Once, while my senior English students were discussing whether or not Ophelia and Hamlet “did the deed” our discussion turned toward questions of rape. I was shocked to hear a number of my male students express their belief that a girl who dresses provocatively or gets drunk “has it coming”. I was equally shocked to…
Month: January 2018
Issue 5.4 – Fiction
His birth name was Brandon Karlsson, but he went by Strom, this was his grandmother’s surname. People imagined that it was part of his work, his rejection of masculinity. His longing for the female. The mother. The grandmother. The womb. He painted a lot of small, oval-shaped doorways. Exotic street foods, Cuban empanadas, cut down…
Issue 5.4 – Poetry
We shouldn’t tell him that she sold her eggs when she was twenty for a thousand bucks to get milk for her newborn baby. Her baby is 9 now. Don’t tell him she’s trying to raise her baby all by herself. Don’t tell him she doesn’t and didn’t need anyone. Don’t tell him she was…
Serial – Little River – Chapter 11
* New to Little River or behind in reading? Find all the previous chapters here. “Jonathan?” Titus was surprised to find his brother standing on his doorstep. “Hey.” Jonathan had both hands plunged into the pockets of his khaki shorts. He hadn’t shaved in days. Titus stepped back to let his brother come into the house, and…
Book Review – My Antonia
Willa Cather’s powerful novel offers with each read a freshness and colorful view of life, tolerance, and feminine existence; this review by Sangeetha Bharath intends to pay homage to the tale on its 100th anniversary, addressing its delicate complexities without revealing too much of the story. My Ántonia by Willa Cather I did not grow up…
The Little Things – MicroWork
The Weight of Waiting The altar of my heart collapsed Under the weight Of waiting. Yania is a Puerto Rican bruja/writer/artist and suicide prevention advocate/SME. Her work has been published and/or featured in Aberration Labyrinth, Tupelo Press 30/30 project, The Write Launch,…
A Word from the Editor
Welcome to Issue 5.3—a truly international issue! We have work today representing writers from Canada, England, and Germany. We are excited to bring you three fantastic pieces by these talented women writers. Katie Flynn brings us a heart-wrenching essay called “Before I was Mom”. Philippa East’s short story “Dearest Miss Mills” will be sure to…
Issue 5.3 – Nonfiction
I am twenty-three years old, and I’m in love. I love my boyfriend. I’ve known him since grade nine, and he loves me. I can’t believe he loves me. It’s so important that he loves me because I don’t love myself enough. I’m shy and his love makes up for it. His laughter and games…
Issue 5.3 – Fiction
It’s 11:05 a.m., which means fifty-five minutes till the post is due. I’m in the kitchen, waiting, leaning right forward over the draining board. Through the window, I watch the windsock the weather-mad neighbours across the way have stuck up in their garden, a heavy canvas thing hanging right over their fence. Right now it’s…
Issue 5.3 – Poetry
You said I was like milk, like a baby Protected not by strength but innocence I was afraid I’d never know what it feels like to be loved Now I am afraid of you And you stay and stand confused In anticipation of disarray. Nobody to save your fragile soul For you chose…
thesame.blog 