Tag: suicide

A Soldier Died Today

Dori Owen

Only the dead have seen the end of war. ―Plato Today I found out that a close friend’s nephew had died when I received an email with the details of the funeral mass. I was a bit curious. We have been friends since childhood. We grew up together on the Read more

Dori Owen

Dori Owen is a storyteller, writing from small town Arizona, after living a few decades in California as an LA Wild Child, with a brief stop in Reno. She settled into grownup life as a project manager, collecting an MBA and a few husbands along the way. She is a shown artist and her favorite pastime is upcycling old furniture and decor she finds from thrift stores. She lives with the cat who came to visit but stayed. The love of her life is her grown son who lives in Portland, Oregon. Her essays and poems have been published in RAW&UNFILTERED VOL I, StigmaFighters Vol 2, and Love Notes From Humanity. Her blogs have been featured on The Lithium Chronicles, Open Thought Vortex, Sudden Denouement, and The Mighty.

One Day, the Pain May Be Useful to You

Dave Pasquel

Useful. Now that’s a word I despise. Over the years, during numerous times of personal distress, I’ve heard the same, mundane, uninvited advice: “One day, the pain may be useful to you.” My reply to this ridiculous guidance? BS! How could pain ever be useful? Clearly, I understood the definition Read more

Dave Pasquel

After living under a rock for nearly 25 years, Dave had his eyes opened wide to the world in 2010 after marrying his crazy cat lady wife. Intrigued by controversy, culture, lifestyle, current events and history, Dave has traveled to 41 states and a handful of foreign countries. Defined as ‘metro’ by his three kids, you will often find him cleaning the house instead of working out in the yard. In his spare time, Dave likes to write sappy love songs but will be the first to admit that he can’t carry a tune.

Coming Home to Joy

Wendy Brown-Baez

When I tell my friends in Puerto Vallarta that I am returning to Minneapolis, they think I am crazy. “The weather changes here on October 15th; I can guarantee it,” Ted, owner of the cigar shop, tells me. “It’s like a curtain comes down on the humidity.” “It’s paradise here Read more

Wendy Brown-Baez

Wendy Brown-Báez is a writer, teacher, performance poet and installation artist. Wendy’s prose and poetry have appeared in numerous literary journals and anthologies, such as Borderlands, The Litchfield Review, Lavanderia, Mizna, Minnetonka Review, The Chrysalis Reader, Wising Up Press, We-Moon datebooks, 200 New Mexico poems and The Heart of All that Is and on-line journals www.Interfaithings.org and www.talkingwriting.com. She has published two poetry books: "Ceremonies of the Spirit" and "transparencies of light." Her article "Why We Write; The Wounded and Enduring" appeared in Poets & Writers 2014 July/August issue and her essay "Pilgrimage" won the NWBA 2016 contest. Wendy received McKnight and Minnesota State Arts board grants to bring writing workshops into non-profit organizations. She is a member of the Mn Prison Writing Workshop and leads a writing group at Pathways health crisis center.

BARK B*TCH

Hannah Carr-Murphy

I think about renouncing my gender of woman often, even knowing it won’t change what’s happened to me already because of my womanhood.

Hannah Carr-Murphy

Hannah Carr-Murphy is a writer and musician from Black Hawk County, Iowa. She is currently pursuing a master's in community music at University of Limerick, Ireland. Her poetry and essays can be found in ADANNA, Persephone's Daughters, and the collection Exs (Final Thursday Press).

How the Dead want to be Remembered

Icess Fernandez

When you remember me, picture me smiling. A grin of a thousand laughs Like sunshine on a Saturday. Remember how my laughter bounced off the walls and filled a room. How you already knew me, when my laughter reached your eardrums. Remember me as I was. With the same sweetness Read more

Icess Fernandez

Icess Fernandez Rojas is a journalist, blogger, teacher, and writer based in Houston. She earned my BA in Communications from the University of Houston and my MFA from Goddard College. She’s been published in USA Today, NBCNews.com, HuffingtonPost and the Guardian. She’s had fiction anthologized in Soul’s Road: A Fiction Collection and published in literary journals including Minerva Rising and The Fem Lit Magazine. Icess is also a VONA/Voices of Our Nation Foundation alum.

How to Lose All of Your Friends in 5 Minutes

Richard DeFino

So how does one lose all their friends in 5 minutes? Well, it’s not that hard actually. Just tell them the truth, that’s it.But please don’t be fooled, this is easier said than done and it will, of course, have its consequences. I myself have yet to do this, but Read more

Richard DeFino

Ricky De Fino grew up in New York City and currently resides in Buffalo NY. When he isn’t writing about his anxiety and his crazy Bronx upbringing, he enjoys watching countless hours of television with his wife Andrea, cat Bebe and dog Zeke. Two years sober, good coffee and veganism keeps him sane. His work can be found in Two Cities Review, tNY Press, Purple Pig Lit, Dialougal and Cycatrix Press.

I Promise

Icess Fernandez

How do I tell you that you are beautiful? How do I tell you that it’s not your fault? That when I left your house I was plenty strong enough. That you are a good mother, that the world hasn’t been as cruel to me as you think. How do Read more

Icess Fernandez

Icess Fernandez Rojas is a journalist, blogger, teacher, and writer based in Houston. She earned my BA in Communications from the University of Houston and my MFA from Goddard College. She’s been published in USA Today, NBCNews.com, HuffingtonPost and the Guardian. She’s had fiction anthologized in Soul’s Road: A Fiction Collection and published in literary journals including Minerva Rising and The Fem Lit Magazine. Icess is also a VONA/Voices of Our Nation Foundation alum.

Bullying

Beatrice Bailey

When I was a child about 3,000 years ago, there was always the school yard bully. We knew who he was or at times, who she was and we all participated in outright or subtle “avoidance” behavior. The rules of engagement were well known and all involved abided by them. Read more

Beatrice Bailey

Beatrice Bailey was born and raised in Davenport, Iowa to a Baptist minister father and a mother who was a gospel recording artist. She has three sisters and one brother. She attended the University of Iowa and graduated with a BA in Psychology from California State University, Sacramento. Retired since 2004 from management positions with both the Xerox Corporation and the State of California, Bea now conducts customized seminars on “Budgeting for the Not So Rich and Famous”, “Putting the Puzzle Pieces Together…The Ultimate Balancing Act,” as well as interview techniques entitled, “Selling the Sizzle and Not the Steak.” In addition, she is an active member of St. Paul Baptist Church in Sacramento, CA, where she is an Adult Sunday School teacher. Bea has been a Head Feature Writer for Senior Magazine of Northern California. She also writes a monthly newspaper column entitled, “Uniquely Bea” Currently, she has authored a best-selling book, entitled, "Farewell, My Friend” and is conducting presentations and book signings throughout the United States and Mexico. "Radio Luz,” a Spanish Speaking Christian Radio Station, has interviewed her multiple times. Bea also was selected to be included in a book by The Author’s Show, as one of the "50 Outstanding Writers You Should Be Reading”. Bea has produced and hosted a new innovative television show, “A-Z with Bea”, which aired in November 2009 on RCCTV, Sacramento, CA. Bea is active at St. Paul Baptist Church and is an Adult Sunday school Teacher, and a Small Accountability Group Leader. She is a member of Kaiser’s Bio-Ethics Committee and on the Board of Advisors for the East Lawn Corporation. Recently, she has been asked to participate as a speaker with the Black Health Today national organization. To relax, Bea likes to work out at the gym, walk, knit, paint, sew, cook, garden, and read. Traveling within the United States, Mexico, Asia, the Caribbean, South America and Europe is one of Bea’s true passions. She has two adult children, one “bonus son”, five wonderful grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. She resides in Northern California.