By Janet Yoder 1. The Asian Flu, H2N2 When I was five, I learned the words Asian Flu. On July 19, 1957, my mother gave birth to her fourth child, my youngest sister. While she was still in the hospital, my mother was visited by a woman who, along with her husband, were trying to … Continue reading My Three Pandemics
Toads on Lily Pads
By Mehreen Ahmed There used to be a green pond once next to our house. This house had a red-tiled roof and a great many picture windows. It was situated on a hill known as the Dev Pahar in Chittagong. Through those picture windows, I could see the pond down by the valley. The pond … Continue reading Toads on Lily Pads
Superman Loses His Powers
By Dan French He was larger than life. Rippling biceps, which he flexed in front of us. He seemed able to lift anything, solve any task, fix any machine, take care of everything that came his way. He had it all, or seemed to. He delighted in pouring red blood from the dinner platter of … Continue reading Superman Loses His Powers
Why I Write
By Alex Andy Phuong Why do people write? What is the point of worrying about events, places, and characters created through the human imagination? They are not even real! Some people major in English while in college because they are bookworms. Sometimes they could be very similar to Belle from Beauty and the Beast, and … Continue reading Why I Write
No Longer Hungry and Other Flash Non-Fiction
By Jeffrey Zable NO LONGER HUNGRY I walk into this sandwich place I’ve been to once before and notice immediately that all the tables are taken except one near the back. So I quickly walk to the counter to order a sandwich so that I can get that table before anyone else. I order my … Continue reading No Longer Hungry and Other Flash Non-Fiction
Contrasts, Opposites, and the Need to be Different
By Alex Andy Phuong A prevalent theme in literature and poetry is the idea of opposites. Famous examples include Marianne and Elinor Dashwood in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility, and various character foils in novels like Charles Dickens’s Great Expectations. Because it is such an effective technique, contrasting ideas have the ability to reveal universal … Continue reading Contrasts, Opposites, and the Need to be Different
Water and Living Instead of Feeling Frozen
By Alex Andy Phuong Water A fundamental fact is that water provides life. It can cleanse the body and clean up messes. Water is essential because everyone is a filthy creature by default. Ironically, water can also cause death. That was why more than a thousand people perished when the Titanic sank in 1912. … Continue reading Water and Living Instead of Feeling Frozen
Dinnertime Dogma
By Carol Glick The other night, Shankar Vedantam from NPR's Hidden Brain paddled down the iPhone-podcast stream and docked at my dining room table. I welcomed Mr. Vendantam. He demanded nothing of me other than an open mind and a listening ear. His digital presence removed the pressure to social distance. Best of all, the … Continue reading Dinnertime Dogma
The Song That Woke Me Up
By Alex Andy Phuong For the longest time, I viewed life with an existential perspective as I previously believed that life simply has no meaning. Lost and confused, I doubted the possibility that there is a reason for why I live. However, the simple act of curiosity helped me experience what I … Continue reading The Song That Woke Me Up
Prose by Alex Andy Phuong
A Garden in the State of California I am outside near my lemon tree. Sunlight shines upon my body. I express gratitude for having Vitamin D flow through my veins. I breathe air to survive as well as thrive. I walk on the grass, and feel the Earth beneath my feet. I am getting older, … Continue reading Prose by Alex Andy Phuong
Academy of the Heart And Mind 