A Gathering of Literature and Art
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Frontispiece
Contributors to the Issue
Stephen Zelnick
Oonah V. Joslin
Ian Fisher
Lisa Walters
Mari Fitzpatrick
Greet Tijskens
Kathleen Cassen Mickelson
John P. Bourgeois
Prologue Continued
Inspired by a visit to the Benedictine Monks of Perpetual Adoration in Stamullen Co. Meath this poem explores the sacred rhythm of chant memory and silence. Through layered verse and luminous imagery it evokes the timeless pull of prayerful repetition where breath and voice awaken the soul's ancient longing. The cloister becomes a living field--one that remembers responds and rekindles grace each time its sacred name is spoken. |
Spring/Summer 2025 Archive
Stephen Zelnick explores Timon of Athens as Shakespeare’s most furious unvarnished critique of greed flattery and broken friendship. With insight into its chaotic structure and modern staging this essay reveals a play that mirrors our own disillusionments. |
 In this meditative poem Oonah V. Joslin traces the spiral of connection and disconnection through time matter and memory. With echoes of Escher and DNA the poem explores the fragile chemistry of identity friendship and the spectral nature of being. |
In this quietly luminous story Ian Fisher charts the long arc of family memory and connection through the life of Bronagh Bumgarner. From Montana cabins to dreams by the Stillwater River Carousel is a tribute to legacy love and the names we pass on. |
 This piece by Lisa Walter opens our seasonal art with a question rather than a conclusion. It speaks to the interplay of permanence and impermanence of woman as witness and cipher. And in doing so it anchors our broader exploration this season: how art like memory lingers-uninvited but undeniable-on the walls we pass by. |
Inspired by Paggi’s Venus and Cupid Greet Tijskens reimagines memory through smalti mosaic. Rooted in Baroque light and maternal grace this work blends Italian art history with a personal vision shaped by time illusion and the fidelity of feeling over fact. |
 In this tender garden elegy Kathleen Cassen Mickelson reflects on memory labor and the quiet transformation of grief. Through pruning presence and green promise the body remembers love-and turns sorrow into soil. A poem rooted in care and renewal. |
In Knotted Fables John P. Bourgeois weaves classic animal tales into a darkly playful richly allegorical novella. From a boastful hare and stoic tortoise to a bone-coveting dog and a calculating crane the stories explore vanity hunger and moral compromise. With wit pathos and lyrical bite these reimagined fables reveal the tangled instincts beneath civil disguise-where every creature no matter how clever or cautious must reckon with the cost of being hungry proud or simply alive. |
 In The Echoing Field Mari Fitzpatrick blends memoir mysticism and memory to explore sacred resonance in places like Ferrara Knock and Leitrim. From Eucharistic miracles to personal visions she reflects on the soul’s capacity to tune into a deeper field of meaning. Drawing on Irish Catholic heritage poetic insight and Rupert Sheldrake’s morphic theory this lyrical essay invites us to consider whether miracles are echoes-ancient notes still sounding for those who listen. |
 Why 'Human Being Responsibilities?' Because fostering respect for human rights contributes to stable and harmonious societies where every individual feels valued and protected. It reduces conflict enhances social cohesion and builds trust in institutions. When individuals respect and uphold the rights of others it creates an environment where equality and justice can thrive improving overall quality of life. |
Savonarola
Set in Renaissance Florence this powerful poem captures the tension beauty and destruction surrounding Savonarola’s infamous Bonfire of the Vanities. With vivid imagery of hidden art sacred fear and the irreversible cost of creation it bears witness to a city torn between devotion and expression. Artists vanish sketches burn but beauty endures in memory--etched in charcoal pigment and conscience. |
 Tracing the legacies of Eleanor of Aragon and Isabella of Castile--two royal daughters whose choices shaped culture and history. From Eleanor's artistic patronage in Ferrara to Isabella’s sponsorship of Columbus the short piece links brushstrokes and voyages courts and cathedrals. As the world marks 250 years of U.S. independence these early echoes remind us how art power and faith shaped our present. A lyrical meditation on inheritance influence and the enduring symbols that still guide us. |
A playful poignant tribute to artist Louis Wain whose whimsical electric cats transcended convention-and perhaps reality. Oonah V. Joslin celebrates his visionary spirit exploring art madness and the feline spark that lit Wain’s extraordinary imagination. |
 This lyrical poem reflects on time memory and heritage through the image of an ancient clock tower. With graceful rhymes and quiet reverence it explores the rhythms of history the constancy of symbols and the dreamlike thread connecting past and present. |
 Kathleen Cassen Mickelson's poems trace the contours of memory place and quiet revelation. With vivid detail and emotional clarity she transforms everyday moments--grief childhood discovery-into tender meditations on what endures. |