by Patricia Pierce Today is one of those days I trek to your final spot, Near the bend in the highway, Where the curb and the light pole Bear chipped scars. I lay my head against your hand-hewn cross. Fingers dig into the moist soil, Unable to forget the night of your death, My sobs soak into nearby sprigs of green. I flip through Harley magazines That show black leather and tell stories, Watch the pictures and captions blue into you. Today is one of those days I feel the familiar flush of love and loss. Today is one of those days I miss you all over again.

by Allen Ginnett I met J. Stalin. Do you know who Stalin is? A West Oakland rapper; he rapped with the Jacka. But let me tell you how I started listening to Stalin, once upon a time in East Anchorage. When I got back to Alaska from junior college and a failed music video experiment, life started taking a different route. Mobbin’ E.A., blowin’ kush, slappin’ music is what I’m talking about. I laughed when I first heard about J. Stalin. Who is this rapper with generic, ghetto name? My friend, P, first put me on Stalin. Me and J. Miz was mobbin’ heavy to that Gas Nation and Prenuptial…

by Patricia Pierce Arrived broken, I thrive now, a transplant, a sourdough. Thirty-one years after the Last Frontier stole my heart, Nowhere else fills that space. Released into the wild, I, like salmon, swim away. Disappearing into the depths of rural Alaska, I decorate the outhouse with postcards; Haul water; split wood; I grow. Mountains, like the North Star, guide my travel. Beyond roads, onto islands, into tundra. Adventures outnumber adversities. Memories of each I respect. Slowly, I heal, accept mistakes, and embrace my scars. With family few and friends plenty, I am proud to have survived a place most unforgiving. Ripples from glacial waterways rush my fingertips; Northern Lights illuminate…

by Allen Ginnett Fur Rondy, Fur Rondy, Why must I go? Is it to show… This “blissful” life we live in the snow? Is it the determination of human beings To be right at home in the cold? No. The rickety carnival rides light up like a beacon, People, downtown, in the cold for no reason. Everyone knows that this is the season, The time to come face to face with the elitist. Jesus. Save these dogs from an inhumane ritual… A tradition who’s mission is habitual, No one seems to have an issue, though. Fur Rondy, Why must I pretend to like you? The answer is I’m Alaskan, just…

by Emily Garlock Sitting in anticipation, waiting to take off to places I’ve never been, the rain drips outside my window, leaving streaks on the glass. The plane stirs, the rain blowing against its side, slowly. And as we go faster the drops collect like shooting stars, trailing faster and faster. A show for my eyes alone. The plane ascends and the stars fade, peeling off the pane, leaving a dark sky, and the reflection of a girl waiting to be swept away too.

by Emily Garlock I hit the ground with a scratch, followed by a smooth glide. The moonlight guides me. I memorize the cracks, Calculate avoidance. Once on solid surface, I twirl like the needle of a compass. To the foot or brain I am a metal blade; but the ice shows the magic I’ve created: art that will disappear behind the next snowfall, art that exists only for now. 

by Sarah Edwards   If you’re anything like me, I’m sorry. I am a procrastinator. And it’s not because I want to be… I swear I wanted to get that assignment in on time, I even fantasized about getting it done early! If I close my eyes I can picture myself handing it over to the professor, face bright with pure joy. I’m not sure how it went from Monday to Tuesday, then Wednesday, Thursday, Friday… If you excuse me just a second I’ll go ask Time why he’s moving so fast. … I’m sorry, but it seems I’ve lost track of him. It’s not only school I procrastinate, The…

by Sarah Edwards Can’t you wait for the weather to warm! Won’t it be grand when almost everyone is smearing SPF 65 over their bodies before they exit the house? It will be exciting to see massive storms, longer droughts, and gargantuan floods! If you’ve always wanted to live by the beach, You need not worry, with accelerating sea levels, you may find yourself closer to one in no time. And if spring is your favorite season, you’re in luck Spring is coming sooner, Though don’t worry about the changes of earth’s ecosystems, This will cause pollinators like those pesky little bees to die out (along with many of the…

by Aaron Tooyak His countenance is like the side of a mountain. His thoughts are like the thickets of trees. He rules over the bears and creeping things. He spreads His wings like an eagle and surveys the land in justice. He sits high on His throne, and nothing passes by His eyes. Every living creature is under His dominion. All of His creation follows His commands. That which is seen is wonderful. That which is unseen is a mystery. He reveals Himself to those who earnestly seek Him, And hides His face from the proud. None seek after Him, no not one.   [divider]   Aaron Tooyak is the…

by Aaron Tooyak My soul deeply wrenches in anguish. My head sinks low. My neck breaks between my shoulders, And lies limp near my knees. I cover my face in shame and tug at my scalp. I run my fingertips through my hair, And wonder why they are still numbered. I recall my return home, and remember how merciful my Father was – To restore me and place me back into His Holy Service. For I abandoned my first love, The one who found me and called me by name. The one who redeemed me. For His faithfulness shall never fade. To the savior of our fathers, of the sons,…