Issue 9: 2022-23 “What good is the warmth of summer without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.” ― John Steinbeck The Catby JOE O'SHANSKY | Sarah Stecher Prize, student poetry contest The Systemby KATIE KEMPLE Stand-Upby JAMIE CUNNINGHAM | 1st Place, student prose contest All My Loves Have Grown Oldby ELLEN JUNE WRIGHT Manifest Destiny in the KCA (Kiowa Comanche Apache) Rezby JOSHUA CODYNAH | 2nd Place, student prose contest Back to the Startby DINAMARIE ISOLA Paper Tygersby JAMIE CUNNINGHAM | 2nd Place, student poetry contest The Devil’s Promenadeby DACIA CUNNINGHAM Poem Written on a Spring Day (After Ou Yang Hsiu)by GEORGE FREEK The Living Treeby CARSON ROSE | 3rd Place, student prose contest The Experimentby ANDY MORRIGAN | 3rd Place tie, student poetry contest Things I’ll Sendby HATTIE CRISELL For Those Who Have Known & Those Who Will Know Meby BAILEY HUERTA | 3rd Place tie, student poetry contest The Cat Considers Her Poetic Companionby T. ALLEN CULPEPPER Beesby DUANE ENGELHARDT An Acrostic for Kurt Vonnegutby ZHENYA YEVTUSHENKO | Honorable Mention, student poetry contest The Time I Lost Myselfby MELYSSA LIRA | Honorable Mention, student prose contest Famous in My Mindby MARGARET WAGNER Ode to Houseguestsby SARAH STECHER Tormentedby AARON OXFORD | Honorable Mention, student prose contest My Museby ADEN STEIGERWALT | Honorable Mention, student poetry contest Dad Died with a Full Suitcaseby SUZANNE O'CONNELL Hope Matters, 1970–2020by KATHLEEN MCCORMICK