By Janella Katapang

I am sorry
I lied when I told you were born from love
It’s not in our blood to lie

By Natalie Edmond

Tacos race across my mind
An aphrodisiac I hold onto
That mirrors the desire that aches for you

By Deter Feliz

She waited until that final piece was laid down to call ICE.
On websites and where ever you get your news they will call these men
Saying “the six illegal aliens were arrested”

By River Ordéñez

The knight kills for the many
Or so he says as he marches
Through the fields of red wheat
The bodies all counted

By Adrija Vecenaite

The glistening of a star in the quiet sky,
The stinging pain in his left eye
For how long must he live in anticipation
Of when it will sting again?

By Lejla Krasnic

And why is it not me instead, why him,
Mother always said I was the brave one
He’s too soft, truly his mother’s son

By Raysa-Marie LeMelle

How misfortunate am I
to have known her so intimately, 
Yet kept at such a cruel distance.

By Shaneire Dames

Go on Rapunzel,
let down your hair,
for you’ve been captured your whole life.
It is only fair.

By Sebastian Ortiz (Vitale)

There are many things inside me
that I have yet to discover, 
many flaws and gifts
that I still don’t see.

by John A. Birt

Eleven quarters, a dime, and a nickel
leaves you both bothered and worried
as delinquent teens attempt to surf
on the train cars instead of the sea.

By Nafiz Imtiaz Emu

only you held on
to the truth of the road,
survived the gravel’s bite,
the pressing weight
of every step

by Andrew Lynch

I want to melt
into the pot with the spoon
that you stir until
I’m brought to a boil

by Karlo Krstulovic

As with many kings, the only thing left to do is take the crown and break it apart a million times.

By Kayla Texidor

Puerto Ricans can’t be goth, you see, and they can’t be sad.

We must know all the bochinche and spread it like they think we spread our legs.

by Laura Tobón

Let me go, for I need a transfusion of love, and among your apples, it is too costly. My pennies are not enough to pay for it.

by N.I.P

My daughter, my daughter, why do you resent me?
I was just a child,
Starving, fighting to survive,
A girl forced into womanhood

by Rafael Cevallos

I’m too slow,
Too slow even for the bike lane.
The battery-powered mopeds,
The bikes, the scooters,
They all tear ahead of me

by Natalie Edmond

Couldn’t tell my body wasn’t ready
Didn’t ask if I was okay
Only wanted to consume me quickly