ON APRIL 6, 2023, AT 6:00, in the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Old Chapel, the Massachusetts Review hosted a celebration of the launch of its Spring issue. The Colombian writer and storyteller Amalialú Posso Figueroa began the festivities, along with one of her English translators, poet Shanta Lee. A story by the Nigerian . . .
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eternity is different than anhour I you know this too thesun-bright teeth the mouth’s inherentnight what is ours——from “Everydayness,” Volume 64, Issue 1 (Spring 2023) Tell us about one of the first pieces you wrote.The first poem I remember writing and thinking perhaps it was a poem, or doing a poem-like thing, . . .
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Three days into strippingthe third layer of painted wallpaperin a poorly ventilated powder roomand I am a sorrow river. My husbandsticks his head in to ask why—from “On Crying While Stripping Wallpaper,” Volume 64, Issue 1 (Spring 2023) Tell us about one of the first pieces you wrote.The first poem I had . . .
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Allegra Hyde‘s collection of stories, The Last Catastrophe is out now with Penguin/Random House. Allegra’s story “Democracy in America” was just published in our Spring 2023 issue. Eugenia Leigh, whose poem “Matrescence” appeared in our Fall 2021 issue, has a new poetry collection out. Bianca is available now from Four Way Books I Feel Fine is the debut poetry collection from Olivia . . .
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紫薯, a mother’s boiling incense, herbal ginger tea山峰, summit of skies, an unwrapped shin almost fire-scalded redtobacco, whistling grey pipe of meshed 廣州 air and 1970s pollutionmy father dodging into villages with naked children, small mounds of dirt baked with stolen potatoes, red snakes threading my mother’s inky bath—from “Red,” Volume . . .
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I am often mistaken for a tiny biting inset. No one cares to know my taxonomic name. The term “midge” will suffice. Any little two-winged fly can be a midge. There are highland midges and phantom midges, midges with affectionate nicknames like “punkies” and “no-see-ums.”—from “13 Considerations of the Holy Bug,” Volume . . .
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A small crushed garter snake lay belly up on the warm road. A baby maybe. I was cruising downhill in my manual wheelchair on a gently winding road in upstate New York when I encountered it—my very first roadkill. I passed it, then pushed back up a few yards to investigate.—from “You . . .
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cum on in / to my big show / dnt b shy / but dnt look down / wut do you make / of my image—from “diagnosing,” Volume 63, Issue 4 (Winter 2022) Tell us about one of the first pieces you wrote.In second grade, I pasted pictures of flowers I cut . . .
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In an attempt to escape another 5AM / got sick stayed sick hospital memory / pink coat phlebotomist posed with puncture / a butterfuly needle to draw 4 vacutainers of / hard to pull hard to flow blood jam / in an attempt to point pain—from “denominator-mandate,” Volume 63, Issue 4 (Winter . . .
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It might take yearsTo win your heart.To grab a beerWould be a start.–Paul Muldoon ‘Twas in Limerick, Ireland, was bornThis rollicking, frolicsome formThat refuses the haughty(But relishes naughty)In light, triple rhythms adorned. On St. Patrick’s Day, let’s turn to AleWith a triply delicious regal-ing of tasty dark brewsI’ve selected for youFor this . . .
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