I remember you with my soul clenched,
realizing the ground has given way.
This façade crumbles, a life envisioned
becomes a ruin before its construction—
our vast empire founded on untruth and decay.
– From “Requiem for an Empire” by James Thomas
I enjoyed the works in this issue, but no work more than the works of Alyssa Hubbard. I hope to see more of her works soon.