I would not write this, if not for the voices that turned my head into a village square, dancing the elegies of my sister. the metaphors here, have melted the ice on my tongue. and I found my voice reciting the last collection of my sister; I’ll paint my neck with color notes and turn … Read moreA Sister Who Paints Her Neck With Color Notes by Yahuza Abdulkadir
Family recipe written in cursive scribbles jammed on the faded lines of browned scrap papers. To be embraced, by the sight of Persian queens Held in the hands of bold bodies in the kitchen. These queens go by various names, dressed in golds attached to loose earlobes, moisturized fingers, and delicate wrists smoothed in oil. … Read moreRice is Real by Tamar Weir
by Serena Zets I think I read so much because I’m on a never-ending search for a book, a voice, a character, or an author who speaks to not only my sum but all of my individual parts too. I seek a single page, or even a paragraph, that makes me feel seen. I’m often … Read more(Issue 16) Prose Feature: “I hope my writing creates mirrors” – Neema Avashia
Image by Qian Shi So What Do You DO All Day? Spoiler alert: Nothing. Health is a full-time job for people with chronic illnesses, and that’s okay. Our value as people is not defined by how much we “contribute” to society. For some reason, this is a difficult thing to grasp for many. We don’t … Read moreSo What Do You DO All Day? by Mi Nguyen
Photo by rose v dale Akio pushed through the revolving doors and stepped out of the airport terminal. A familiar blue convertible was idling just outside, top down in the cool late autumn air; Kate sat at the wheel, watching for him. Her short hair was even shorter, and the lines in … Read moreFLIGHT by rose v dale
Image by Capri Huffman ★★★★☆ Crystal Maldonado’s award-winning 2021 YA debut romance novel Fat Chance, Charlie Vega is a refreshing and honest portrayal of a fat Puerto Rican girl with a good heart and a complicated life falling in love for the first time. Firmly grounded in the contemporary here and now, the novel authentically … Read more“Fat Chance, Charlie Vega” by Crystal Maldonado – Reviewed by Capri Huffman
Image: David Hockeny Pool I, 1978-80 You became a woman at eight years old. You don’t get your period until much later, but at eight years old, you are confronted with the uncomfortable realization that your female body is the object of desire of the straight male species. It is in an instant that this … Read moreyou have a body now by Nico Shea
Photo provided by Pavel Frolov Wednesday, June 27, 2001 Last night at your high school graduation there were bodyguards all over the place. Cameras were flashing. It felt like a red-carpet premier of a movie with all the stars in attendance. The ceremony wasn’t held at the actual location of the Professional … Read moreIt Gets Worse by Pavel Frolov
I emerged from quarantine with the distinct confidence and self-assuredness that only comes from the relief of ending a relationship or leaving a place you have outgrown. I was experiencing both freedoms as 2022 began. I had just ended my longest-term relationship a month prior, graduated college in December, accepted a dream job offer, signed … Read moreHow Taking a Break From Dating Helped Me Fall Back In Love With Myself by Serena Zets