My Abuelita takes great pride in her garden, in the trees she tends to. They grow tall, bright, and abundant like the family she created. Plump pomegranates overflow in buckets, purple figs swell and hang right above our heads, small limes cluster like tiles in a mosaic of green among verdant leaves, and aromatic guayabas … Continue reading June Micro Memoir Contest: Gold Winner: “Ghosts of Guayabas” by Evangeline Sanchez
June Micro Memoir Contest: Silver Winner: “What’s Eternal?” by William Hong
“Aja! Aja!” Moving his arms, tanned and burly from extended periods of labor but simultaneously frail and wrinkly towards the tips of his old fingers, my Grandpa, in his mid-seventies, clapped his hands to and fro with a cheery tone of encouragement as he briskly climbed up the half-paved mountainous path. Dragging my feet along … Continue reading June Micro Memoir Contest: Silver Winner: “What’s Eternal?” by William Hong
June Micro Memoir Contest: Bronze Winner: “Handle It” by Anna Lee
The throbbing pain inside my inflamed throat was excruciating.The congestion of my nasal passages made it nearly impossible for me to breathe. My head, which was as heavy as a concrete slab of stone, pulsed painfully with every step I took. “Anna. If you can’t handle it, just go see a doctor.”As I lay down … Continue reading June Micro Memoir Contest: Bronze Winner: “Handle It” by Anna Lee
Sun Tzu and Entertainment: Jaws’ Orca Ordeal
By Andrew Nickerson In the field of military tactics/strategy, one name has long stood above the rest: Sun Tzu, ancient philosopher/general/strategist. This ancient genius’ masterpiece, The Art of War, is one of the most venerated of all time, a gem touching on nearly every element of conflict, and all for one unique goal: winning. Its … Continue reading Sun Tzu and Entertainment: Jaws’ Orca Ordeal
Inspire for Hire
By Alex Andy Phuong As a person transitioned from college to adulthood, conflict came about along with hints of doubt. After all, like after graduation is nothing like High School Musical. Without graduating summa cum laude, this individual had to learn many powerful life lessons that extend beyond academic settings. In fact, this person learned … Continue reading Inspire for Hire
Anton
By Oleg Daugovish On an island of Fyn, washed by two frigid seas, a town of Svendborg roots. A church by the harbor repels rain’s assault with an armor of red bricks and tile. Inside the gloomy cathedral, a scent of sandalwood coats the dark-haired crowd whispering in Tagalog. The Danish Catholic congregation relies on … Continue reading Anton
The Pinny
By Myra Lee Virgil It is a brisk October day in 2024. I am perched on one of four vibrant blue Adirondack chairs made of reclaimed plastic; robust, durable, and heavy, all facing a patch of Grape Bay Beach. The waves of Bermuda’s South Shore at this stretch of the beach pounce to the shoreline. … Continue reading The Pinny
Birthday Surprises
By Roger Funston I’m watching traditional German folk dancing on my 70th birthday today (May 5, 2024) at a German social club in Sacramento, California. Men and women in traditional German garb perform the Maypole Dance. We arrive at the opening, spy an amazing display of desserts laid out on a table and go directly … Continue reading Birthday Surprises
I Felt it in My Blood
By Lennox Shuppe I remember my great grandmother, Maude, collecting things. She went to flea markets in rural Oklahoma, coming home with little treasures that she squirreled away. Her home smelled of cinnamon, sage, and old books. The ground was neatly swept cement in her tiny little home on the Cherokee reservation. As you walked … Continue reading I Felt it in My Blood
A Pandemic Journal, the First Few Weeks
By Bakhtiar Ahmed First published: March 2022 in Kindle Thy Embers Anthology published by Lit-light publishers, Pakistan A Pandemic Journal, the First Few Weeks Bakhtiar Ahmed I woke up with a sinking feeling, a feeling of dread and hopelessness; I had an intense urge to flee but there was nowhere to go. I felt trapped, suffocated, … Continue reading A Pandemic Journal, the First Few Weeks
Academy of the Heart And Mind 