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Written by: John Veliz One ought not to be forced to write, but to write as a force. For the essence of words carry the power of a thousand guns, the impact of a million wars. The transcendence of written paragraphs is, indeed, humankind’s most vigorous of weapons. The unyielding nature of meaningless symbols, carrying…

when you’re young

Written by: Ananya Nayak when you’re young dreaming of slippers made of glass  of kisses to wake you from dreamlike nightmares wishing to swim into rivers of chocolate to find true love. purpose things seem all too slow when you’re older reality creeps in through the door the slipper shatters, and you tiptoe over shards…

Loneliness

Written by: Elizabeth Joseph Loneliness is being half-complete, being able to do what seemingly everyone can do – walk, talk, breathe, eat and sleep – and yet having your feet nailed to the ground in the middle of a sea of people, watching everyone around you basking in a soft warmth, a low hum of…

Thailand

Written by: Meira Quah Lemongrass, the aromatic Thai staple scent.  Compressed into a small glass jar of wax, effused into the air once lit. Packaged in an olive green box, a small ribbon glued to the top A film of dust protecting it all around And given to me as a memento of my time…

Payaso

Written by: Jeslyn Jerota I became poor for loving you. The day you left without a word, was the day you took my happiness with you. You left an eternal winter in my heart, an exodus of the meaning of life. All of the richness and colors of life fade away and turn into the…

Brilio

Written by: John Veliz Brilio, people would describe him as a shallow yet cryptic person. In reality, none of the people around him really knew what went on inside Brilio’s head; everyone always questioned his actions, and went as far as fabricating theories on his madness. Nevertheless, Brilio was quite a well composed man, he…

The Fireplace

Written by: Nigella Marx The change I had longed for had come in the form of a house. A house with a fireplace. A fireplace. That was the moment I realised that I was somewhere else. I wasn’t in the place I had grown up in, I was somewhere new. I could start again, I…

new year’s day

Written by: Ayasha Nordiawan This year ends quietly.  There was no loud countdown to end the shattering days of 2020 as the clock ticked and the day changed. How nice would it be had it worked like a reset. But time doesn’t work that way. It doesn’t go back to clean slate. Time passes and…

Outside the Window

Written by: Aditya Nirish Unni This window represents an individual perspective.   A man looked through the window, his size, minuscule in comparison to his surroundings.  Life is a matter of perspectives, everything we see and look at differs depending on how you look at it. The lush greenery around him provides a natural yet industrial…

The Mystery People

Written by: Nigella Marx I don’t really think about my neighbors, which is strange considering they live right next to me. Whole people with whole lives, living in a different world just over a concrete wall barely taller than myself.  If I were to be honest, I’ve never seen them. Not properly anyway – face…