Frayed edges of passion, worn out and thin, echoes of exhaustion in each weary grin. Lectures and deadlines, a relentless tide. In the sea of burnout, emotions collide. Now dimmed and strained, in the pursuit of success, oh what curse has remained. Fatigue paints shadows on determined faces, as burnout tightens its suffocating embraces.

My heart did not come from the rib of a man but from the womb of a grieving girl Thick as velvet, warm like blood young, naive visions of love: the sun is wide-eyed tangled in sheets there’s a choir in my chest. Crickets mock me with their symphonies presenting the antithesis of my imagination…

I await that breeze, Coming from the West sunset, When it brushes right. Mine own place rings hot, But the home is oh so cold. Hath I sucked the air? Love, it doth consume. If He consumes as fire, Is love then our Lord? Breaketh His body. Let thy blood poureth out now, My sins…

There once was a boy, so brave and so true, But sadly, he was loved by few. He had no family, no friends to call his own, And he often felt like he was all alone. But he never let that get him down, And he never wore a single frown. For he knew that…

Pass on Grandpa’s legacy, you say With Grandpa gone, memories and stories fade Great Grandchildren meet as babes Relationships lacking living history made   Pass on Grandpa’s legacy, you say Grandpa told enchanting stories with such jazz to his grandchildren about generations past. How will I tell his story with as much pizzazz? Pass on…

Not only funny, he is smart Kind, loyal and family glue The first to cradle a broken heart This wittiest boy I ever knew. He lives in fear of boredom Even through a bout of the flu He can’t stand a life of ho-hum This wittiest boy I ever knew. At first he may seem…

Amidst the warm summer days, we find ourselves nestled in the shade, sharing laughter with a dear friend. The sweet, crisp lemonade cools our senses as ice floats playfully within the glass. A gentle breeze caresses our skin, causing leaves to dance gracefully around us.   In the distance the joyful giggles of children at…

Red, blue, and gold are the colors of the bold The few, the proud, not just a part of the crowd. Choosing to lose one’s freedom, So that others can have theirs. From completing all the chores while wearing this uniform Live in a dorm with 3 other people who call themselves leathernecks Everyone hit…

You slowed me down No one ever could You grounded me No one ever could You taught me intimacy No one ever could You kissed me for hours No one ever could Because of you my soul is forever changed Shared a love I never thought I could

Cross bags, mini vans Lunchboxes, dinner plans Mama Band-Aids, soccer games, Parent-teacher conferences, dirty hands Mama Pinching backs, tying shoes, Mending hearts, teaching love Mama

Red collar hanging above the dashboard,  A mere remnant of a family dog adored. Junger was a noble canine and gave heartfelt embraces, Until cancer came through and silenced his song. A German shepherd once youthful and sleek, Eager to protect with charcoal fur shining, Quickly deteriorated into a grapefruit sized tumor, Rotted teeth, bowed…

Before this otherness in him blooms, he had hardly known it was there or perhaps he had not wanted to look. Now, though, he could admit, that in moments, small, and unguarded, he had felt it lapping, -quiet, but insistent, against his shore Some instinct had always made him turn away, had made him lean…

It surrounds me in its cold embrace. Pulling me this way and that way All the while lapping at my face Crashing around me pulling farther and farther away. Guiding me to a quiet place Floating gently upon the waves Waves rippling over me Dragging me into the bottomless abyss. Below the surface in a…

Content Warning for self-harm. If you are experiencing a mental health crisis, thoughts of self-harm, or other emotional distress, please call the 988 crisis line for support.   She loved her black dress and red heals  She loved to dance, and he knew that They were always in sync, and she liked that He spun…

Dear Diary, How do I tell him I love him?  How do I tell him I should have said yes to his marriage proposal? How do I tell him I made a mistake? I didn’t mean to hurt him.   Dear Diary, How do I tell him it’s not too late? How do I tell…

Tired, and exhausted, turning the lights on for the front porch, Moving long hair from dark eyes, holding a crying babe Rocking, shushing, silently praying for it to end To end the pain To end the thoughts of the man that left The baby continues to cry, and cannot consult Only rock And rock And…

Lounging on the beach Relaxing in the sand Soaking up the rays of sun Living in the moment on the coast Feeling the warmth on my skin Relishing in all the Miami vibes I listen to the music vibes That travel down the beach The rhythm tracing over my skin The bass reverberating through the…

At first It’s not so bad  in fact it makes me glad.  Great white fluffy flakes falling to the ground covering it like a warm blanket.   What a refreshing feeling it is to walk out the door to such a site of the first fallen snow. Long awaited and welcomed back to my home…

Bombs rained down followed by pamphlets urging families to flee Then we came ten thousand of us clustered on the outskirts surrounding the desert city its tan buildings clustered all holding a mystery We knew what was next an endless sea of doors untold carnage Behind each one a potential family a potential threat we…

They always told me the devil is bad “Don’t go looking for trouble,” they said, “He may seem fun, even just a tad, “but he’ll doom your soul and steal your head.” They force us to follow their rules and intimidate us into submission if we try to step out of line, they treat us…

My Favorite day was with you By the seaside Laid out on the warm sand, the hot sun baking our skin The sound of the waves crashing on the shore The sound of the gulls ringing in our ears Later in the day we got ice cream Me vanilla, you chocolate Opposite, just like our…

Shivers running down my spine A cold touch, the touch of death The string has been cut, now to be assigned Heaven, Hell, Valhalla, all these choices depend on the last breath Your servants, Hades and Hel shall take good care of me Perhaps be a soul that can aid someone who has lost meaning…

    Every moment that passes by is empty without you. You were just here now you are gone For the life of me, I don’t know what to do. That moment in time when we first met, You turned my world upside down, When I fell head over heels in love. That moment when…

Locations Back alley of New York Curtains still closed, Announcer walks to the center of the stage David: Welcome everyone! My name is David Walker. Investors, future stockholders, and hopefully future customers, what you are all about to see will completely change not just Broadway, but all forms of staged performances. Welcome to the first…

Author: Alicia Kane (she/her) Email: akane1@aims.edu Submission: Death Bed By Alicia Kane Firefly sat curled in her rickety old bed, the threadbare sheets barely enough to give any semblance of warmth. The harsh white ceiling light cast sharp shadows down onto the book she read, the rough grain of the paper making some of the…