Poetry
“The Guardian” by Jasmine Eisenberg
reminiscence
By Natalie Phillips
childhood memories are bittersweet
the smell of fresh-cut grass,
asphalt after rain,
the essence of sweet maple pine sap
the sound of chimes dancing in the wind,
cold scooters rattling down the street,
shoes slapping the pavement as you run
the taste of dad’s bitter black coffee early in the morning,
m&m pancakes after a sleepover,
coke floats late at night
the feel of a warm breeze on the first day of summer,
snuggled by the fireplace on a rainy day,
mom’s enveloping embrace
romanticized translations of distant memories
About the Author
Natalie Phillips has enjoyed art, photography, and writing for as long as she can remember. With the encouraging, positive influence of her mother, who appreciates art and photography she was allowed to explore her interests and blossom creatively. Natalie is a third year student at Folsom Lake College who is planning to move in the fall to explore her possibilities. Though she has no idea what career she wishes to pursue, she hopes to be able to utilize her passions and skills to be happy and successful.
Uncle Cyrus
By Tom Goff
About the Author
Tom Goff has worked at the FLC Reading & Writing Center since 2006, after some years assisting in the Reading Center at American River College. He plays trumpet part-time with the Auburn and Camellia Symphonies, is married to poet and watercolor artist Nora (Staklis) Goff, and walks their dog, Billy. Tom is an associate member of the Academy of American Poets and won the Robinson Jeffers Tor House Prize for poetry in 2021.
From Keats to Kahlo to Keats
By Tom Goff
“That big light by the moon is Jupiter”
By Jasmine Rose
About the Author
Jasmine Eisenberg is a Journalism student who will be transferring to a four-year university next fall. She has always been passionate about photography, but feels creative writing is her strong suit. Jasmine's long term goal is to live in London or another big city and work in publishing. She loves travel, coffee shops, rainy days, and hopes that her art may provide inspiration to other people.
I have my mother’s hands
By Jasmine Rose
As I Wake From Sleep
By Keith Warmerdam
If you want to know more about the poem “As I Wake From Sleep” and it’s author, click below to listen to a conversation with the poet, Keith Warmerdam, and our poetry editor, Bradley Rist.
About the Author
Keith Warmerdam does not identify with any type of bio about himself. This makes it especially difficult for him to write one. Depending on his perspective, he is many things, but also nothing. Perhaps another way to say this is that he identifies more with the question of What am I? than he does with the question of Who am I?. For that reason, any type of bio that uses terms that describe his personality, his credentials, or some kind of timeline about his life will only lead to further confusion in this matter.
If You Happen To Be
By Keith Warmerdam
If you want to know more about the poem “If You Happen To Be” and it’s author, click below to listen to a conversation with the poet, Keith Warmerdam, and our poetry editor, Bradley Rist.
Signature of Things
By Keith Warmerdam
If you want to know more about the poem “Signature of Things” and it’s author, click below to listen to a conversation with the poet, Keith Warmerdam, and our poetry editor, Bradley Rist.
When Vapor From The Nostril Of Death Came Down So Beautifully Over My Daughter's Soccer Game
By Keith Warmerdam
If you want to know more about the poem “When Vapor From The Nostril of Death Came Down So Beautifully Over My Daughter’s Soccer Game” and it’s author, click below to listen to a conversation with the poet, Keith Warmerdam, and our poetry editor, Bradley Rist.
Good Morning Embrace
By Aaliyah Hernandez
About the Author
Aaliyah Hernandez is a poet and writer local to the Sacramento area. She strives to explore and express the complexities of womanhood and individuality, the art of words being her vessel to do so. Her first collection of poetry, Turning Twenty One, can be found at Barnes and Noble.
Formation
By Alyssa Tregembo
About the Author
Alyssa Tregembo has been taking art classes throughout all levels of schooling and has been drawing as young as she can remember. She’s practiced various types of art forms, including painting, sculpture, and photography and loves every one of them. She also often turns to writing and poetry as another creative outlet, though art is still her favorite. She is currently a student at Folsom Lake College majoring in studio art with goals to transfer and specialize in a field of design. Alyssa loves nature and takes special focus on its under appreciated aspects, and hopes to communicate this through some of her art.
after drinking beers with friends
By Corri Lobbezoo
About the Author
Corri Lobbezoo lives and writes in Lekwungen territory on Vancouver Island. Raised a farm kid, now an educator entranced with the land and the sea, Lobbezoo enjoys bluntness, humour, and connectedness in life and writing. Their latest project is an action novel about seven siblings with a surprising (secret) pastime; stay tuned or connect via instagram @corrilobbezoo or online at www.corrilobbezoo.com
Beach weekend
By Corri Lobbezoo
Fernwood Vibes
By Corri Lobbezoo
Ink
By The Observer
About the Author
Patrick is an extremely complicated individual who has since the writing of his own poetry grown to discover inner peace at an extremely young age. He began writing initially as a form of therapy in order to cope with his extremely complicated web of mental illnesses including both major depression and anxiety. Patrick enjoys thinking and discovering new ideas, he loves that life is finite, he loves to observe the world, he loves that he has discovered how to manage nearly every issue on his own. And, he would like you all to know that he hopes that people enjoy what he’s written, and that hopefully more people will discover a creative outlet for themselves.