ABC Smokers

By Caitlyn Kirwan

He’s spewing out smog that collects on the floor of the smokers. He shouts to be heard. 

‘You really should just do more MDMA, you’ll realise depression is just like, big pharma.’ 

He keeps on smoking, pools forming at his feet.

‘That’s only because the antidepressants had you fucked though.’

The pools are waist deep, people are screaming. Smoke fills the room. The tip of his cigarette the only thing visible as he gestures from within the cloud. 

‘It’s really fucked up how close-minded you are.’

Sirens wail in the distance, the bartender calls last drinks.

Smoke Break

By Naomi Sepiso

I sat down in the gardens 

today for just a minute, 

all the school children 

were walking by.

I heard a little girl

sing a song she learnt. 

She repeated:

“Peace and harmony

for everyone.”

The earth speaks through 

her children. 

Roll your shoulders

unclench your jaw

sink into the couch 

and wrap that blanket

around a little tighter.

Sun always comes back 

around, and sky is half clear, 

speckled with puffs

and wisps of dreams.

My eyes a mirror.

Zen

By

I am not sure what you’re going through, but I will tell you

this, there is a zen parable about a monk who while visiting a

marketplace overheard a butcher being asked by a customer ‘which of your meats

is the best?’ to which the butcher replied ‘all my meats are the best’. And

after hearing this, the monk was instantly enlightened. And when I first heard

this, I thought it was an okay story.

A couple years ago, when I finally became an adult, I began to feel bad about

myself. I thought ‘what if I’ve wasted away the best years of my life’. Then I

remembered the story and thought ‘no, all my years are the best years of my

life’.