Just As I Am by Amanda Patrick
“Just As I Am,” by Amanda Patrick Artist, Amanda Patrick, in response to the Q: Who am I as a creative woman? “My creative sweet spot is colored pencil art—a medium that satisfies my love of color, precision, & detail. My work is expressive, colorful, & strongly symbolic, with calligraphic & typographic elements. “Just As I Am” captures the importance of accepting & loving...
Late by Luna Palazzolo
“Late,” by Luna Palazzolo Artist, Luna Palazzolo, in response to the Q: What is your creative origin story? ”I was born and raised in Argentina, but now home is abstract since I moved to the US. My relation to art is exclusive to the intrigue that I feel towards what I can’t see: time and space.’’
redemption by Valerie Forde-Galvin
“redemption,” by Valerie Forde-Galvin goddess mother left us long ago her waters broke and we were thrust into a different world parched and dry and so we sought another god conceived entirely by the mind of man to rule the sky we see now this god that we created ravaging the earth bringing her to destruction this time not by water but by fire and though we send up prayers offering our sincere...
Statuary Glory by Janet Biehl
“Statuary Glory,” by Janet Biehl Janet Biehl is an author, editor, and artist, specializing in watercolor and pen-and-ink. Currently, her artwork supports the humanitarian campaign on behalf of Kurdish women to publicize the femicidal policies of the AKP/Erdogan regime in Turkey.
The Dream that Doesn’t Let Me Sleep by Nazia Kamali
“The Dream that Doesn’t Let Me Sleep,” by Nazia Kamali Dream is not that which you see while sleeping it is something that does not let you sleep. – Dr. Abdul Kalam Coming from a family of doctors, the only dream that I was allowed to nurture was one of becoming a doctor or – maybe, alternatively – that of being an engineer or civil servant. But the problem with those dreams was they made me...
LC Adventure by Laura Curran
“LC Adventure,” by Laura Curran For artist Laura Curran, life is about intersections: of crafts and fine arts; of tactile work and intellectual curiosity; and of history and memory. “I have a busy mind that has to do a lot of things,” said Curran, who lives in Northampton. “Craft was first for me, before fine art, although I don’t really make a distinction.”
“Raging Wave” by Carolyn Wright
“Raging Wave” by Carolyn Wright _________________________________ Carolyn Wright is an Alaska Native mother of two who resides in Washington state. She has been painting for three years and her artistic life is an example that no matter the obstacles to your dream you are faced with, don’t give up and you will see it pass. Her greatest joy is creating images that express authentic emotions and...
“No Faith Without Body” excerpt by Cassie Premo Steele
“No Faith Without Body” excerpt by Cassie Premo Steele The Catholic Church taught me about pain. My first sexual assault happened while I attended a Catholic elementary school, I had been assaulted by a Catholic boy in high school, and the Bishop decided to close my high school that was an intellectual and spiritual haven for women. Immaculata, named after Mary and honoring her immaculate conception, put this...
“Suddenly the Sun” by Donna Spector; “Room Enough to be Me” by Elizabeth Best; “Heo Nanseolheon” by Yun Suk-nam
“Suddenly the Sun” by Donna Spector comes over the hill behind my house, lights the sun porch, turns my orange and yellow paper flowers to gold, and even the oriental rug from Walmart looks splendid. In these times of turmoil, I am grateful for any moments when there is no new news, no tv, no radio, just two cats purring in the kitchen, and my study quiet and full of dreams. I came to New York from Berkeley, during the...
“Releasing the Sadness” by Midge Guerrera
“Releasing the Sadness” by Midge Guerrera One of my nonna’s mulberry trees was a perfect climbing tree. I’d creep higher and higher into its branches surveying the world as I knew it and dream of other worlds far away. Lots of little girls imagine themselves princesses – twirling, whirling, prancing at the ball and bedazzling a prince or three. Well, I tried to visualize that, but after tripping over a hoe, stepping in...
“Granddaughter of Stonewall” by Ona Marae
“Granddaughter of Stonewall” by Ona Marae Why do I write? I write because of them. I write because of solemn women, in sensible shoes and fedoras, wearing three articles of women’s clothing. I write because of laughing women, who lean across campfire pits, braving growing flames to hand hot dogs to lovers and friends. I write for herstory documented for lives recorded for stories told and retold. I write because now I am...
“Mantle” and Letter by Andrea Mozarowski, Legacy Fellow
“Mantle” by Andrea Mozarowski Father 1 I never breathed your breath of love I never learned breath your exhalations stung with fear, darkness, confined fathers lost forever within prison walls your breath hung with spirit oil paint and gasoline I never breathed your breath of love nuzzling me close for creature warmth – a way to find my way home – drunk, staggering with your love for me – I can only dream that the darkness...
Homage to Literary Ancestor: Toni Morrison
“Tell us what the world has been to you in the dark places and in the light. Don’t tell us what to believe, what to fear. Show us belief’s wide skirt and the stitch that unravels fear’s caul.” – Toni Morrison, American novelist, essayist, and teacher Dear Creative Woman, Our town was a tiny landlocked one in Louisiana. Devoid of bookstores and gathering writers. As kids – black,...
“The Sacred Wash” by Jerrice J. Baptiste; “On Lisa’s Mantel” by Darlene Taylor; “The Ancestress” by Dianalee Velie
“The Sacred Wash” by Jerrice J. Baptiste The women stretch their clothes on the line in the circular sun, tied between two Grenadia trees. It’s noon, and the wash by hand is complete. Sweat drips, their moumous cling to their backs. The waterfall from the mountaintop invites them to swim for a moment, a vibrant song on lips thanks the waterfall for flowing. Each woman gets out of the water with a helping hand from...
“Be Free” by Barbara Eikner Thompson; “Phoenix of Fire” by Márcia Maria Tannure; “If I Am” by Rebecca Woolston; and “Legacy” by Elizabeth Best
“Be Free” by Barbara Eikner Thompson We are all creators … so if you dance, dance. If you sing, sing. If you build, build. If you cook, cook. If you carve, carve. If you weave, weave. If you write, write. If you prophesy, prophesy. You are the child of the creative force of the universe, stay in the light and be free. I am a lover of poetry and books.. I am a mother, grandmother, wife and friend. I live...
“Have your eyes ever been crossed or turned out?” by Barbara Buckman Strasko, “My DNA” by Judy Catterton, and “Glass Half” by Lachlan Brooks
“Have your eyes ever been crossed or turned out?” by Barbara Buckman Strasko At the eye doctor I hesitate. Each day of my young life I wanted to say what the world looked like to me. And what they said was, Don’t think about that now, don’t see that way, don’t say ─ My great grandmother Rosa Vitoritto Greco remains inside of me a voice that could not speak when she lived. She was left to mind the grocery...
“In the Attic” by Yenigün Batu; “Broken Bough” by Barbara Anne Kearney
“In the Attic” by Yenigün Batu I always will be there, the cat in the attic. My pointed ears are here to listen, the things you won ́t say, but I do understand the beauty And the dimness of your silence pulling me like a black hole. Was I always like that? I don ́t know. I ́d love to listen, you know. So you tell me a story, a piece of sycamore you are made of. Sit down, child, you utter … When was the last time you...
“indigenous to” by Kenna Pearl; “Ascension” by Rosetta DeBerardinis; “Penance” by Katerina Canyon
“indigenous to” by Kenna Pearl there are no traces of the homeland left in me red dashes track a journey back to origin but there is no pin in the map to mark my destination try to follow the toll of a bell that sings your name a name rich with the stories of your family with the stories of your homeland but even our names are not our own just something borrowed by someone stolen while our true names sunk to the bottom of...
“Girl” by Marilyn Flower
This poem was originally published as “Daughter” in 2017 in Down in the Dirt Magazine, and will soon be republished in the blog “In a Woman’s Voice.” My background and culture is Jewish-American, third generation. I teach “Life and Literature” in an Emeritus program at a community college. My mama’s favorite was her son who died, the boy I was born to replace. She lay in her bedroom and...
“Memory of Evolution” by Kathy Bruce, Excerpted Prologue of “Potentially Human” by Jessica Jay Dee
“Memory of Evolution” by Kathy Bruce My work explores mythological female forms within the context of poetry, literature and the natural environment. I am the recipient of numerous awards including a Pollock-Krasner Foundation Fellowship, Fulbright-Hayes scholar grants to Peru and a Ford Foundation Grant. My work has been exhibited in the US, UK and internationally. – Kathy Bruce Find more of Kathy Bruce’s...
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a ping (or whalesong) Apr 25, 2025
