TWO POEMS by MICHY WOODWARD

jellybean

what’s my karma 

for lying about a train delay 

swallowing subway air 

mouth to mouth harm reduction

the kiss outside of c’mon everybody

the weight of a wet goodbye 

I love a collective jay walk 

we move in unison 

pantomimes on a makeshift crosswalk

like one big inside joke 

I pretend to be an atheist 

when really I believe in 

angels in Harlem 

angels who leave flowers 

on my doorstep 

angels embedded in 

the age of aquarius 

angels who wear braids 

the embodiment 

of unwavering grace 

I held the door for a man 

who called me jellybean 

so now that’s what I call you


tiger balm

the sky slipped beneath her feet and stars drenched in rings of gold cradled her. i satisfied the sweetness until early morning. listened to Victoria Monet while it rained. a flirtatious marriage of teasing and giving in. slowness as opposition to wildfire. her sighs so gentle it felt like knowing the softness of snow in a flurry of temporary respite. hiding under the covers giggling. pancakes and pie at 1am. the popcorn i place in your lap. the contents of your telfar bag. the lies we tell ourselves. the knowing feeling. i’m rooting for us in every season.


Michy Woodward (she/her) is a queer, mixed-race Asian-American Brooklyn based writer and artist who runs a personal essay & poetry focused newsletter called Beat & Beatnik. Her poetry has been published or is forthcoming in Queerlings, Lavender Review, and The Amazine. You can find her on Instagram @michywoodward.

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TWO POEMS by ALEX CARRIGAN

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A THING by ELENA ZHANG