By Olivia L. Casey My scales too heavy now for me to rise.Scales jabbed tightly in my many achesBraided up in agony, I lie. I lift a wing and loose a weakened cryFor I have found a body too weak to wakeThe heavy scales I carry at sunrise. Anxious eyes…
By Anikah Burge It started out like any typical day would for me. As Mama made lunch in the next room, I watched the world through the only window I was allowed to look through. I never grew tired of the view. We lived next to and across from many…
by Livingston (This story contains drug use and overdose) There wasn’t any sign that Jordan had been crying alone on the rooftop when Isaac called out to her. No Swift or Sheeran playing at max volume. Just her and the fog and the red glow from the bridge lights on…
by Jessica Hensley Students at Southern New Hampshire University were invited to submit essays in celebration of women’s contributions to society, with a focus on a particular woman who inspired the writer to share her story. This essay was chosen to be published in The Penmen Review on International Women’s…
by Brian Reickert We rode out from Denver,Cherokee in towand you pretty worse for wear,across the receding foothillsand into the creased canvasof eastern Colorado. Hard winds against the trailer,endless cigarettesand some edibles,but no weed because ofinterstate paranoia. And wouldn’t you know,in Nebraska we’re stoppedand searched, but we could laugh(the pills…
by Adalia Bogert Let me guess,You were one of them. “Don’t have kids.”Barren.“Speak up.”Nonverbal.“At least you’ll lose weight.”Cancer. I don’t have to tell you how bad that last one was.In our world, we have rankings.And Cancer is #1. Now you’re one of us.And you want to know the rules. I’ll…
by Adalia Bogert Name. Date of birth. Group member ID. Patient ID. Age. Height. Weight. Pain level. Date of onset. Number of hospitalizations. Prescription number. Test number. ICD-10 code. Signature. Date. Me.
by Rachel E. Enright “The Graveyard of Abandoned Dreams” placed first in Southern New Hampshire University’s 2021 Fall Fiction Contest. The graveyard of abandoned dreams was starting to get crowded. As far as Walt the gravedigger could see, headstones jutted out of the ground like sentries on a forgotten battlefield, weather-worn and…
by Amanda Koprowski “Between Here and There” placed second in Southern New Hampshire University’s 2021 Fall Fiction Contest. Myra says, “Let’s go on a road trip,” and Alice looks at her like she has two heads, because there is work and family and because Myra always says things like Let’s open…
by Brian Reickert “On the Lake” placed third in Southern New Hampshire University’s 2021 Fall Fiction Contest. Marc stepped into the canoe, sat on the caned seat, planted an oar on the rocky lake bottom, and pushed away from shore. Dylan waved goodbye to his mother who stood barefoot in the…