Womanhood & Trauma Series — "Give Us a Smile"

A Guide to Not Comparing Stalkers

A woman catches herself minimizing a dangerous situation in her past by measuring it against what happened to her friend. Giving herself permission to remember unlocks once-forgotten details and allows her to honor her friend’s bravery—and her own. […]

Womanhood & Trauma Series — "Give Us a Smile"

Home and the Breaking Point

“Home and the Breaking Point” explores the realities of small-town rape culture as the author witnesses three peers discuss the assault of another, in a story about the price of a place in the conversation. […]

Womanhood & Trauma Series — "Give Us a Smile"

Fast and Without Too Much Sadness

Schizophrenia and Bipolar Disorder have created many versions of me and because of that, it’s hard to know myself. I think back to being psychotic and wonder who that was, and I think about myself now and still wonder the same thing. […]

Uncategorized

Made of Mirrors

“Made of Mirrors” is the memoir of a young girl and her body. After years of dancing in a room made of mirrors, countless lessons on the theology of modesty, and the birth of her niece, she unlearns and relearns that her body is worth loving. […]

Inside Look Series

Poetry Presses Answer Your Burning Questions, Part 1

In part one of this three-part series, we asked independent presses about what it takes to craft and publish a poetry collection. Curious about the perfect length for a poem? How many poems should be in your collection? The barriers to getting your collection out into the world? Where the publication of poetry is headed? Then read on. […]

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The Sandal

“The Sandal” begins with the discovery of a wounded cat stranded in the middle of a dark road. The narrator’s feelings of helplessness trigger a memory of witnessing child abuse on a city street and feeling similarly incapable of intervening. This story explores the tension between gendered powerlessness and agency. […]

Womanhood & Trauma Series — "Give Us a Smile"

Obituary

“Obituary“ is the story of a woman learning a pastor she once admired died several months ago. As she reads various eulogies in parish newsletters, her inner eye presents her with flashbacks to times when she was close to him, revealing the true nature of their relationship. […]