“Writing Poetry at Soccer Practice” by Alyce Wilson

How do you write? From where do the ideas spring? How do you bridge the gap between the nascent thought and a finished work? This week’s contributors explore that liminal space.

“Flower Girl” by Michael Lee Johnson uses floral imagery to depict how poems bloom, or fade.

“My intense intents indent the bubbles” by Twixt ruminates on possible futures, as an exercise in language.

“The Office” by Craig Kirchner takes us inside a poet’s work space, and inside the writing process.

“From crackling within” by Ayaz Daryl Nielsen provides a snapshot of inspiration.

“Soul an Invisible Muse” by Hongri Yuan contemplates the ultimate source of creativity.

Explore the many facets of romantic love with this week’s contributors, from yearning to reciprocation to weathering challenges. 

“In Love” by David Sapp starts our journey with adolescent infatuation.

“Dear Memory II” by Kevin J.B. O’Connor recalls a past relationship with a mixture of emotions.

“Tree and Grass” by James B. Nicola delves into nature as a metaphor for a past love.

“What a Parasite Would Say” by Carson Pytell adopts a botanic viewpoint that could as easily refer to an unhealthy relationship.

“The Mathematics of Love” by Vicki Iorio uses mathematical theory to probe matters of the heart.

“my partner sneaks me sunshine while the doctors look away” by Sean William Dever captures the dedication of love through challenges.

“Suffering” by Jim Fried is a short story about politics, love, and the importance of timing.

A lot has happened since an issue of Wild Violet last came out, but we are back! In the spirit of renewal, this week’s contributors offer fresh eyes on ordinary things.

“All these peach blossoms” by Ayaz Daryl Nielsen evokes the rebirth of spring.

“Only You Could Catch Me” by David Sapp recalls the memory of a childhood rescue.

“Crows and dragonflies” by Ayaz Daryl Nielsen examines the inspiration of nature.

If you are a contributor who prefers to send submissions via the postal service, use our new address: 

Wild Violet
P.O. Box 887
Havertown, Pa. 19083-9998

“Tire Icicles” by Alyce Wilson

In trying times, the arts provide refuge. Whether escaping into a fictional world, or finding relief through laughter, or simply being inspired, the arts improve our lives. That concept is as true today as when Wild Violet was founded to provide a “place for the arts,” as this week’s contributors illustrate.

In “The Wrong Kiiid Died,” actor, writer and artist Raymond J. Barry provides an impressionistic account of his experiences shooting a scene in a comedy film. 

“Rehearsals” by R. Steve Benson uses the language of dance and theater to relate a life experience.

“Aria” by David Sapp shows the impact of music on even the most jaded listener.

“On The Island of No Internet, We Went to Listen to Poetry” by Michael Brownstein finds poetry and beauty everywhere in a land where art, dance, and words flourish.

While some draw inspiration from personal experience, others find source material in local, national or global events, as this week’s contributors illustrate.

“Headlines” by Kevin J.B. O’Connor encapsulates some of the major themes from recent newscasts.

“To Pete Rose” by Joey Nicoletti finds a personal connection to a sports legend.

“Approaching comet” by Douglas J. Lanzo highlights a recurring science phenomenon.

“The Cemetery Gardeners” by J. Novalis Wolfe may be set in any age, moving on from war to find solace.

As a highly unusual year ends, the holiday season gives rise to reflection, and memories seem to rise out of the mist, as this week’s contributors illustrate.

“Ahab’s Crew” by Anthony Botti reflects on days at a boarding school in the 1980s. 

“She Knew” by Dan Pettee presents a personal view of life and mortality, as seen by a scholar.

“The Turn” by David Sapp recalls a family memory that foreshadowed future trouble.

The way we see the world can be strongly influenced by our age and our particular point in our life’s path, as this week’s contributors illustrate.

“Who I Wanted to Be,” a poem by Judith Ann Levinson, presents a delicate portrait of a child’s hopes for her future.

The poem “Wildflowering” by John Zedolik praises the beauty in imperfection that a teenager would overlook.

In the short story, “The Bridge to Restitution,” Joe Ducato depicts a group of adolescent friends whose adult destinies draw closer.

“For What It’s Worth,” a story by Stuart Michaelson, relives the uncertain days of relationships as a young adult in the 1960s.

“Injured Shadow” by Michael Lee Johnson throws light on the confusion and yearning that can accompany aging.

Orange leaf on pavement, photo by Alyce Wilson

Spending time in nature clears the mind, helps us cope with stress, and is healing for both the body and spirit. If you can’t get outside, though, the next best thing is to check out this week’s offerings, all related to nature.

“Clouds” by Michael Brownstein evokes the luminescent colors often glimpsed in the sky. 

“These cool green hills” Ayaz Daryl Nielsen subtly depicts morning moments of sunlight and mountains.

“Whether or Not” by James B. Nicola takes a big-picture perspective on our relationship with nature.

“Entropy 3” and “Entropy 4,” two works of art by Cynthia Yatchman, provide an abstract view of natural forces.

Alyce Wilson as a fortune teller for Halloween

In honor of Halloween, this week’s contributors provide some scares and a little fun, as well.

Carol Hamilton’s poem, “Eighth Century Horse on Leaf of Handscroll,” responds to a work of art that depicts the essence of animal fear.

In “Traitor” by Stephanie A. Hunter, a young girl in a restrictive society befriends an outsider against her own judgment.

“A Case for Wrongful Death” by Nancy Bourne addresses the horrors a family experiences in the 1940s because of an illegal abortion.

“Sometimes, the Messenger Needs Killing,” a poem by David Thornbrugh, takes a wry look at anger and the compulsion to seek vengeance.

Alyce Wilson thinking, photo by Connie Komm

Amid the global uncertainty of the past several months, we have at times become overwhelmed. For many of us, it has also been a time of reflection and contemplation, as demonstrated by this week’s contributors. 

“On Gary Hume’s ‘The Whole World’” by Brian Cromwall delves into the all-encompassing qualities of our brains.

“Those Unheard are Sweeter” by Thomas DeConna explores the inner world of a man whose deep thoughts are mistaken for shyness.

“Somewhere in the Night” by John Hawkins takes a nocturnal bus trip that explores the narrator’s place in the universe.