October 2022
In this issue
Contents
Sometimes, in the mirror
I say it again and again and again until my fingers turn red against the sink. Because I can’t remember my body the last time it was mine.
We’re Born as Frost
What a miracle, We’re taught The barbed wire fences, Are to be finally taken off Mottos of life, history of people Worthy Stories, worthy Men Women, are to be taken care of We’re taught The summer precedes autumn Autumn precedes winters
Glimpses of You
In my dream, you ride your bike up the road and I wave goodbye. It’s okay. Everything is okay. I can let go now. But in my dream—now my nightmare—you never come back.
Street Cleaning
Each sweep of his diligence hails you though & now you’d bet he’s underpaid & the sun’s enlightened all things & you’re the street, slowly redeemed of debris.
My Mother’s Kitchen
Mom’s yelling about my sister’s cigarettes, boyfriends and beer again. My mom Smokes Kools and always has a can of Blatz nearby.
Almost Matilda
Having read Dahl’s Matilda at 11 herself and then experiencing multiple cultures; the author goes through one end of the spectrum of not reading to the other end of the spectrum of becoming a bibliophile.
The Heart is a City
The author’s experience of living in a new city is marred and streaked by the effect the city has on her, mentally as well as physically. She traverses the divide as best as she possibly can and finds herself short of being understood.
Blue Horizon
All they could see was the long lay of ocean blue; a spotless, looming sky; the sun, and the gliding form of seabirds: shearwaters and petrels and other gull-type aviators, tiny white citizens of the bleak and luminous desolation. Beautiful, Humbert thought. If it were not for doom, it would be beautiful.
The Burning of Elenore Kuntz
My mother made me take piano lessons from Pastor James’ wife, Belinda, on Sundays. She was nice enough and always smelled of perfume. She’d hug me, give me a sugar cookie, and we’d get to business. I knew very early on in my piano-lesson days that I lacked discipline for such practices.
Sundowning
As he settles in, Olivia and Logan catch up about their weekends, both of which involved all things spooky. One of the best parts of autumn is Halloween, and it’s probably only natural that those who work in the funeral industry have some kind of affinity towards the holiday. Every department decorates the parts of the offices the guests can’t see.
Catfish Funeral
I couldn’t fathom Dad telling Poppy something he hadn’t told me: he was the only relationship in my life built entirely on honesty. He was the one who had encouraged me to travel and live somewhere new while I was young; he was the person I called when I needed help with my taxes or choosing a 401K plan.