This tenth issue of the biannual literary and art magazine showcases bright voices across fiction, nonfiction, poetry, art, and photography.
In this issue:
Sport Clips haircuts
Pink crocs
Sculpted noses
Russian exiles
Queer love at Bible camp
Featuring
Nonfiction by Connor McDonald, Erica Peplin, Emmalea Russo, and Ajibola Tolase
Fiction by Sydney Warner Brooman and Ethan Feuer
Poems by Kelli Allen, Mary Boo Anderson, Mel Compo, Chenee Daley, JD Debris, India Lena González, Elena Isaeva (trans. Fiona Bell), David Keplinger, Nathaniel Rosenthalis, Matvei Yankelevich, and Emilie Yardley-Hodges
Art & Photography by Mattia Balsamini, David Billet, Jared Buschang, Faith Couch, Cat Crandall Duffy, Chioma Ebinama, Albert Elm, Peter Fisher, Rob Frogoso, Marcelo Gomes, Justin Guthrie, Amanda Hakan, Hailey Heaton, Janna Ireland, Amanda Johansson, Brian Kanagaki, Justin Kaneps, Jackson Krule, Matthew Leifheit, Sean Lemoine, Justin Leveritt, Molly Matalon, Geray Mena, Azikiwe Mohammed, Philotheus Nisch, Laurie Rollitt, Eric Ruby, Milos Simic, Prarthna Singh, Luke Stephenson, Thang Tran, Lluís Tudela, and Reece T. Williams
Cover by DeSean McClinton-Holland
Design by No Ideasobsessed!!!! rereading this short story/poem collection and wow it resonates even more a second time. beautifully curated. i adore “mal aux dents (or toothache)” by sydney warner brooman and “two poems” by mary boo anderson — but i’m so in love with “the idle place” by emmalea russo… oh my god.
my favorite line! :”)
“contraction, release, contraction, release. my grandfather: please, i hate to see a woman cry. i continued doing the kind of primal scream that seems like a whisper when you’re the screamer. like nothing could ever be visible enough. audible enough. or what’s the difference. all senses conflated, i ran up and down the stairs before returning to my spot at the kitchen’s center, cradling my knees and rocking back and forth like a little girl. like a scared animal. a woman. an edge. god.” English “i felt my command center atrophy. it rotted, then fluoresced ornately into its own habitat.”
giving this collection 5 stars heavily due to “the idle place” by emmalea russo… sooo good i am immediately obsessed.
actually in awe of the dance (hehe) she creates between mind and body, pain and joy, confinement/captivity and freedom, anger/action and calm/stillness. wow!!!!!
“i lament blankness. i lament entertainment. i mourn my swollen pelvis, inked up and writing back into it now. birthing again to be rid of it? i lament.”
i also love the other poems/essays especially mal aux dents (or toothache) by sydney warner brooman. i am a sucker for religious themes + gay yearning. <3 English
