Dear Past, I thank you for revealing life’s art, For letting me taste its every part, In pains, joys, words unkind or sweet, You shaped me whole, made me complete. Stronger now, forged by your embrace, Wounds and scars adorn with grace, Etched like art on canvas, body and soul, Each story they tell, making me whole. Those scars, in sorrow’s shadow born, Became my drive, my fires were sworn, You spurred me on, fanned my inner fire, Turning pain into purpose, soaring higher. For every tear, a clearer sight ahead, Each ache a milestone, towards goals I tread, Truly, you’re the gift that keeps giving still, Turning trials into strength, an iron will. Through trials akin to the inferno’s maw, Earthly challenges seem but straw, Betrayals and falsehoods left thorns to find, Yet deeper pain I’ve met, a crucible of the mind. Now I stand strong, a conqueror in grace, Thankful for the storm that shaped my pace, Thankful for a tempest of lessons and more, A past complex and layered, its wisdom I adore. Defined not solely by what’s already done, You’re a prologue, a journey, a rising sun, A force that propels me into the unknown, With lessons as my armor, confidence has grown. Past, I’m grateful for your steady hand, Guiding me through this intricate land, Now I step into Future, arms stretched wide, Prepared for an adventure, with hope as my guide.
Poetry from J.J. Campbell
a tight sweater anytime i see a woman in a tight sweater i think of that night we had at the farm alone in the middle of winter a bottle of bourbon your tight sweater and plenty of time to go find a new tomorrow we never did but i certainly remember each and every attempt ---------------------------------------------------------------------- pretend pretend you don't ache with every breath pretend prayer actually works pretend that some woman will actually love you one day pretend your opinion actually matters pretend that voting can actually change the world pretend the sunshine isn't killing you pretend the rain doesn't cause your arthritis to dance pretend that blonde in the corner isn't telling you to fuck off pretend those flashing lights behind you aren't the police coming for you pretend these therapists want to see you get better pretend the handcuffs are just stylish new bracelets for all the cool kids pretend that you don't think about death each and every day ------------------------------------------------------------------ conversations with myself any sense of fun i had in me was beat out of me in my childhood i can remember conversations with myself since the age of eight i once ran away with thirty-seven cents in my pockets i came back three days later with twenty bucks and a stolen carton of cigarettes others swear they used to see so much potential in me they are as disappointed now as my family was when i was born i once had a blood clot from my left calf to my left hip i slowed my heart rate down and asked to die i'm starting to believe kind souls don't exist -------------------------------------------------------------------------- and your favorite recliner they never told you that doggy in the window was never housebroken so, he will actually cost a new sofa, flooring and your favorite recliner i always liked cats better which apparently makes me a communist i had a friend that liked humans on leashes which apparently makes her popular whatever gets you through the day i suppose ----------------------------------------------------- the best thing for him at this time the father of an old friend died this past weekend it wasn't that shocking to me, but it was unexpected i used to see him at the grocery store from time to time the years hadn't been kind to him so, i figure even though it is hard to swallow reality his death is probably the best thing for him at this time i don't want to go to the funeral i have the feeling it would be a high school reunion i don't want to be invited to
J.J. Campbell (1976 – ?) is old enough to know where the bodies are buried. He’s been widely published over the years, most recently at Disturb the Universe Magazine, The Rye Whiskey Review, Horror Sleaze Trash, The Beatnik Cowboy and Cajun Mutt Press. You can find him most days on his mildly entertaining blog, evil delights.
Poetry from Noah Berlatsky
Johnny Mem Tyranny is a soup best bifurcated by patriarchy. so old gran always said as she baked the smells of smarm till the windows ran from the oilskin like old men in need of salad. Artificial brains always remind me of that dessert with the tentacles and the expiration date shining in one perfect summer like Nerf bikinis dipped in dangerous Substacks, the halo of hernias lowing softly in the mistrial. If only we could return not to what we were, but to what we would be in a separate discourse with more engagement and shitposting, more gelatinous rescue of what Arnold Schwarzenegger terminated before he was good/evil or evil/good. But you can’t put your face in the same fire twice, for the fire may pivot to video, but it is not the same. And neither is your face.
Essay from Federico Wardal
“Fellini’s Mastorna …a film of no return,“ the movie most talked about in film history, finally was finished by Jennifer Glee.
Federico Fellini wrote the script for The Journey of Mastorna in 1965 at the top of his worldwide fame and two years later he created Fellini 8 1/2.
He chose Marcello Mastroianni as the protagonist.
After 11 years, in 1976, Fellini gave me the Mastorna script and invited me to play two characters, but didn’t specify which ones. Fellini was in a strange creative process, which for Mastorna would have had no end.
But Fellini, in Fellini 8 1/2, speaks through Marcello Mastroianni that he didn’t know how to finish the film!
The fact of not wanting to finish a film for which there is already a precise script, means, for Fellini, that he has already made the film!
Actually if you put together all Mastorna’s scenes filmed over the course of 28 years, you could have Mastorna, but, of course, without Fellini’s signature.
After 1993, many directors tried to make the film Mastorna, but only Jennifer Glee has successfully done that.
In short, Jennifer Glee made her contribution to the Fellini 100 by coming with me to Hollywood and presenting the film at the Ruby Theater.
Jennifer began to absorb my experience with Fellini relating to his unfinished film Mastorna.
It was decided between Jennifer and I that the role of the Fortune Teller/Mastorna would be mine. The Another talented actor would play the other main character, the young silent actor who wants to become famous despite his disability.
The Fortune Teller / Mastorna takes the actor on a journey beyond reality, which starts at the Fellini 100 ceremony, where he informs the actor that everything is filmed and therefore the actor cannot go back, but only continue his journey trapped in motion picture film.
There are various reversals of situations, up to an ending that is not an ending!
My experience in the movie Mastorna with Federico Fellini and Jennifer Glee was a wonderful dream, full of ingenious creativity and magic.
Artwork from Robert Fleming (one of two)
Robert Fleming (b. 1963) is a visual poet from Lewes, Delaware, United States. Robert follows his mother as a visual artist and his grandfather as a poet. His art is influenced by the artists Salvador Dali, Andy Warhol, and Pablo Picasso.
"My disco ball series is inspired by Andy Warhol’s painting/wood cut of Marilyn Monroe Andy Warhol Marilyn Monroe (masterworksfineart.com). Like Andy, I created four separate disco ball images and then in a new image combined all four images. I chose the background to have a contrasting color to the central disco ball. I find contrasting colors by using the color wheel and doing a google search “what is the opposite of a color (e.g., blue)." To place the disco ball in the center of the page, I used Canva, editing the disco ball image to be aligned to the center. The works were named by concatenating the prefix “The Great Disco Ball of” with the suffix from the google search, “what were the most famous discotheques?” and picking among the top 20 that were in different continents. Poetry from Abigirl Phiri
Time flies you know Now you are high then you will feel low Sun will shine then rain will pour Last month feels like just a minute ago How could you just forget and let it go? They say people come and go If a door opens, probably one will close You can’t remember which one you chose Just continue and find out where it goes But in the nick of time you will meet The right person you will keep On your unforgettable date, he won’t skip Like when he first kissed you while holding your hips In the nick of time, you will finally feel The nice and warmth that will make you heal You do not care how much is the bill Yes its true, its something real Disapproval All l have met with is disapproval The hardest thing one has to face Discouragement piled over disparagement Questions and doubts raking your brains In a turmoil of doubt Thinking the worst out of yourself Disapproval, a nip in the bud Crushes your spirit like a sledgehammer Leaving you with nothing else but emptiness Kicked to the curb Thrown under the bus No longer under the illusion you are worth anything
Abigirl Phiri is a prolific writer and avid reader. In addition, she is a DPhil in commerce candidate at the University of Zimbabwe who finds solace in penning down poems.
The Meeting Point, book announcement from Mr. Ben
The Meeting Point is a play that paints the picture of the discussion between Jack’s teacher and his father over the bully behavior of Jack, six years of age in class due to the absence of his mother and having being raised by his single but busy father.
Mr. Ben, as he is called, is a published poet, writer, playwright, essayist, lyricist, spoken words and voice over artiste. He has written a body of works that relates with several interests. His works touch on areas of education, inspiration, sexuality, entertainment, lifestyle and other interests, all with the aim of face-lifting mankind towards greatness . Given his multi-genre approach, Mr. Ben’s acrostic, G.A.N.G.S.T.A.R , which stands for Generally Appreciating Notable Genres by Stating Their Applicable Relevance, has now become his trademark. Based in Lagos, Nigeria, he delights in reading, traveling and meeting people.