermometers and it gave you the same effect as smoking cigs, also antique. “No, thanks.” He just couldn’t pull of the look, never could. Too male, too white, too nothing according to everyone and everything. Just another footnote of a footnoteWho’s watching— What’s this kid’s problem— The hell is— Where’s he going—?

“Yeah, pretty gorgeous today. Just out n’ about for a stroll?” “Home, going home.” Did he sound like that? What’s wrong with his vocal cords? No. No! He cleared his throat, tried to seem normal. “I’m just headin’ home, long day.” “At 10 in the morning? Shit, don’t wanna ask what kinda night you had then.” He glanced at his apartment in the distance, his single day of peace was only a short walk away…

He gulped down the sour bile in the back of his throat. He pushed his tongue against the roof of his mouth, soft scratches against a wound that never healed from his nail scraping his gums. Standing, standing at the beginning of Union park, where people milled about, strange undulating people with shuddering limbs. Strange beings with smiles just a little bit too wide, eyes a little bit too large, limbs a little bit too slick and oily to be skin. He blinked, blinked longer, and clenched his eyelids. Opening his eyes, a picturesque scene of groups milling about. People laughing, lounging on grass, eating from lunch bags. A couple drones buzzed by nothing too invasive, no one cared. The guy to his left, where the corner of the path entrance started, stood there, and took in the sights.

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Tenderness in Smoke

Written and illustrated by John Paul Amaral From May 28th to August 1st, 2021CE, American Indigenous Peoples faced turmoil with the recovery of 1412 unmarked bodies of American Indigenous children from Canadian government or Christian-operated residential schools. Canada and the USA started the residential and boarding schools aiming to assimilate American Indigenous children into a working populace and cultural genocide, and they operated for over a century until a complete closure in 1996CE. Ongoing investigations of unmarked graves at residential school sites prompted the first Canadian residential school church burning on June 21st, which has led to an additional 56 church burnings as of August 1st, 2021CE. Although the populace seeks to return to a sense of normalcy in a COVID-19 world, the fires remind American Indigenous peoples that change is constant and this one is an opportunity to return those who passed to their families. Hush, my children. You are no longer alone. I am here with you. We will exit this tomb. You will be born from this womb We used to work together to create our world. Your grandparents sent me to clear the plains for hunting. Your mothers and I cooked your meals. Your fathers and I stood up late into the night ensuring your safety. You looked to me for security, and I provided you a home. Yet, they have cluttered our world with their illusions. They asked for you. They offered to take care of you.

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Spring 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

They promised to house you. They promised to educate you. Instead, they stole you, neglected you, penned you, and severed you. They severely beat you for speaking our language when we talked. They starved you with grotesque, moldy, expired food. They barely provided you a bed and left you in the cold to die. They forced you to cut your hair, and forced their idea of you onto you. No longer can I stay quiet for you, my children. I fought alongside Huracan and his people during the Spanish Invasion. I destroyed and expelled the missionaries transpiring to remove the Kiva Societies. I witnessed President John Ross’s New Echota and the failures of Countless Alta California Missions. I harped in the Revival, and from then on I lost my sight of you. You are found, and we are together again. My children, reach out to me and together we shall clasp our hands. My children, whisper your cries into my ears, for I shall wipe every tear off your cheek. My children, rest upon my lap so I can tell you the tales told to you once before and more. My children, take in your breath again and see the stars once more. I am but amongst the families and strangers who are here to rescue you. Your brothers and sisters wheep heavy tears filled with your name. Your nieces and nephews, their children, and their grandchildren cry out against Them who interred you here. Your families from the West, North, East, and South rise against Them. Your Earth Mother loved you, and protected you inside her for your safe return. I shall prepare you to return home, my children, and to do so I must clean the clutter. First comes Their beliefs that They rectified on a land their gods never owned. Second comes their walls so They are exposed to the world They feared. Third comes Their foundations soon buried under ash and soot. Fourth comes the change to release life, join currently, and prepare for what lives in the future. Stir to life, my children. I am preparing your parents to see you again. I am warming the homes for your visits. I am lighting the path to where you will go next. I am going to tell your stories throughout the world. Welcome home. Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Summer Surprise Written by Coco Illustrated by Cocoa

It is time. Time to wake up. Ali wakes up and the room that she was in is dark. She thought that she was at home. Isn’t today the first day of summer? Tomorrow is the day where she will go off to summer camp and she has not started packing. She moves around, but this room is not her bedroom. There is no alarm clock. The mirror in the room is large and almost reaches the floor unlike the mirror she has on her desk. On the desk, she finds a small piece of folded paper. It reads: Go outside and explore. Have fun and there is a surprise for you. Go find it. :) She is puzzled and thought for a bit. Then, she turns, opens the door, and walks out. She is expecting a short hallway with doors to other rooms, but it is something else. She enters a long hallway. There are cobwebs along with pictures of people she does not recognize. Judging by the sounds of the creaking boards underneath her, she guesses that it has been a while since someone fixed this house. At last, the hallway ends in a door. When she opens it, she accidentally rips it off its hinges. Looking behind, (which is a long dimly lit hallway, with the door that she walks out of not in the distance) she wonders if anyone see that, but of course not. The hallway is quiet. She then exits. Finally, she reaches the outdoors. She is expecting to see other houses with people, but she steps into a forest. However, she can only hear rustling leaves. With only a path continuing forward, she follows that path and ignores what is going on in the background. To be heard, she would rather go to the summer camp she herself signs up than rather being in this current situation. BAM! Because she does not notice where she is going, she steps into a big, black iron gate. She pulls the gate apart. Behind the gate is a regular house, except with doors leading downward into the ground, a path leading to the left of the house, and a path leading to the right side of the house.

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Spring 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Wait, isn’t that the sounds of footsteps behind her? She must act fast before the person following her catches up to her. Without a moment’s hesitation, she runs to the doors leading downward. After climbing in, she closes the door behind her and locks them in place with a bar. Slowly, she walks down into a room and sees… a man sitting in a chair in front of a lot of computers. At the sounds of her footsteps, the man turns around and smiles at her. “I see that you have walked into the right room. You pass the test. Welcome to summer camp.” “Wait, that is it? No explosion, no one following me, no crimes to solve?” “Nope, this is the surprise. A day before the first day of summer camp, we take the people who applied and put them in a different environment. Then, we wait and see if they can come to their senses and come to this place. The test is simple. You must find your way here from the location that we dropped you off, hence, that weird building that you came out of. You must have a lot of questions. I will answer one of them, these computers are cameras installed around the location that we drop the campers off. I am checking them to keep notes on campers whether they will come to this building. Because you lock the doors behind you, the other campers will go to other rooms in order to finish their test. Well, their first tests. Go through the door to your right and your journey will continue. I know you have not packed yet. At the end, the cabins will be filled with what you need. This will not be the last time we will meet. Good luck.” Ali walked through the door and the next part was too easy for her, she had to solve puzzles in order to unlock the door to the next room. She passed three rooms before arriving at the last part of the test which was to test her quick-thinking and her flexibility. The first room is memorizing where the land mines are, and she must avoid stepping on them. The second room contains a moving log. She must time her ducks to avoid being hit by the swinging log. The third and final room has a rope obstacle in which she must cross in order to get the other side of the room. Once she opens the door, she is greeted by a crowd of people as she walks through the corridor that they make. At the end of the room is a Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

table piled with food and drinks. Forgetting her nervousness, she starts to eat and enjoy herself. Someone approaches her. It is the man that she ran into earlier. “Hey, I’m the camp director. Name is Alan. Here is the map of the campground and a key to your cabin. Your cabinmates are eager to meet you.” She finishes her meal, takes what Alan gives her, and walks off. After walking for four miles, she reaches her cabin. After letting herself in with the key that Alan gives her, a girl with streaks of green in her hair notices her and walks up to her. “Your bunk is over there with your stuff. Settle in quickly. I heard there is going to be a campfire tonight. I heard that some of the boys here are really hot.” She introduces herself as Allison. Allison introduces the names of the other girls in the cabin: Mell, Kelly, Alice, and Rose. Everyone nodded when they were introduced, except for Rose who looked up from her book for a quick second before going back to her book. All of them seem friendly. Ali looks forward to the summer camp which is supposed to train her to become a good sleuth in one and a half months, but she is not happy when one of her cabinmates will always talk about the boys here. How will she concentrate on what she needs to learn if Allison will always talk about boys?

Anyways, she was glad that she knew what the surprise was, it was a series of tests to pass before she entered the camp. She hopes that the summer camp will be a good one and she will enjoy her summer.

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Spring 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

I'll

Written by Oliver Cervantes dogs run wild upon the streets old men’s heads bow in defeat poor girls starved of amphetamines and angels cry for the world to see that you and I were meant to be together before tomorrow because that’s when I’ll adore you children chase red rubber balls guilty gamblers gain nothing at all retired boxers cannot recall a saddened son sips alcohol hoping you and I aren’t bound to fall today and not tomorrow because that’s when I’ll hold you cameras capture infinity while artists create immortality and waves still crash oh so beautifully you know it was made for both you and me because we were always meant to be together until forever

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

summertime follows you Written by Oliver Cervantes

spring brings the cool breeze spring brings busy bees spring brings fresh showers and spring brings sunflowers it brings bright fond longings like rough-house fetch and smiling friends spring brings sentimentality like floating in pools at family barbecues summer follows spring, we all knew, but if summer had eyes it would surely follow you

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Spring 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Nice to Meetchu Again

Written by Jackie Friedland Illustration by Katherine "Kat" Taddei

The cafe looked different from the picture online. That is the first thought that occurred to me as I stood outside the building AppleJazzy told me to meet her. She always loved talking about how they had the best croissants and hot coco in the entire city. Yet she neglected to mention that it was right next to a vape shop. Probably since it would ruin the ambiance. I double checked the name. Yup, right place. The door gave a cheerful jingle as I walked in. The interior was pretty. Soft warm colors, worn wood furniture and plenty of natural light. So many cafes these days like to go for a more modern minimalist feel so this was a welcome change. Plants grew in planters in various corners, adding to the cozy atmosphere. Definitely an AppleJazzy vibe. The thought made me smile underneath my mask. I didn’t see anyone else yet so I thought that I might as well grab a snack. Walking up to the counter, I was greeted by a cheerful barista wearing a mask. She was dressed in a pastel goth style. A fitted Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Summer 2021

sweater dress, bouncy pastel bow keeping her soft silver hair up, and bedazzled hightops under a pin covered black apron. The opposite of how I dress. I give off more of a lazy academic fashion, complete with worn shoes and oversized cardigan over a loosely tucked in button up and skinny jeans. “Excuse me, may I order a large cup of hot cocoa with whipped cream and an almond croissant please? For here.” I asked. “Of course! Let me grab that for you real quick!” she said. The barista immediately went off to start making my order. “Wait, how much for it all?” I said, confused. “ It’s on the house. Consider it my treat!” she said with a wink of her sparkly shadowed eyes. While unusual, I was not going to question the cute barista giving me free stuff.

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

“Thank you.” I said confused. I walked over to an empty seat by the window and opened up my book. It is the perfect place to people watch as I wait for AppleJazzy to arrive. I felt myself gradually relaxing more and more as time passed. Between the calm cozy cafe interior, noise of the barista prepping the drink, and soft sunlight hitting me as I read my book, I could feel myself getting a little sleepy. I took off my glasses and rubbed my eyes to stay awake. I refuse to have my first meeting with AppleJazzy be one with table marks on my face. Now that I think about it, something about the cute barista reminded me of someone. Someone familiar.... “Here you go, one giant hot cocoa with whipped cream, an almond croissant, a large apple cinnamon tea, and a cheese danish.” said the barista “Excuse me, this is too much. I didn’t order all this!” I panicked. The barista tilted her head to the side, bow resembling a pair of lovely pink rabbit ears. “You are a little dense, aren’t you?” I frowned slightly. She was definitely reminding me of someone. But who? She took off her apron and then pulled out the chair across from me. Smug energy like a cat that stole the cream emanated from her. Kinda like...I slammed my drink down and leaned across the table. “AppleJazzy?” I asked.

smile in return. She has the same energy online as in person. And same voice of course. It is just different to put a face to the internet friend that I have been talking to for so long now. And a name. I looked at the name tag on her apron. Ringo. So that is where she got her username. “So, what do you think? Cute as you thought?” asked Ringo with a wink. “No, much cuter. You are very Ringo.” I said. Ringo blushed “What is that supposed to mean? You-you! Ah, give me your name already!” “Cherry. It is nice to finally meet you in person, Ringo.” I said with a smile still on my face. It is hard not to when faced with Ringo’s cheerful energy. “No, you got it wrong, Cherry. It is nice to meetchu again!” she said. “I suppose you are right. Well then, it is nice to see you again.” I said The two of us smiled, enjoying the pleasure of meeting again in a new way. We enjoyed the food and treats, talking as if we hadn’t in years. It was perfect in the way only normal things like sitting with a friend in a cafe could be. And the promise that it wouldn’t end at one meeting alone made everything just right.

She took off her mask and gave a bright grin “Took you long enough, SakuraHime.” I pulled down my mask and gave her a warm

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Spring 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Road Trips

Written and photographed by Rebecca Lee Ask me something fanciful Tell me something true Sitting in the quiet car All my greetings overdue Some days you have miles to go There is nowhere else to be Unhurried conversation Talk about things lost to time Because “you didn’t hear me.” Question in between the lines. Gently unfocused feeling Three snack bags more for the road Two eyes on the rushing lanes One highway interchange Blink and there’s forty miles gone Blink and the radio croons Listen to the muffled Combustion ‘neath my feet Sleep and dream of solid ground A snap of in-between time Here I see fields, green and rows Once, I saw mountains so close that hanging branches brushed the roof Another trip, I saw houses and condos and apartments. Isn’t this familiar?

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Summer 2021

RECIPES

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Soggy Cereal

Photo and recipes by Rebecca Lee Cereal is tricky. If you're Charlie Brown, it's even worse. Use this foolproof recipe to make cereal today. Ingredients: Your Cereal of Choice Milk Spoon Bowl or Cup Steps: 1. Place cereal, milk, and bowl in proximity. 2. The soggy cereal will appear to you. 3. Have faith and a distracted temperament.

Unsoggy Cereal Ingredients: Your Cereal of Choice Spoon Bowl or Cup Steps: 1. Locate your favorite cereal. 2. Materialize a clean bowl or cup. 3. Take the milk out of the fridge. 4. WAIT NO PUT IT BACK. 5. Pour the cereal into the receptacle. 6. Pour the milk ---- NOOOOO. 7. PUT IT BACK. 8. Find a spoon. 9. Eye the milk out of the corner of your eye. 10. Put the milk back in the fridge. 11. Eat the unsoggy cereal.

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Spring 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Zucchini Hash Browns

Recipe and photo by John Paul Amaral Zucchini is a summer squash good in the oven and on the pan. It goes grate with other garden favorites to help create a wonderful start to your day. Ingredients: 1x Idaho Spuds Hashbrown Potato 2x Zucchini, grated (homegrown preferred) 3x Eggs 1lb of Shredded Beef, browned) 2cups of Grated Mozzarella Cheese (store bought is fine) 1 Orange/Yellow Bell Pepper, minced 1 Red Onion, minced 4tbs of Chili Flakes Olive oil Tools: 1 Large Saucepan 1 Spatula 1 Large Pyrex or Ceramic Bowl to serve in Instructions: 1. Mix together the soaked Idaho Spuds Hashbrown, the grated zucchini, eggs, browned shredded beef, grated mozzarella, minced bell pepper, and minced red onion. 2. Place 4 tbs of olive oil in the large saucepan and mix 2 tbs of chili flakes. Allow to simmer until the chili oil is prepared. 3. Place 4 cups of the mix into the saucepan. Turn over and mix until browning and red onion cooked through. Place the cooked mix in the large Pyrex or Ceramic bowl. 4. Repeat steps 2 & 3 until you have completed the whole batch. Serve while hot. You can choose to keep it in the microwave until ready to serve.

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

The Optional Salad

When all your friends volunteer brisket and gravy, and you’re not even good enough to be trusted with bringing the utensils—it’s time to bring the Optional Salad! Ingredients: 1/2 cup Onion (thinly sliced) 1 cup Mixed Greens (optional) 1 tbs Red Wine Vinegar 2 tbs Olive oil 2 Cucumbers (peeled and diced) 1 cup Cherry tomatoes Feta Cheese (optional) ¼ cup Basil Leaves ¼ cup Black Olives ¼ cup peppers (optional) Steps: 1. Combine ingredients in a bowl. 2. Forget you didn’t wash the greens and you left the salad in the car for two hours. 3. It’s okay: that’s why it’s called the optional salad.

Blue Razz-o-nade (Raspberry Lemonade) Illustration by Bianca Rader Recipe by Jackie Friedland

Why leave life's lemons in plain lemonade? Make razz-o-nade to change it up. Ingredients: Water, Sugar, Ice, Lemons, Blue Raspberry Syrup, mint (optional) Steps: 1. Bring water and sugar to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium heat to make simple syrup. Stir frequently until fully dissolved, then remove from heat. 2. Prepare lemonade by juicing the lemons. 3. Combine the lemon juice and the simple syrup in a pitcher and add in cold water, your blue raspberry flavored syrup, and ice. 4. Garnish with mint and serve cold.

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Spring 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Azorean Sunrise

Illustration by Bianca Rader Recipe by John Paul Amaral This drink blends aspects and flavors found in the Azorean isles. Enjoy this sunrise with Mt. Pico in the north piercing the clouds while you sip Sumol, and reminisce with quick touches of ananas like you are in Sao Miguel. Feel free to finish off the drink with Gummy Whales and Gummy Octopus who battle each other like the mighty sperm whales and giant squids living in the Azorean Deep. Ingredients: 1x can of Passion Fruit Sumol (per a drink) 1L/2L bottle of Passion Fruit Sumol to serve a party 2oz of Grenadine Green food coloring Gummies (Gummy Whales, Gummy Octopus) Alcoholic Version 4oz of Pineapple schnapps Anise Liqueur Aniz Escarchado Ferreira Duque 1L Tools Bar Spoon 16oz cup/glass Instructions Non-Alcoholic Version 1. Put a few drops of green food coloring. Then place 6oz of Sumol into the glass and mix. 2. Using the bar spoon, gently fill in 6oz of Sumol 3. Using the bar spoon, gently fill in a mixture of 2oz Grenadine 4. Add in Gummy Whales and Gummy Octopus 5. Allow the gummies to chill in the fridge for a four hours before serving. Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Alcoholic Version 1. Soak the Gummy Whales and Octopus in Anise liquor overnight 2. Substitute with 4oz of pineapple schnapps and 2oz Sumol and mix. 3. After soaking the gummies in the Aniz overnight in the fridge, keep chill until serving.

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Strawberry Icebox Cheesecake Recipe by Coco

This six-ingredient cheesecake is never a disappointment. It's a berry good recipe, we guarantee it. Ingredients: 2 pounds halved strawberries, rinsed and patted dry (Reserve 8 for decoration) 20 ounces cream cheese, softened 3 cups heavy cream 3/4 cups powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 (14.4-ounce) box honey graham crackers (about 30 graham crackers) Instructions Step 1: Using a stand mixer or a big bowl with electric hand mixer, stir cream cheese until smooth. Step 2: Gradually stir in half of the heavy cream on medium low speed. Stir until smooth. Pause once to scrape down the sides of the bottle, then gradually mix in the rest. Step 3: Increase speed to medium high and beat until mixture thickens. (about 1 minute). Step 4: Pause to scrape both sides and bottom of the bowl and add in powdered sugar and vanilla. Step 5: Stir again, increasing speed to high. Beat until a thick, fluffy whipped cream texture is achieved. ASSEMBLING THE CHEESECAKE: Step 1: Cover bottom of a 9 times 13 inch pan with even graham crackers. Step 2: Spread about half of the cheesecake evenly onto the graham crackers. Step 3: Top with graham crackers, strawberries, graham crackers, ½ of remaining cheesecake layer, more strawberries, and the final layer of graham crackers. Step 4: Cover the pan with foil and refrigerate for 4 hours before serving. Step 5: Serve and enjoy.

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Spring 2021

Vax-Zine Summer 2021

Poets and Writers Coalition Vax-Zine Summer 2021