Message in a Romance Novel

Message In a Romance Novel by Anuradha Kumar The day Mother was not waiting for us when we returned from school at our usual time, I knew she had gone to meet the man. He had written to her only two days ago, and I knew from the expression on her face. She looked dreamy […]

Something So Simple

Something So Simple by Wendy Fontaine When the Head Start teacher reported my daughter’s trouble with routine eye exams, I shook my head. My child, age three, could see just fine. Not only was she already reading, she could tell me the color of Mrs. Leclerc’s flowers hanging on the porch across the street. She […]

Yellowfin

Nonfiction Home Art by Alice Stone-Collins Yellowfin by Abby McCord There’s a delicate painting of koi fish on the porcelain bottle my mom pours her sake from. My dad and brother are discussing politics, their voices muffled over the music. We are sitting in a Japanese restaurant; the light is dim but illuminates each table […]

Afterbirth (fiction)

Afterbirth (fiction) by Rachel Stempel Today’s horoscope told me it’s okay to lie.It’s not that I need permission but I need something. (Apparently this is self-sabotage. Or, at least, the reek of desperation.) Last night the way the hallway backlit her bedhead turned me—I don’t want to hurt you, really, but I don’t care if […]

i have two DNAs one belongs to my old

i have two DNAs one belongs to my old by Romana Iorga self the other one is my sister’si don’t know how to write about illnessi write about fall fever & hopesomeone would read between the linesthere usually was someone who would check my pulse draw blood hookme up to an IV change my bedsheetswash […]

The More We Go The More We Don’t Know a Thing

The More We Go The More We Don’t Know A Thing by Briel Felton Even the yellowjackets are confused. The mosquitos, the wasps & the bees all in a tizzy.  Say brotha it must be August, but I don’t hear the cicadas hollering with those big ass lungs. What the fuck is happnin’?  There ain’t […]

Biological Speculation

Biological Speculation by Briel Felton I bought the green carton of Newports. Lit one to time it and gave the rest to someone in need: a 14-year-old asking me to buy a 6-pack of beer in the 7/11 for him and his friends. I wonder if they are pretending to be their fathers. I thought […]