Issue 06 Reader's Guide

It's been almost two months since the launch of our sixth issue (uhh, how?!?!), and we're beyond thrilled with the love that's been shown by our readers for this beautiful collection. We've seen so many of you read it cover-to-cover once, or twice, or even more. But what about those of us who are still working through it? That's okay! Even better, because sometimes the books you remember the most are the ones you slowly savor.

Maybe you're new to the litmag scene or don't usually read anthologies. Maybe you want to explore a new genre but have no idea where to start. That's where our Issue 06 readers' guide comes in. We've taken each of the prose pieces in the issue - poetry, fiction, essays - and pinpointed the main themes & ~vibes~ of each one, to help you find just what you're in the mood for.

poetry

The Heartwood and Not the Bark (p. 03), oyster bellies (p. 17) — if you want the softness & resilience of nature; small love letters to the vulnerability within yourself that allows you to love others

Oakland, June 1, 2020 (p. 10) — a song of summer heat and jagged memory and the urgency of resistance; what matters most to a community? how do we ensure it grows?

my mother’s bird (p. 12), Moratorium 1.1.2035 (p. 62), Grandma’s Coffee (129) — the fragility of those we love and the complicated grief that comes after losing them; bittersweet remembrance among left-behind objects & superstitions & tastes

Thirty-Eight Juliets (p. 19) — if you love vibrant young-adult manifestos full of voice & heart; the budding feminism of self-expression and not following the assignment

Turf (p. 45), Nesting (p. 112), Worker Bee (p. 151) — the small facts and comforts of nature; escaping from the human world by tucking yourself into a meadow of grass and letting soft creatures pass you by

Garden Shed (p. 47), Emergency Kit (p. 65), Hedge Witch Notes (p. 115) — if you’re dying to know what strangers have in their pockets or spare rooms or journals

Conversations with the Dragon and the Goblin in my Head (p. 70) — if you see yourself in fairytale creatures; a dialogue full of hidden things

I Share An Article Announcing Spinosaurus Is Now Confirmed To Be The First Aquatic Dinosaur (p. 71) — marveling at scientific discoveries & how we use them to learn more about ourselves

Taste Collector (p. 109) — if you want to revel in feasts with loved ones and feel absolutely famished

5781 (p. 150), Small Victories (p. 152) — poems for breathing, in and out, in and out

fiction

The City and Its Creatures (p. 05) — a nighttime journey of urban magic & tiny human discoveries; whispering hello to the world you are born into for the very first time

Our New Artifacts (p. 24) — if you love sci-fi, but want less of the huge explosive space fights and more of the everyday life after first contact/conflict; lost & found objects and salvaged memories

The Keys (p. 49) — if you want a story that will stick to your skin, leaving dark & gorgeous bruises; a murder mystery that knows the urgency of humanizing victims

Sailor’s Warning (p. 73) — falling asleep to the sound of waves crashing against a rugged shore; small bodies with big courage and the heroism of familial love

The Things You Gather (p. 96) — a ballad of the magpie; impossible missions, sacrificing bits of yourself, and collecting sensory moments when shiny objects aren’t enough

Mountaintops; or seven items to save a life (p. 116) — a beginners’ guide to folk medicine; this one is for lean years and the wrinkles on your grandmother’s hands, for when all you can do still isn’t enough

And Then Again To The Next (p. 132) — if you want a sweeping love story that defies time and space; holding fast to one person’s hand against all odds and across many lifetimes

essays

on portrait of a lady on fire (p. 14) — critical film studies, but make it gay; the movie as a passageway to mothers and language and finding your way through beauty before it vanishes

Blackberries (p. 127) — if you’re missing autumn already and the quiet sour-sweetness of dusk; traipsing through brambles, finding more than enough to eat

A Collection of Collections; Living with Everything (p. 147) — if your home is just as cluttered as your mind and you can’t remember what it is you were looking for; sometimes getting lost in yourself - or in WiS - is stressful, but sometimes it’s a delight

If you haven’t got your hands on Issue 06, we’ve still got plenty in stock! Check out our online store for this issue on foraging & collections, as well as limited past issues and some pretty cute merch. And don’t be afraid to reach out to us on socials (Twitter or Instagram) if you want even more personalized recommendations!