Issue #70

Issue #70 of Mud Season Review arrives at a time of great change, and we, like so many others, are returning to why we write and consume literature from a broad range of voices. In Issue #70, the broad range of voices, topics, and artworks selected by MSR’s editors and readers is a reminder of why we continue to write, make art, and tell stories even in the face of hardship.

The creative nonfiction piece in this issue is Shawn Tran’s “A Piece of Dim Sum.” It opens with this: “Eating dim sum is an emotional roller coaster—the excitement and exhilaration you get from creative dishes and intense flavors.” A piece of childhood nostalgia an the loved ones we used to sit around the table with, there is so much joy returning to such memories from the past.

Ali Gipson’s portfolio of poems is searing, looking both at the internal and external worlds around us. From the birds to insects at our feet, no detail goes missed with Gipson’s sharp eye as a poet. A reminder of the cycle between humanity and nature, they write: “I am but one second among trillions, / and soon I will be part of the ground / on which I now stand.”

Our final selection is Megan Baffoe’s “The Magician’s Doll.” This story reads like a fairy tale, telling the story of a doll owned by a magician. It is written: “She spoke like a girl; she looked like one. She bled real blood and cried real tears,” juxtaposed against her confinement and treatment as an object. We hope you enjoy it as much as we did.

Take your time with Issue #70, savor the writing and art. There’s quite a bit to learn from them all.

We wish you peace.

Suzanne & Ashley