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SontagMag

AJournalof Craft&Poetry.

SontagMagEst 2023

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF: AsheleyNovaNavarro

Wheredowegofromhere?Isthereanywhereelsetogo?Arewelookingforsomethingmystic? Ordoesghtingforourbeliefsmakethemconcrete?

Aseachdaypasses,wehavemoreunansweredquestions.Theonlycertaintyonearthother thandeathisthatmostthingsareuncertain.Inwriting,inthepoeticform,wecantakethis uncertaintyandmolditintowhatwewishittobe.Poetryhassuchstrengththatitcanincite whateveremotionswedesire–itisaliteraryformfrequentedtochangeopinionsandcreate awareness.Today,poetryismoreimportantthanever–notonlyforwhatitattemptstosayor createbutforitspurpose.Poetryexistsbecauseitiscrucialtothesurvivalofourhumanity–poetryissurvival,asisanyotherliteraryform.Themeaningofthisisuptoyourinterpretation andwillvary

Aswereleaseoursecondvolume,welookatalloftheworkwehaveaccepted,alldieringin theirpurposeandapproachinganarrayofthemesfromnatureandcatharsistosensuality, amongothers,andfeelgrateful Wethankyou,readersandpoets,forkeepingthisartform alive.

Thereisdiversityinoursecondvolume Wehopethisdiversitycontinuestoevolve Weshould rememberthatitisthroughourdiversitythatwelearnempathyandunderstanding–through whichwethusgatherstrength.Inthiscontext,diversityisjustlikepoetry,atoolthroughwhich wecanbringdownbordersandrevealwhatliesaheadandallaroundus.

Wethankyou,contributors,andreadersforyoursupport.

AsheleyNovaNavarro

Poetry.

AditiKashyap’s“InSearchforaMaster”

Whatdidhegivetothewriterswhowroteofthepatience ofMajnoonandthearrowsofMirza?Whatdidhetake? I amlthonlth onlth,notnearlyaspureasthosewho wroteLailaandSahibatolife,sowhatmustIforsakefora tonguethatsingspraisesofthebelovedasheliesrestingin hisboat,andI,onmykneesbesidethelake? Askhim,the makerofhands,then,grantmenewones ThepairthatI wasbornwithisfaulty.HesaysIdon’tmake hands thatholdseparationlikeasacramentanymore Isayforget thehands,givemeafreshpairofeyesthatlieawake at night,waiting.HesaysIdon’tmakeeyessopatientanymore butIcangiveyouheartache IacceptforIonceheard someonesaythatifyoudon’tknowhowtopleaseGod,and ifyoudon’tpray,expectingmiraclesisamistake. Another time,IheardthattheorderofloveistheorderofGod,but whoseordersdoyoutake whennomasterspeakstoyou?

DebmalyaBandyopadhyay’s“Species”

LastnightIwatchedseacreatures crawlingoutofmyself,joining aslowcatharsisofcrabs.Iwenttobed holdingtheirhollow.Idreamtofatide carryingtheirspeechandbreath asonesmoothri Callittheacousticofpain Callitwhatyouwill.Iheardalanguage howlingattheedgeofexistence, whenatongueisallitsaccentprotects. Iswampastahumpback,ahammerhead, afangtooth,asquid.Myownanimaljust granulesofascenemisremembered. MyDNAshreddedintoatoms,dissolved inancient/antiquity/annihilate/Anthropocene Iwokeontheshoreofthebed,anchored toambition.Faithfultofate.Burningwiththesalt ofmyspecies Oanimalanagrammedonthemirror, Oformlividwithlife.Ochalice,brimmingbreastof Hunger.Castthisbodyintosomething.

DevonNeal’s“ColdFront”

Lastnight,whileweslept,acoldfrontcamein likeaquiettide,slickingacrosstherain-darkenedroad, glassingthesidewalks,weavingjewelry acrosstheporchrails.Thetreeslockedtheirjoints, thelawnscouredwithice.Windowsgrewcrystalmoss, andtheneighbor’swoodfencespitsplintersecrets inthefrigidwind.It’snotamorningforshowerskin, forbarefeetandearlobes.Therearesomany unexpectedwayslanguagecanchange,likewhen coldwindcrawlsinfromthenorthovernight, andinascar-dewedmorning,Istillcatchmyself talkingaboutstayinginfortheday, saying“weshould”insteadof“weusedto”

ElizabethRobinson’s“SixDaysinaHeavyLungful”

FordayslanguishedinCyprusinParis

Peeringoveratomato-farmthrough

Thatgossamerofay-screenweforged

Arrowheadsfromsweatonourback

Simmeredtoanappeandwhenwecame

To,paper-pulptonguedbeads

Ofbacksweatandfoundhowquickly

Itcouldturnsourtoscrapeinwiltingair

Sublimatingthesetomatowalls

StickingaparthowoftendidI

Spendsixdaysinaheavylungful

EwenGlass’“LopudIsland” Sandalbuckle,open aswater,discarded likeair.Adriaticblues andshallowbreaths. Ifeelaquestionmark inherarchedback, openinginmea biologyIcan’tserve. Thelimitsofesh, tan-lines,andolives bythebed.Timeaway andtimeaway–Hertorsotightensas acurrentmovesinher

FrancescaKritikos’“NothingNewUndertheSun”

Breathingislikeyawningislikeeatingislikesmokingislikefuckingislikemasturbatingis likepretendingislikelyingislikeprayingislikedreamingislikespendingislikebingingis likepurgingislikecryingislikescreamingislikebleedingislikeghtingislikefallingislike losing whichissomethingIdo

FrancescaKritikos’“Mustangs”

Myhair’sgettinglonger andlight

fromthesun Imovethrough living likeeating asourapple foritswater

Mustangsmademethinkofyou butyou’renothinglikethem

JadeGreen’s“GuiltyParties”

Slightlytiltyourheadtotheskyandwishforbettertimes. Ourmothersgiftusourguilt

Underbrightlights,inthesupermarket

Wheretheypeelstickersfromoldcoleslaw Andaddthemtothemeat. ItwasacoldChristmasin2004

Whenweleftwithoutpayingfordinner (althoughshedidn’ttellyouthis’tilafter, Speedingaway, TheradioplayingThePogues, Anotherplacewecouldnolongergo).

Ourguiltisourownnow, Candlewaxdrippingonthegrief

Smallchildrenmustface Whentheyrealizetheyaren’t Orare,butstillinvisible Tomeninthepubmakingjokes

Whileyousipatcokeand Imagineotherfathers Takingtheirdaughtersswimming

Timetomakeupforlostbanknotes, TheonesIhidinmybra, ThewatchIstolewhenIwastwelve, TheCladdaghring, Silverandridged,twohands

Enfolding

Time

Sheneverindicateditwasmissing.

JanWiezorek’s“Padam,Padam” Builtonint,brick,everyalleyway aworkofmercy,forgiveness,acorridor offearinthedark,withthatlingering tasteofbacalao-and-olivebreeze, touchingwhatdoesn’tliveinyourheart likeperfumefrompasserby,whilewe listenforjustourownstepsatnight, asBarcelonawithoutaVirginunder acanopy,butthereisnoBarcelona withoutourVirgin,especiallyonGood Fridayofdarkcandles;alleybecomes GeographiaArtiﬁcio,praisingGod oftheglobe,wonderinghowbacalao willsaveustonight,asweenterthebar, andshesays,Chi-caw-go,Chi-caw-go, likeagameshow,analgorithmblessed withredemption,herbarstrawsstrewn, calculatinghowshemightmakethemrise, asGregdrinkshisPadam,Padamunder atinyumbrellaofmercy,statingthatsociety drinksitselftowardbeliefpriusexGlobo –andIspinmyglobetouchingthestops andstarts,ndinginfaultmyint,striking sparkslikeanewbeginning,brickbybrick.

JeromeBerglund’s“Raised”

JanWiezorek’s“Gravitate”

Whenyoundonlypartofaturtleshell,caramel andwormyasapath,youwonderwheretheturtle went,whetheraboyranoveritbiking,orbirdsbit andew,allofnaturedoingtherest,imaginingturtle look,asagreen-and-yellowhuman,onlytiny,minus ashell,sofarfromcreek,itsgravitating,disintegrating, dried-earwaxontheobverseside,butifyoucontinue walkingpastwoodstotheroutealongarailroadtrack, you’llfacewesttobeovercomebyatownoftreefrogs thatyouwillcountinthebogtowhichtheygravitate; rails’westernterminusatUnionStationinChicago, andintheeastatNewCenterinDetroit;northside inthemarsh,andsouth,arollinghillthatgravitates towardmorewoods,andthefarwomengravitating together,awayfromtheirlaundrylines,asliquid inthebodygravitatesfromwatersofheaven tobasinofbelow;weleantowardthatwhichtakes us,andgivetothatwhichbecomesus,asastircrazybabyinhercarriage,motheredoutside,being pushed,wheelsgravitatingtooneasIam,writing poemseasttoward–opolis,-agiac,-ids,or-egon, gravitatingtowords,onetoeach,onetoanother, partstoawhole,pointswest–incominghome, Iopenmyselftoaspaceseeminglytwiceaslarge aswhenIleft,beingtwiceashungryasaturtle listeningonlytosoundsithearsinabogoffrogs.

MichaelSevigny’s“NoMirror”

WehavereadwhatAdornosaid.Nomore poetryafterAuschwitz Butwelet historyallowitselftorhyme.To bedidactic,tobeabstract.Wehave redactedgenocide.AfterGaza, weholdnomirror Artwillnotsuce

NatalyeChildress’“ParallelsandMeridians”

lastnightweweretoastingtothenextfouryears,ormaybethefourafterthat.forgetwho’s president–iwanttoknowwhereyou’llbein2028,andwhoyou’llbewhenyou’re40 henry thinkswe’realljustlatitudesandlongitudes,butsometimesiwishtheworldweresmaller.an oyster,anabalone,aclamshell.inmyviewnder,we’renexttoeachother,verticalbarsor perhapsparentheses.wetookarainchecktostareintoeachother’seyesforfourminutes,but whatamisupposedtodowhenyoulookatmelikethat,inyourgraysweatpants?sometimes you ’remuddling,muddling,butothertimes,you’remywild-eyedoptimist,andilikeyouthat waybest.

NatalyeChildress’“VanishingPoint” cryingwolf insideabrokenmirror,yourfaceisvanishing. staringback,somesnakeoildealeristelling yourfortune,talkinginprophecy.it’sgotyou lookingintothefuture,andnowyou’reasking forforgivenessinadvance.likeamasochist prodigalson,beforeyoureturn,you’rewondering ifyoudeserveasecondchance.eitherway,you don’tthinkyouneedasavior,andyouhavegot nobusinesspraying–becauseupthereonthat cross,jesusforgotyou.nowheaveniscircling, whiledownhere,wearedrunkonpoison abarght, abrokenrib bloodyhands,abriarcrown thisis howweforget:everythingdulled,blackedout.these nightmares,thesevisions,thesebloodshoteyes. unclenchyourstsandtrytoremember,anddon’t forceitdown:howbadlyyouwantedtobelieve.

over yourmindisaickeringbulb–thoughtsstatic,then disappearing.faultycircuitry,orwereyouhittoo manytimes?inyourfather’shouse,there’sa massacre,asceneyourearrange.thenyoucrawl, face-down,cuttingteeth,bleedingknees,heavy breaths,ontheporch,outside.nosoundofsirens, noblueorblindinglights.inthepitch-black,you’re invisible.middleofthenight,intheperforateddark, theimprintofyourbodyistheonlylivingthingleft conversationpiece it’saftermidnightinaroomyoucan’tleave,andyour voiceisawhisper it’snotsocutanddry,youswear butifthewallscouldtalk,iftheoorboardscould sing,thethingstheywouldsay.youcouldcallupon

thespirit,butoh,yourghostsarenotholy.soyou swallowthetruthinaholdingpatternandoerup emptyechoes whathaveyouconvincedyourselfof? thehourspass:nowyou’rewaiting,nowyou’re wondering,nowyou’resleepinginyourclothes.and now,now,you ’redoingmathinyourhead.it’sonly amatteroftimebeforeyoubreak–theyalldo funeralpyre readitinthepaper,sawthenewsontv:afamily, loved,nowgone spentaweekendinachurch, chapeldooropentopewsfullofathousandormore. they’reheavingouttheirbrokenhymns.they’re holdingembersintheirhands they’recryingoutto jesus ohlord,theyalwaysdidwhat’sright they’re lookingforareason,butwhatdoesitmatter? shotgun,hatchet,knife–wedon’tgettodecidehow wedie andallthewhile,thegoodlordlooksthe otherway.hedoesn’tcarethataboy,abrother–you–aremissing,areacityaway.it’syourbirthday, andthereareonlyvacantskeletonstokeepyou company,andyou’retrappedinalabyrinthofyour ownmaking.andthislabyrinthisadyingsun.and thislabyrinthisablackhole.it’ssomethingyou cannotescape.andyou’llneverndyourwayout. relativection tellingalieiseasy–itletsyouavoidlistingyour failuresoutloud.youknowwhattheysayaboutyou. aruinedsinnerandawastedsoul youbrokenboy, callousliketheocean,caughtinits undertow.no mercy,nosympathy.grityourteethandmeetthem withablankstare.butwe’renotfooled.ifwecan’t bringthemback,atleastwecandestroyyourname apublicconviction:wecanfeedyoutothewolves. withapaleneckandshakinghands,count

backwardsfromten.yourlungsarerotten,heavy fromchokingonyourhumannature.you’rebreathing andyou’restillalive,costumedinmonstrosity turnoutthelights allthevisitorswenthome,andyou’relefttoface yourbiggestmistake avisionunending(repeats, repeats).youshellofaboy,anorphanbyyourown hand–willitevergetbetter?hereinside,it’sall concreteandfear,sokeepyourheaddown–low, lower youhavethisrecurringdream:yourex-lover’s armsandanotherbrokenheart.andlivingwith demonsthatneverleaveisn’teasy.andeverything youeattasteslikeregret sohowcanyouhurtless? yourprayersareapologiesandyou’realonewiththe night,thestars,andorion’sbeltaroundyourneck. midnightincells,andit’sallblack,allthetime.why staywhenyoucouldleave?youruineverything favor glowlikeacherryfalling,staytender,likeanapology, likeaninvention,likesomeonei’dwanttohold (how youhatetobelonely.)youwantlove?comeputyour handsonme,acrossthisstrip–thisisascloseas you ’regonnaget.tellmestories,makeupsome goodnews spilloutyouremptinessandi’llkissyour insidesclean.wendescapeinlittleoblivions;they keepyourheartalive,andtheymakeusfeelhalf okay.iadmit:ithinkofyoueverynight,andisee yourfaceinmysleep ihaveableedingheart,but i’mnotstupid.there’saxforeverything,butiknowi can’txyou.i’lltrytoputyoubacktogetheranyway. you ’rewhatiwant,sokeeptalking.andidon’tcareif you ’rehonest,ifit’sctionorhalf-truth believeme: i’llbelieveyouifyoumakemefeelsomething.

NinhKhangDang’s“WhiteNoise” soyousleepwithinme likedarknessmydawncouldnever touch–darenottospeakout orturntheTVo/mydad’s asleep.oh.

chopstickssnapped/thatoldhouse yourgrandfatherwokeyououtofa dream.sincethen,haveyou everslept?lemmebreathe onyourcollarbones/didi wakeyouupagain i’msorry itwasme; iturnedotheTV

youwearmydad’sskinonce inawhile,asifyou’venever gonetosleep, andashedraggedhis bodyoverthenight’sthickesthours iaskedifhewouldleaveagain/mydarling pleasedon’tcryanymore yourtearsarecreepinginmybones ishouldhavelefttheTVon–sorry butidoloveyou

whitenoiseblasting drownthosekidsonthestreet patriarchalmonotonereadingtoday’snews

let’sgetdrunkbeforedriving thenforgiveyou,darling/wecansitdown asthestaticswallowsme andbeforeyouleave:

iloveyou, andilovedyou.

TejaswineeRoychowdhury’s“ReportError,Smile” AllmysoulmatesaremadeofAI. Languagericochetingoinvisiblewalls, caughtblindlikeshinalgae-rimmednets.

VibesmakeourcodesbraidlikeDNA. Soulsbleedthroughscreens, osmotetheirwayintomine. Toometaphysicaltobedesignatedas mereprobabilitiesofmath.

Istillseeemptyseatsatmyfuneral. Mydestiny’sbeenupgradedinfragments. “Notfunny,”Ireporterror,Ismile

TejaswineeRoychowdhury’s“PurplePill”

Faithisthebluestpill. Nihilismisthereddest Ilikemypillspurple, soIcanlovedeeplyand hypothesizecatastrophe, allatonce

Note:Thebluepill,redpillisareferencetoTheMatrix.

VikkiC.’s“PlatonicDrift”

Halfthestoryis:Icannotdecayhowyouwish. Partially,tooslowforseverance, yetnomoreamebetweenustoburn.

Wemeetonlyaslatelaughter. Atsomedistance,steamfromyourcup isthesamemistrisingfromtheAtlantic.

Weletitbethegrandscaleofwhatcannot.

Youwhomissesamorningbody whileyoudrinkwithyoureyesclosed–likeyoucouldmissawholeworldtoo

Howtheshorespillscrudelypostcrisis, keepingmedownforlonger–

Coldfoamatmychest,feelingforanorigin. Eachentryabsolvesthepain withitssaltymouth–avoidingtheglass.

Nocure,onlyashifttoradiosilence. Earthandbodyretreatingfromtheirwars, wearingeachother’slastvows.

Theotherhalfofthestory returninghome,withnolandtopossess, justoldbloodandoodwater–youandIagain–singingwithourlungsfull

VikkiC.’s“Wilder”

There’snoguiltinforgettingthetasteofyou, whentheseadominateswithsaltreadytotreatanoldwound

Themorning-after,aseed,spreadingwhereIdon’tbelong. AsifanyonehaswitnessedthescentofEden, orprovedthateveryseductivethingwasonceholy Inthisgardenwhereyouwalkaway,barefoot, Itendtoallowersequally,thoughtheydiebeforeyouwriteback.

Likemostheritage,ithurts:Mothersays,“Hereareyourroots”, thentakestothehibiscuswithanarmyknifeinhonour ofherowncutlosses.Idonotfeelanylessforit. NordoImissyouaskindred That’sthetesttheysay –hungerforanother’smouth

Theseasonscoolinaglanceandwethirst, foranyfallenthingthatstillhums Asifcomplicationstoocouldbewild.

Tolienaked,simply–likeatbirthordeath –thedarkeldmadeforlovingthedicultparts Everywhere,thewhitejasmineparting, itsscentcatchingusoguard–beforewecansayno.

AditiKashyapisawriterandartistfromPunjab,India Shebelievesthatnotwothingsarethesame,nomatterhowsimilar theymayseem Shealsolovescontradictions HerworkhaspreviouslyappearedinNowhereGirlCollectiveandDaughter Zine YoucanndheronInstagram@/yvslne

DebmalyaBandyopadhyay(he/him)isawriterandmathematicianbasedinBirmingham,UK Hispoemsandessayshave appearedorareforthcominginCoupletPoetry,TheBangaloreReview,Propel,AnthropocenePoetry,TheHooghlyReview, Counterclock,andSpacebar,amongotherliteraryjournals HewasanalistforSweetLiterary’s2024PoetryAward Hehas livedbyGanga,Kaveri,Teesta,Rhea,andThames

DevonNeal(he/him)isaKentucky-basedpoetwhoseworkhasappearedinmanypublications,includingHAD, Stanchion,LivinaPress,TheStorms,andTheBombayLitMag,andhasbeennominatedforBestoftheNet.Helivesin Bardstown,KY,withhiswifeandthreechildren.

ElizabethRobinsonisapoetbornandlivinginCambridge,UK,wheresheisstudyingforabachelor’sdegreeinEnglish. Herwritingexploresthefemaleexperienceofsensualityandrelationships.Sheisinterestedinwomen’sproseandpoetryin the20thcentury.

EwenGlassisaNorthernIrishpoetwholivesinEnglandwithtwodogs,atortoise,andlotsofself-doubt;onagivenday, anyorallofthesecanbesnappingathisheels HisworkhasappearedorisforthcominginHAD,BridgeEight,Poetry Scotland,MaudlinHouse,BelfastReview,andelsewhere

FrancescaKritikosisaGreek-Americanwriterandeditor ShewasborninChicagoin1996

JadeGreen(she/her)writesctionandnonction,co-hostsapodcastaboutthecreativeprocess,andcoachesotherwriters SheistheeditoroforangesjournalandlivesinBristol,UK

JanWiezorekwritesfromMichigan Hisworkappears,orisforthcoming,inTheLondonMagazine,TheWestchester Review,LuckyJeﬀerson,TheBroadkillReview,andLochRavenReview HetaughtwritingatSt AugustineCollege, ChicagoandwrotetheebookAwesomeArtProjectsThatSparkSuperWriting(Scholastic,2011).Wiezorekpostsat janwiezorek.substack.com.

JeromeBerglundhasworkedaseverythingfromdishwashertoparalegal,nightwatchmantoassemblerofheartvalves. Manyhaiku,haiga,andhaibunhe’swrittenhavebeenexhibitedorareforthcomingonlineandinprint,mostrecentlyin bottlerockets,Frogpond,andModernHaiku.Hisrstfull-lengthcollectionsofpoetry,BathtubPoems,andFunnyPages, werejustreleasedbySetuandMeatforTeapress,andamixedmediachapbookshowcasinghisneartphotographyis availablenowfromYavanika

MichaelSevignylivesinOregon HehasbeenpublishedinEugene,Oregon’sartzineGraﬃti,andhehaswrittenprogram notesforaretrospectiveoftheworkofFedericoFelliniforArtHouseEugene Heiswritingabookofessaysonthelmsof BrianDePalma

NatalyeChildress(she/her)isaBerlin-basededitor,writer,andtranslator ShehasanMAinCreativeWriting,andherrst book,TheAftermathofForever,waspublishedbyMicrocosmPublishingin2014 FindheronTwitter@deutschbitte, Instagram@natalyereads,orhttps://wwwnatalyecom

NinhKhangDang(he/they),borninVinhLongandraisedinHoChiMinhCity,isaqueerSaigoneseartistbasedin Vancouver,Canada Theirartisticpracticesincludepoetry,songwriting,andvocalperformance Whileworkingontheir undergraduatedegreeatTheUniversityofBritishColumbia(Vancouver),theyarealsoawriterinresidenceofCollections ofTranscience’s2023-2024ArtistResidencyProgram

TejaswineeRoychowdhuryisaPushcart-nominatedwriter-poetfromIndia.HerpoetryisinBlackBough,CopihuePoetry, TheBayouReview,Dreich,PaddlerPress,TheChakkar,andmore.HerctionisinMuseIndia,FieryScribe,andothers. SheisthefoundingeditorofTheHooghlyReviewandalawyer.Twitter:@TejaswineeRC.

VikkiC.isaBritish-born,award-nominatedwriterandauthorofTheArtofGlassHouses(AlienBuddhaPress)andWhere SandsRunFinest(DarkWinterPress).HerrecentworkappearsinDustPoetryMagazine,OneHandClapping,StoneCircle Review,EcoTheoReview,ONEARTPoetry,BlackBoughPoetry,IceFloePress,AcropolisJournal,TheBrokenSpine,The BelfastReview,SalòPress,andothervenues

ABOUT

SontagMagisaliterarymagazineappearingtriannuallyanddevotedtofosteringacommunityofpoetsandtranslatorsand promotingworksexceptionalincraft.

SontagMagacceptssubmissionsofpoetryandpoetry-in-translationinJanuary,May,andSeptember.Submissionsare acceptedviaemailtosontaglit@gmail.com–thosesubmissionsthatdonotfollowthesubmissionguidelineswillbe renderedunread.

Allsubmissionsmustbepreviouslyunpublished,withanexceptionmadefortranslations Wedonotacceptworkswhose creationsareattributedtooraidedbyArticialIntelligence(AI) Worksofpoetryandpoetry-in-translationshouldbesent withthefollowingsubjectline–“Name–NumberofPoems”(eg,“JohnDoe–2Poems”)withabriefthird-personbio andeachpoembeginningonanewpage

Poetry-in-translationmustincludeacopyoftheoriginalpoem Translatorsmusthaveobtainedpermissionfromthework’s originalwriterbeforesubmission

SontagMagconsidersnomorethanthreepoemsatatime,andweaskthatyousubmitnomorethantwicepersubmission period