by Manarah Brown Stars and aurora, Snow and ice, Vast wilderness, A cold sacrifice. Evergreen forests, Valleys to peaks, Rivers that wander, Where the ocean speaks. Blue waters, Bluer skies, Winter days, And summer nights. It’s not where I began, But it’s where I feel free— To love and be loved by, Maybe where I’m meant to be.
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Riverborne
by Cadence Cedars I sink into the passenger seat of my dad’s old brown Ford, a truck that smells of airplane fuel and coffee. The cracked leather seats, stitched and re-stitched, sigh beneath my weight, their stuffing poking through like tufts of dry grass in late autumn. The stick shift rattles in its place. Through the window, the world slips by in soft, sun-drenched blurs. Weathered houses lean into the wind, their paint peeled and curled at the edges like old birch bark. Ponds, glassy and still, reflect the sky’s blue, interrupted only by the darting ripple of a dragonfly or the slow glide of a beaver. The same road,…
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Tellerist of the Tundra
by PhrAustie Tragic magic paper vapor Do you love the way your Grave Matches patches snatches All of the light in fright of might Winged Wonders wander underling Bothering smothering did it think to thunk To bunk the funk in spite of trusted rusty Misty Monday mornings mourning weekend Escapades “shoot charades” live parades Whittled waddling cuddles in a puddle full of twisting venting bending mending losing line of sight, bright I find, don’t try to calm the tide/ ride or dine, fit to fly upon a tundra sky Swiveled rivers running like a hurricane free of pain, Terra reign, Love the chain Back to the front from top shop…
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Cutting your tongue on the words you speak
by PhrAustie Walking through the values you entered unto the world Fraught with nought nary a faerie, “Not Fair He!” These blops of stops concluding a protruding confusing intrusive elusive notion current on the currents in motion on the Bering Sea portion of the Pacific Ocean Land meets man, meats man & plans stands for days in ways that it’s laid out like gout, stout as a shout This gory “Glory & hallelujah” in collusion to Illusion; losing to a lost paradise parable parked between antiquated ideas flayed and displayed in an intricate array The main rage on the stage is parading cascading triumvirate hues Stoned and amused Flowing in…
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How I Digest It in My Mind
by Charmaine Marasigan Words are powerful—just like food. What I speak over myself, my body and mind take in. It shapes how I move through the world. And for me, this truth has carried me through one of the most challenging and meaningful journeys of my life: becoming a nurse. Ever since I was a child, I knew I wanted to be a nurse. It wasn’t just a dream—it felt like a calling. But as life often does, it tested me. Every time I tried to step into the world of nursing, something came up, like the universe was asking, “How badly do you want this?” The first time I…
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Initiation and Sacral Kingship: An Interpretation of The Northman
by Aloendra Dzur Robert Eggers’ The Northman has been widely acclaimed as the most historically accurate portrayal of the Viking Age. Loosely based on the legend of Amleth, as recorded by Danish historian Saxo Grammaticus, the film delves into themes of vengeance, fate, and divine right. One of the most compelling aspects of The Northman is the depiction of initiation rites and sacral kingship, legitimizing royal rule by heritage. The Norns, feminine spirits described as casting the lots of human fate, weave Amleth’s fate, guiding him toward his destiny as a favored warrior of Odin. Initiation into sacral kingship legitimizes Amleth’s rule by divine right. This initiation places Amleth in Odin’s…
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The Country Story
by C. Luke Heierding I look out the window and I see my mother driving away in her red Sudan. As I am watching her drive away, I suddenly got really Hungary for some Turkey, so I decided to cook some. I ended up burning it on the pan to the point where it wasn’t edible anymore. Still Hungary for some Turkey, Iran down to the store to get some more. I had never Benin this particular store before, so I had a hard time finding what I was looking for. After a few minutes of looking I found the right section. Of course, they were out of Turkey! I…
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The Gradually Heating Pot
by Makena Seagle You put a pot of cold water on the stove and Turn the heat to high. You put a lid on it so it Will boil faster and warm your hands over The burner. You make it salty like the ocean And add oil to the water, trying to do all the Prep work while there is nothing else to do. You look at the clock on the oven and you Think of how long it will take to heat so you Leave the kitchen to get your headphones And while you’re in your bedroom you see a Dirty dish that needs to be cleaned. You Take…
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That Pie is Not Letting Me Go
by Alisson Feijoo When I told my sister Berry I was going to Pieglass, she wrinkled her nose like I’d said I wanted to join a cult. She said, “I’m too old to be playing with destiny.” I didn’t push. She used to believe in magic. Now, she believes in recycling. Since she married Alfredo—bland Alfredo, Alfredo the human form of overcooked spaghetti without salt, Alfredo who probably hums while folding laundry—they have a shared Amazon cart filled with eco-friendly candles and cruelty-free socks. He works for some nonprofit that “does the good.” Yeah, sure. Like that pays the rent. Then he goes around dropping quotes about how money’s an…
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Small Town, Big Hell
by Alisson Feijoo When I was twelve, my dad and I drove into Gathland Forest, the dark, sprawling woodland surrounding Burkittsville. To leave town, you had to pass through it as if the forest itself needed to approve your escape. The trees stood like ancient columns, their branches thick with whispers. The air tasted cool and piney. Dust kicked up behind the wheels of our truck. Inside, tools rattled—a tangled rope, a dented bucket, muddy boots clunking against a sack of nails. The car was chaos, but it was our kind of chaos. We didn’t need words. We spoke in shared glances, quiet nods, and half-smiles, understanding each other without…
