Generated by All in One SEO v5.0.0.1, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Pwatem ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://pwatem.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [Cheese and Flowers](https://pwatem.com/cheese-and-flowers/) - By Jessica Nguyen - [Lou Reed's Rock and Roll](https://pwatem.com/lou-reeds-rock-and-roll/) - by Christopher Sloce. Apologies to Lou Reed, who is forever scowling at anyone eulogizing him. Lyrics aren’t poetry. They never have been. Maybe poetic. Never poetry. Your English teacher, who sold you on this idea that rock music is poetry, just sold you part of the greatest myth of the 21st century. Lou Reed knew - [Teatime by Meg McCraw](https://pwatem.com/teatime-by-meg-mccraw/) - [Pine St. Window to the Soul by Avery Vaughn](https://pwatem.com/pine-st-window-to-the-soul-by-avery-vaughn/) - I rather like it watching this small world from my window. Watching as the seasons pass; birth, growth, death, decay. Watching the robins, a still life of past time. The small bird that comes to sit at the sill, still yet twitching, itching to find food from the frost. These song birds twitter and tweet - [Consequences — by John Novak](https://pwatem.com/consequences-by-john-novak/) - Embroiled in sin, we spy a lovely pair: A velvet serpent stretched across the ground; A flower of a woman, golden-haired; Two criminals in Eden stay unfound. Her halfwit husband’s blindness is profound; Adulterers cavort without a care. Ignoring fools, there’s no one else around. Embroiled in sin, we spy a lovely pair. A single - [Western Whisper - by Chase Ober (content warning)](https://pwatem.com/3250-2/) - You speak of conquest when the world begs for mercy. Man votes for peace as trees drop like flies. Silly natives, naive Thinking they won’t rape the rest of you. Red, blue, dead, We’re all under the same sky that lights up, a mushroom the size of God. - [Isolation - by Sid Estelle](https://pwatem.com/isolation-by-sid-estelle/) - [The Acclimation - by Carleigh Ross](https://pwatem.com/the-acclimation-by-carleigh-ross/) - [Untitled - by Sid Estelle](https://pwatem.com/untitled-by-sid-estelle/) - [Swaby - by KT Nowak](https://pwatem.com/swaby-by-kt-now/) - [Searchlights - by Jaycen Mitchell](https://pwatem.com/searchlights-by-jaycen-mitchell/) - [Morpheus - by Noah Wilson](https://pwatem.com/morpheus-by-noah-wilson/) - [Live Bait - by Alexis DeJesus](https://pwatem.com/live-bait-by-alexis-dejesus/) - [Hazardous Materials - by Halden Fraley](https://pwatem.com/hazardous-materials-by-halden-fraley/) - [GodIHopeICanMonetizeThis - by Alexis DeJesus](https://pwatem.com/godihopeicanmonetizethis-by-alexis-dejesus/) - [Fruit Newt - by KT Nowak](https://pwatem.com/fruit-newt-by-kt-now/) - [Communicator - by Carleigh Ross](https://pwatem.com/communicator-by-carleigh-ross/) - [Antherea Polyphemus - by Noah Wilson](https://pwatem.com/antherea-polyphemus-by-noah-wilson/) - [Angel's Descent - by Noah Wilson](https://pwatem.com/angels-descent-by-noah-wilson/) - [Pestilence - by KT Nowak](https://pwatem.com/pestilence-by-kt-nowak/) - [Ontitled - by Chase Ober](https://pwatem.com/ontitled-by-chase-over/) - Welcome to el Paraíso. Yesterday they replaced His face with a wanted poster but didn’t offer any reward. I’m not sure if there was still a script to seguir, but, some of us were wondering if we could make our own colores. And the cielos raved a fortnight until all be left were sinners with - [untitled By Sarah McCrimmon](https://pwatem.com/untitled-by-sarah-mccrimmon/) - untitled By: Sarah McCrimmon - [Carleigh Ross Work](https://pwatem.com/carleigh-ross-work/) - Cyber Bigfoot Diner - [For All Intents and Purposes By: Zekeya Hurley](https://pwatem.com/for-all-intents-and-purposes-by-zekeya-hurley/) - For All Intents and Purposes By: Zekeya Hurley how soothing is the sound of an ambulance siren the blaring red of an emergency vehicle comforting it is to know that the incident is not yours that you don’t have to call your mother with tears stuck to your throat that the fire is not your - [Ruth Clements Work](https://pwatem.com/ruth-clements-work/) - Untitled (Hydra network emerging from pool) Leave No Dark Corner - [Body of Work By Madeline De Michele](https://pwatem.com/body-of-work-by-madeline-de-michele/) - Body of Work By Madeline De Michele - [Kaela Peters Work](https://pwatem.com/kaela-peters-work/) - Final Days By Kaela Peters Cruel Summer - [“Chase” By Jennifer Woehrle](https://pwatem.com/chase-by-jennifer-woehrle/) - “Chase” By: Jennifer Woehrle - [Visibility By Arielle Schobel](https://pwatem.com/visibility-by-arielle-schobel/) - Visibility By: Arielle Schobel - [The Collective You in Us By Arda Athman](https://pwatem.com/the-collective-you-in-us-by-arda-athman/) - The Collective You in Us By: Arda Athman I prolonged my walk home because I wanted to feel cold tonight Recently I've been preoccupied by the way that air slips through the wool of my jacket. When I bought it, I thought it would be warmer. Maybe I was reluctant to look at you last - [Wrath By Pedro Arias](https://pwatem.com/wrath-by-pedro-arias/) - Wrath By Pedro Arias - [The Adult World By Cloud Guillen](https://pwatem.com/the-adult-world-by-cloud-guillen/) - The Adult World By: Cloud Guillen - [Undying Light By Alexis Dejesus](https://pwatem.com/undying-light-by-alexis-dejesus/) - Undying Light By: Alexis Dejesus - [Banjo Baby By: Cydney Goodin](https://pwatem.com/banjo-baby-by-cydney-goodin/) - Banjo Baby By: Cydney Goodin - [ROBERT E. LEE AND I HAVE A STARING CONTEST By Mary Kamara](https://pwatem.com/robert-e-lee-and-i-have-a-staring-contest-by-mary-kamara/) - ROBERT E. LEE AND I HAVE A STARING CONTEST By: Mary Kamara and a white person says racism is dead and a white person jokes about slavery and a white person lives unbothered and a white person screams about immigrants and a white person asks if I speak African and a white person touches what - [Gratitude in Tens By: Taya Boyles](https://pwatem.com/gratitude-in-tens-by-taya-boyles/) - Gratitude in TensBy: Taya Boyles One body That sustains My impulse and reckless abandon Two sturdy legs That extend and root me when I am unstable Three faucets that run With clean water That cascades in ton At my convenience Four doors Locked and secured To embolden my expression Five fingers that Wrap around mine - [Mother Nature, Me, and The Shared Art of Wallowing in Heartbreak By: Francesca Ott-McKay](https://pwatem.com/mother-nature-me-and-the-shared-art-of-wallowing-in-heartbreak-by-francesca-ott-mckay/) - Mother Nature, Me, and The Shared Art of Wallowing in HeartbreakBy: Francesca Ott-McKay Their yearning echoes, Lonesome cries heard through the trees. Soft, star-crossed bellbirds. Tears spill down moist skin Sickly wetwood out of elm, Burning the cracked bark. - [I think it’s beautiful. By Soledad Dagmar Green](https://pwatem.com/i-think-its-beautiful-by-soledad-dagmar-green/) - I think it’s beautiful T.W: Sexual Context Strap me down, my bones are bound, I cannot move, I love to drown. One comes off, another falls. He loves to see me. Free me- hold me. Turn me good, scare me straight, see me flinch and tease me, scold me. Brewing, frothing at the mouth, it - [Dichotomies BY Margaret Sue](https://pwatem.com/dichotomies-by-margaret-sue/) - Dichotomies The Sun accosts still, heat like an open oven. Yet, the air grows cold. - [Jasmine By Margaret Sue](https://pwatem.com/jasmine-by-margaret-sue/) - Jasmine Red crook of green vine, bespeak the blushing bride, steeped in pots of sugar - [La madrague By: Vy-Anh Nguyen](https://pwatem.com/la-madrague-by-vy-anh-nguyen/) - My mother is yawning in her sleep. Eyelids heavy, with Heaven's gates. Maybe, he’d let her sleep longer. She was safer within these walls. Smooth his own wrinkles, Before waking her. She’ll shower till the faucet sends her shivers down the drain. Until someone shows up to unclog it. Put on her favorite song, let - [My City By: Elliot Martin](https://pwatem.com/my-city-by-elliot-martin/) - Illustrated By: Amina Coleman-Davis The concrete jungle speaks. I hear its voice “Give me liberty or give me death!” It echoes. God speaks in this city. The city will not escape its ghosts. Stones on an urban street, carved stones. Carrying memories past, present, future, forward. A dream, personal goals moving forward. Rebirth, to find - [HUNGRY GIRLS By: Nadia Leiby](https://pwatem.com/hungry-girls-by-nadia-leiby/) - We are the hungry girls. Greasy hair and soft lips, we pore over our vices like rats in a dumpster tones no longer hushed as we wail our deepest fears into the darkness in a parked car on a Thursday night. We are the hungry girls and our hearts are slowing down. Our overwhelming lust - [TO THE FIRST PERSON WHO TOOK CARE OF MY BODY By: Nadia Leiby](https://pwatem.com/to-the-first-person-who-took-care-of-my-body-by-nadia-leiby/) - I am bathing in the taste of yesterday’s you, Slivers of ourselves tucked between my sheets You, mumbling beautiful nonsense, face pressed against my breast, the sirens of Richmond outside my window screaming to me that I am being vulnerable, aren’t I crazy? But no, This tenderness, my fingers wrapping around your body like tendrils - [Back Issues by: Jonathan Nichols](https://pwatem.com/back-issues-by-jonathan-nichols/) - TW: Abuse When I was a kid, I remember learning to say my complete address as if it were one word. I repeated it often, sometimes in my head; sometimes out loud, as if it was both a personal mantra and a natural detail to include when introducing oneself. Hi! My name is Jonathan - [The Valley by: Saira Ramos](https://pwatem.com/the-valley-by-saira-ramos/) - T.W: reference to abuse In her dreams he would taunt her, older in this world but still the same gentle face that watched her as she cradled him in her arms years ago. Sometimes he would be holding a young boy with his dimples and intense gaze. Norma would wake up with tears in her - [May We Meet Again (I'm ready to be hurt) by Jennifer Bui](https://pwatem.com/may-we-meet-again-im-read-to-be-hurt/) - may we meet again (i’m ready to be hurt)By: Jennifer Bui and so i stood in dante's flames; heart on silver, and soul on lead. i drowned in death from faithful vows of the poisonous love i once had sworn with broken locks and mercury scars, veins of tears that paved the future's paths. now - [Smudging By Amanda Blake](https://pwatem.com/smudging/) - I’ve kept the photo albums you sent not on a bookshelf inside my house, (There is no welcome mat for you) but in the pocket of my passenger-side door. No one looks at them and their pages are sticking together better than we did. Only once there was a wreck, a disagreement between metals, lives - [Toast by Alexandra Englehart](https://pwatem.com/toast-by-alli-englehart/) - I want you to feel me in your veins like fire: darkening, hardening, burning. I want to melt over you, under you, inside you like butter. Lay me down, spread me out until I seep inside, a taste you can’t get rid of. I want to break you in two, feed on the soft parts, - [Leftovers by Alexandra Englehart](https://pwatem.com/leftovers-by-alexandra-englehart/) - His crème brûlée is starting to grow mold, Cream and yolk separating Like he and I on the sidewalk that night, Slowly but steadfast, No chance of reconnecting. Our jambalaya has hardened, The peppers and onions have soured And turned to mush. Condensation drips from the lid like our Conversations after he decides I am - [Prevernal Chesapeake by Carol “Jane” Hagen](https://pwatem.com/prevernal-chesapeake-by-carol-jane-hagen/) - There is none of the electricity of winter in the marshland spring rains. Instead, they roll in on the humidity, oppressive and swollen. The peepers are the first to announce the new arrivals. Their prayers that their quickly filling vernal pool houses might stay long enough for the eggs they will soon lay echo against - [Intersecting Planes by Carol “Jane” Hagen](https://pwatem.com/intersecting-planes-by-carol-jane-hagen/) - Unable to find a horizon I once tried to dive into the sky at midnight there is no sign of where stars end and ocean begins I leapt too high off the boat holding only myself falling into that unasking unspeaking world below I’m not sure I ever hit the water or that I ever - [untitled by Devin Manning](https://pwatem.com/untitled-by-devin-manning/) - your hands are chains i have never wished to break free from. they hold me firmly yet i couldn't dream of being let go. your fingers glide slowly over every curve of my body and every corner of my mind; fingertips dancing about like pristine ballerinas -- as if i could possibly be equated to - [Satellite By Devany Solanki](https://pwatem.com/satellite-by-devany-solanki/) - You screamed the captain died You cheery messenger Of a depression-drugged paper What else must you preach about this life That heroes decline That a kitten survived That we are all so slowly losing our minds To blame the media that you smile so sweetly for And the good soul I took my captain for - [untitled by Vincent Mangano](https://pwatem.com/untitled-by-vincent-mangano/) - before I met him I flicked a lighter down and down again on its mocking red button and turned my hands into first degree burns trying to light my citronellas. the wicks sat deep at the bottom of unbearably tiny blue buckets, each its own individual pinterest project from hell, specially designed to cause me - [Untitled by Victoria Lowry, Alli Wilkins, Jonah Wilder and Noah Carpenter](https://pwatem.com/untitled-by-victoria-lowry/) - 16 mm color film - [Goldfish Studies by Emma Rasich](https://pwatem.com/goldfish-studies-by-emma-rasich/) - [Kenneka Cook by Courtney Lebow](https://pwatem.com/kenneka-cook-by-courtney-lebow/) - [the culpability of distance to burn a place by Micah Giraudeau](https://pwatem.com/the-culpability-of-distance-to-burn-a-place-by-micah-giraudeau/) - blue sky was only sun. the kind that keeps you swallowing and raining for the duration of walks or the number of dark needles between your hard toes. warm water softens to let me pluck them from my insensitive skin, the kind that tree roots had inscribed with a marred sense of justice. cellophane - [The Ambiguous Body by Rachel Gingrich](https://pwatem.com/the-ambiguous-body-by-rachel-gingrich/) - As a child one of your first introductions to gender and gender roles are the toys you play with. Trucks and action figures are for boys while dolls and dress-up are for girls. These toys hold in them a history of assumed behaviors based on the body an individual is born in. The progressive and - [Catawba, Virginia by Allie Hoback](https://pwatem.com/catawba-virginia-by-allie-hoback/) - Catawba, Virginia nearest hospital: 20 miles My mother clings to the passenger side door of my father’s baby blue pick-up-- to be traded for a minivan two years later-- watches the golden headlight hit dirt and gravel. My speeding father asks, one last time, if my name could be Samantha. She whips towards - [What happened to the Chinaberry Trees by Clarissa Kendall](https://pwatem.com/what-happened-to-the-chinaberry-trees-by-clarissa-kendall/) - we used to lay beneath each Sunday, hungry, hands like mouths on our answers, like tarnish on silver: didn’t we know the roots would remain—rely on the shade— permanence and god and love? Gentle wind, didn’t we know invincible? And what do we know now? Her father owned guns. My father was one. - [SkinWalker by Max Torti](https://pwatem.com/skinwalker-by-max-torti/) - in the back of my Mazda Minivan, steaming like, Hot Worms wriggling up, drowning like, Indiana Jones in some pit, slowly gurgling out the last slips of air. my lungs can heave, however, cleaved in two they will operate independently, and hot worms will fill up both spaces, little balloons of flesh, ready to - [Interview with Mahari Chabwera](https://pwatem.com/interview-with-mahari-chabwera/) - Mahari Chabwera is a recent BFA graduate from Painting and Printmaking at VCUArts, whose painting, Grace of Yemeyah, won Poictesme’s 2017 Editor’s Choice Award for art. I visited Mahari’s studio to talk about her work, influences, and life after graduating. In her workspace, large, unstretched pieces of canvas cover the walls. In-progress figurative paintings built - [Little Journey into the Grim](https://pwatem.com/little-journey-into-the-grim/) - Poictesme’s Editor, Lauren Chartuk, recently bought an unassuming book that had a spooky surprise in store, when she uncovered an inserted photo. One idyllic Saturday afternoon, I took a walk around a Richmond neighborhood and I ducked into Black Swan Books, a rare book dealer – these kinds of shops prefer “dealer” over seller. I - [Happy Birthday by Marlon Mckay](https://pwatem.com/happy-birthday-by-marlon-mckay/) - "Are you sure you want to do this child? Once we start there is no turning back, you'll be bound forever." An elderly woman asked the young boy. The two stood alone in the middle of an eerily silent forest, in front of an altar. The dense set of trees that surrounded them a wall - [Junot Diaz at VCU](https://pwatem.com/junot-diaz-at-vcu/) - Junot Díaz, Dominican-American author, came to VCU’s campus Tuesday, September 12th, and it became apparent very quickly he did not come to talk about his books. With a casualness unexpected for the topics at hand, Professor Díaz went straight into his insightful perspective on the current state of American political affairs. His talk ranged from - [Fearless: An Interview with Malcolm Peacock](https://pwatem.com/fearless-an-interview-with-malcolm-peacock/) - work by Malcolm Peacock featured photo by Maxwell Runko object photos by Christian Gregory Malcolm Peacock, a senior in the VCU Painting and Printmaking department, uses his work to create a space for discourse about the experiences of black citizens in response to contemporary events. I met with Malcolm to discuss his art, his experiences, and his - [God's Grand Bravado by Kenny Burchett](https://pwatem.com/gods-grand-bravado-by-kenny-burchett/) - I am God’s grand bravado, temporal. Whose hairline recedes like trees forested on a fleeting ball of dirt, and water. Several teeth decayed have been extracted. Soft breasts evolved of pectorals chiseled, and eyesight dims like the drear dusk of Spring. I see things less clearly. And more clearly. I am God’s - [Flavor: An Interview with Shannon Wright](https://pwatem.com/flavor-an-interview-with-shannon-wright/) - images by Shannon Wright, source Shannon Wright is an outspoken activist, storyteller, comics artist, and illustrator who is also currently a graduating senior at VCU in the Communication Arts Department. Her work has appeared in The Guardian, Bitch Magazine, The Response, Hopes&Fears, and Today’s Christian Woman. Though she spends most of her time making viewers - [Deadline Announcement](https://pwatem.com/deadline-announcement/) - We are calling for submissions for our spring publication. Send your writing and art to pwatem@gmail.com by March 15th! - [Formation: An Interview with Christina Hairston](https://pwatem.com/formation-an-interview-with-christina-hairston/) - In celebration of Black History Month, we are publishing an archived interview with Christina Hairston from February, 2016. Images by Christina Hairston Christina Hairston is an artist, activist, and senior student in VCUarts. Around campus she is known for being a trendsetter and being actively involved in her community. Her striking ensembles and significant, consistent presence make - [Deadline Announcement](https://pwatem.com/2250-2/) - ATTENTION! The deadline for the Spring 2016 issue of Poictesme March 1st! Please submit any prose, poetry, or work of art to pwatem@gmail.com as soon as possible. We are depending on your continued contributions and support. Don't forget to pick up a copy of our second edition of Rabble as well, which are distributed around campus. We've been patiently - [Angelou Street](https://pwatem.com/angelou-street/) - image source words by Sylvia Jones i am i be -De La Soul Letters to My Daughter pulsing; a phantom limb borrowed equipped me to love my mother. You personified debonair You fashioned me a skeptic so I was prepared for shortcomings and backfires, anticipating what looks like progress; a moonwalk, an illusion of forward. Lorde, - [Poictesme Submissions!](https://pwatem.com/poictesme-submissions/) - We're excited to announce that Poictesme is now accepting submissions for our upcoming 2015-2016 journal! VCU has lots of talented artists and writers, and we want your artwork, prose, and poetry, so that it can be featured in our next anthology. You can submit as many pieces as you want, and we'll look at each individually. - [Unpredictability and Chance: Baseball in Fiction](https://pwatem.com/unpredictability-and-chance-baseball-in-fiction/) - words by Brandon Hendrick painting by Norman Rockwell Baseball is a sport defined by a clear logic. There are a set of rules that each team must follow to determine the victor. Within this structure, the ideas of unpredictability and chance are allowed to exist. A number of authors, notably American, have used baseball as - [Rainer Rilke and Oft-Tattooed Reasoning](https://pwatem.com/rainer-rilke-and-oft-tattooed-reasoning/) - Words by Jessie Kraemer Illustration by Megan Goldfarb "In the deepest hour of the night, confess to yourself that you would die if you were forbidden to write. And look deep into your heart where it spreads its roots, the answer, and ask yourself, must I write?” - Rainer Maria Rilke from “Letters to a - [Vito Acconci on Beauty, Harmony, and Functionality](https://pwatem.com/vito-acconci-on-beauty-harmony-and-functionality/) - Words by Stephanie Trujillo When I introduced myself to Vito Acconci, I was in disbelief that I was finally meeting the famous multimedia artist and architect I had studied about in my contemporary art history courses. Acconci was surprised that I was more interested in his Body Art rather than the architectural works he had - [Charles Dodgson and Lewis Carroll: A Double Life](https://pwatem.com/charles-dodgson-and-lewis-carroll/) - by Bryce Melton Charles Lutwidge Dodgson was a mathematics lecturer at the University of Oxford from 1855 to his death in 1898. He taught and wrote on the subjects of geometry and mathematical logic, and although he was popular with students and colleagues, but didn't make any noteworthy contributions to the field. Lewis Carroll is - ["If you knew Time as well as I do"](https://pwatem.com/if-you-knew-time-as-well-as-i-do/) - Words by Megan Goldfarb Illustration from John Tenniel, Original Illustrator Lewis Carroll's of Alice and Wonderland The very keen reader can find mathematics woven into the story of Alice in Wonderland. Author Lewis Carroll was a conservative mathematician who opposed new additions to math such as the unit of time, which had been introduced to new arithmetic. - [Rabble is Still Accepting Submissions](https://pwatem.com/rabble-is-still-accepting-submissions/) - Poictesme's chapbook companion Rabble is still accepting submissions until our new and official deadline of September 10th. Please submit poetry, fiction, and creative nonfiction pieces to pwatem@gmail.com. Our theme for this year's chapbook is Noise. Noise (n) : a loud or unpleasant sound : a sound that someone or something makes : unwanted electronic signals that harm the quality of - [Sleeping At Night](https://pwatem.com/sleeping-at-night/) - creative nonfiction by Mashalla Mukadam I don’t mean to go to bed at 8:30 in the evening. I lay down in my queen-sized bed with my one-year-old son, in hopes he will fall asleep quickly, so that I can come back into the living room with you. Sometimes, I find myself falling asleep with him, waking - [Submit to Rabble](https://pwatem.com/submit-to-rabble/) - Our summer session will be starting soon and we need your art and writing to fill up our chapbook. This year's theme is: Noise 1. a loud or unpleasant sound 2. a sound that someone or something makes 3. unwanted electronic signals that harm the quality of something (such as a radio or television broadcast or a - [Math, Science, and Nervous Art: An Interview with Ryan Schultz](https://pwatem.com/math-science-and-nervous-art-an-interview-with-ryan-schultz/) - Interview by Carla Dominguez When I first met Ryan Schultz in person, I felt confused. I had seen their art gain a lot of attention on tumblr, and I was all too familiar with the smugness that can accompany someone any smidge of internet fame. In front of me was a dapperly-dressed person who took my - [Hopes, Dreams, and Stock Images With Kieth Pfeiffer](https://pwatem.com/hopes-dreams-and-stock-images-with-kieth-pfeiffer/) - Interview by Elly Call Keith Pfeiffer is a junior in the VCUarts Communication Arts Program. A talented illustrator, his work is featured in the Spring 2015 issue of Poictesme. We managed to snag him in between his classes and his wanderings around Richmond to talk a little bit more about his art. In a small - [Spring 2015 Issue Preview](https://pwatem.com/spring-2015-issue-preview-3/) - By this time next week Poictesme will showcasing the wonderful writing and art of VCU students in our Spring 2015 journal. This issue features the work of many talented writers and artists: illustration by Keith Pfeiffer, Anthony Sudol and Skye Young; photography by Weston Clark and Alex Matzke; poetry by Jamal Stone and Jessie Kraemer; and prose by - [Submissions are open!](https://pwatem.com/sbumit-to-pwatem/) - Submissions for Poictesme's 2014-2015 journal are open! We are looking for the best student writing and art to fill our anthology. The submission deadline has been extended to February 5th, 2015. Please refer to our submission guidelines for more information. - [Common Eyes](https://pwatem.com/common-eyes/) - flash fiction by Lauren Chartuk She looked at me plainly, as I did her. She tried to smile. Instead she just bared her teeth. They were relatively straight. How are you? I barely saw her mouth move. I’m okay, all right, not bad… not great. I felt an involuntary shrug. She matched me, What have - [Rabble is Here](https://pwatem.com/rabble-is-here/) - The second installment of Poictesme's chapbook, Rabble, is here. This publication features the extraordinary work of the ordinary people of VCU. This time around we focused on the chimerical, with stories, poetry, and art of the wildly fanciful and unrealistic. Copies are limited so come pick one up from VCU's Student Media Center and from - [Good Timing: An Interview with Claudia Emerson](https://pwatem.com/good-timing-an-interview-with-claudia-emerson/) - From the Spring 2014 issue of Poictesme By Hannah Morgan Illustration by Megan Goldfarb If there was any doubt before, I know I really like a poet when an image of his or hers gets stuck in my head, like a song will. When I think of Wallace Stevens, I see columns of light - [Hating Ted Hughes](https://pwatem.com/hating-ted-hughes/) - by Taylor Purcell I am currently reading The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath for an English class and learned that the novel was loosely based on Plath’s own life. The major difference between the main character of The Bell Jar, Esther Greenwood, and Sylvia Plath is that while Esther attempts to commit suicide, she doesn’t - [Thumb Movements](https://pwatem.com/thumb-movements/) - Pollice Verso is a painting by French artist Jean-Léon Gérôme that features the famous thumbs up or thumbs down gesture given to decide the fate of a defeated gladiator. In this case, the secutor has defeated the retiarius, two different types of gladiators that are often pitted against each other. The victor looks up to a group of vestals - [Yeats and Otherworldly Inspiration](https://pwatem.com/yeats-and-otherworldly-inspiration/) - by Ishan Bose For many writers, inspiration can come from strange places, but W.B. Yeats takes the crown. One of the most notable influences on poetry of William Butler Yeats was his experiences and fascination with the occult and mysticism. "If I had not made magic my constant study I could not have written a - [Spoken Word: The Negro Speaks of Rivers](https://pwatem.com/spoken-word-the-negro-speaks-of-rivers/) - The Negro Speaks of Rivers Langston Hughes (1902 - 1967) I've known rivers: I've known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins. My soul has grown deep like the rivers. I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young. I built my hut near the - [Exquisite Corpes](https://pwatem.com/exquisite-corpes/) - Enjoy these exquisite corpses that were created during Poictesme's Stranger Than Fiction event. Thanks to everyone that came out to write and doodle! - [Notes on the Phantom Tollbooth](https://pwatem.com/notes-on-the-phantom-tollbooth/) - by Taylor Manigoult My literary childhood just started this summer when I read The Magician's Nephew by C.S. Lewis for the first time. After that, I felt whimsical, intrigued, and also resentful of my mother for keeping me away from these fantasy worlds. When I was a child she fed me the folktales of African - [Notes on Peter Pan and J.M. Barrie](https://pwatem.com/notes-on-peter-pan-and-j-m-barrie/) - by Carla Dominguez During my monthly bookshelf dusting, I found a book that I didn't remember buying. It was a biography of J.M. Barrie, something I probably picked up years ago and promised to read later. I pulled it out to read the back cover thinking, "Who is this?" and was surprised to be reminded that Barrie - [Rabble](https://pwatem.com/rabble/) - The Poictesme staff has started work on our 2nd issue of our Fall chapbook. Last year,we published the chapbook Cobblestone(s), an architecture-themed collection of prose, poetry and illustration. This year, we have decided to call the chapbook Rabble, paying homage to the novelist James Branch Cabell. Cabell would often use the rhyme, “Tell the rabble, - [Notes From a Film Writing Student](https://pwatem.com/notes-from-a-film-writing-student/) - by Alex Carrigan My last semester at VCU was what I considered "my easy semester." I had just finished all the requirements for my major, and I had to finish a few more for my minor before graduating. Because of this, I took this time to expand my skills as a writer. I picked an - [Illustrating Science](https://pwatem.com/the-art-of-science/) - interview by Cyrus Nuval photography by John Dijulio Skye Young's sketchbooks are filled with diagrams. Alongside the messy sketches of buildings and the backs of people's heads, there are plants, animal and insect parts and other objects, drawn with vivid detail, and labelled, like a textbook. There are organs and bones meticulously re-created on paper. The illustration - [Why I Write](https://pwatem.com/why-i-write/) - interview of Christopher Sloce by Isabella Call | photography by John Dijulio This year, I’ve turned into a weirdly superstitious writer. I don’t work in my bedroom. I don’t keep my work in the same room as me. I try to have a desk to write on and I always listen to music when I’m working. - [Celebrating Poetry Day](https://pwatem.com/celebrating-poetry-day/) - Today is World Poetry Day. This day was started because of the initiative of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), a day to appreciate and support poets and poetry around the world. We asked a few of my staff members to share some of their favorite poems. Here are our picks in - [Book Review: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew ](https://pwatem.com/book-review-the-legend-of-pradeep-mathew/) - by Daniel Parker I finished this book with three questions about it : Is this novel a detective story, a social commentary or just a story about a rambling drunk? Winner of the DSC award for South Asian Literature, Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew, by Shehan Karunatilaka, follows a retired nihilist sportswriter, named W.G. Karunasena, as - [Friday Night](https://pwatem.com/friday-night-2/) - Or things to talk about at the bar. George R.R. Martin unveils a new chapter in The Winds of Winter, the sixth book in the Game of Thrones series. The chapter proves that the author, despite all the signs suggesting he isn't, is writing the book. No word yet if Jon Snow knows anything. Furthering the proof of universal grammar, a - [AWP Submission Masterpost](https://pwatem.com/awp-submission-masterpost/) - by Alex Carrigan A few weeks ago, I got the chance to go to the Association of Writers and Writing Programs (AWP) annual conference in Seattle. It was a great experience. Not only did I get the chance to promote Poictesme at a table, I got to visit interesting panels, collect great literature, and see many - [Richmond First Friday](https://pwatem.com/richmond-first-friday/) - Many of Poictesme's members kicked off the first weekend in April with Richmond's First Friday. Here's a small photo recap of the artwork that we stumbled upon. ^found at 1708 Gallery. ^Matt Lively's signature bees and bikes ^The top center photo is by one of our own staffers. ^Found at Candela Books + Gallery. Thank - [Friday Night](https://pwatem.com/friday-night/) - Or things to talk about at the bar. This is not a drill. A translation of Beowulf by J.R.R. Tolkien is set to be published 90 years after the Lord of the Rings author wrote it. This edition will also include some lectures the author gave about the epic and an additional short story he wrote. It - [The Sins of Dutch](https://pwatem.com/the-sins-of-dutch-hm/) - short fiction by Christopher Sloce photography by John Dijulio Usually I can handle all manners of insult. But everybody has a line, and Dutch crossed mine after he cussed me out for taking a longer than usual cigarette break. I was using my managerial clout for some good for once. So I put a brick - [After an Art Degree](https://pwatem.com/after-an-art-degree/) - interview by Cyrus Nuval art by Eleanor Doughty What happens to art students when they graduate? The art major, something that many people forget can be broken up into many categories, is often seen as a very expensive dead end. It seems as though only those with business and scientific degrees hold the path to life - [Festival of the Book / Charlottesville, VA](https://pwatem.com/festival-of-the-book-charlottesville-va/) - by Alex Carrigan photography by John Dijulio Recently, a few members of Poictesme made their way from Richmond to Charlottesville to attend the annual Virginia Festival of the Book. It's five days long with events, readings, panels and fairs scattered around the nooks of Charlottesville. The trip began at the Omni Hotel, where we attended a - [Friday Night](https://pwatem.com/friday-night-3/) - Or things to talk about at the bar. A lost short story by playwright Tennessee Williams has recently been published. The story is said to be inspired by a woman Williams dated while in college. The original manuscript for 120 Days of Sodom by Marquis de Sade recently was sold to a Parisian museum owner for 7 million - [The MFA](https://pwatem.com/the-mfa/) - interview by Carla Dominguez photography by John Dijulio When I met with John Mclaughlin at the Anderson House for this interview the first thing he asked me was, "You're not going to write about me as Mr. Mclaughlin, are you?" I asked him if he preferred Professor Mclaughlin, and he laughed. "I go by Jack," - [Film Reviews: The Strange Case of Angélica](https://pwatem.com/film-reviews-the-strange-case-of-angelica/) - by Alex Carrigan One of the running events at VCU I am most fond of is the VCU Cinematheque, a film series sponsored by VCU Cinema. On Tuesday evenings, a non-American film is shown at the Grace Street Theater, with a discussion following the film. One movie recently showcased by VCU Cinema is a Portuguese - [Featured Artist: Nicholas Scarpinato](https://pwatem.com/spotlight-on-vcu-student-artist-nicholas-scarpinato/) - by Cyrus Nuval I had the delight of interviewing one of Poictesme’s favorite photographers, Nicholas Scarpinato, a 19-year-old VCU student. The interview took place in Nicholas’ apartment; he had just gotten back from a shoot, and apologized for the mess in his bedroom. The rug had been pulled to the side where he had a - [Pipe Dreams and Cracked Pavement: Richmond Wanderings](https://pwatem.com/richmond-wanderings-1-pipe-dreams-and-cracked-pavement-hm-awaiting-illu/) - by Maya Chesley I. We say we will go wandering at 9:00, but we catch our ride at 10:30 when the wind has already stopped teasing and started whining and turning bitter. Chilly. I feel her sour breath slip through the window I lay my head against; through the glass the cold goes, onto my - [Writer Notes: Tommy Desanto](https://pwatem.com/writer-interview-tommy-desanto/) - I began writing back in high school when I realized it was therapeutic and meditative. It’s cheap medicine for my ever-lingering depression. There’s only one problem: it simultaneously feeds and cures the disorientation I feel day to day. When I sit down to write, I can streamline my thoughts in a way that helps me - [Writer Notes: Robalu Gibsun](https://pwatem.com/test/) - I began to write around 2001, when I was 11, about the time Jay-Z’s The Blueprint came out. Jay-Z’s storytelling inspired me to want to write my own raps. Of course, they were all braggadocious, violent, misogynistic and wack; all filled with the ignorance and innocence of a young writer veering into adolescence. Fast forward to - [The Richmond Transients: Texas Beard Man](https://pwatem.com/the-richmond-transients-texas-beard-man/) - by Elly Call This is a picture of a hat and The Gospel of Mark 10:13-31 on a sign. He had a conversational beard, Sashaying out from the cowboy hat brim. I wanted to talk to that beard. It shared my feelings, Reaching for me and everyone from the Lower Lip Ledge in a Friendly - [Notes on Al Columbia](https://pwatem.com/notes-on-al-columbia/) - by Christopher Sloce Whatever nostalgia taps into, it is something primal. Nobody I know is immune to suffering its effects, even the hardened among us who revisited some cultural artifact, only to learn our tastes didn't match up with what we now find moving or funny. And fear and horror are nothing if not primal. - [The Richmond Transients: Belvidere Witch Woman](https://pwatem.com/the-richmond-transients-belvidere-witch-woman/) - by Elly Call Origins aside, Some might have said Her mother Dedicated Her to some archaic deity, With requests for beauty or fertility or wealth. The deity had granted a nimbus of hair, luminous through the car exhaust. When He bent down to Her, it was an aggressive kiss introduction, And She pleaded at His - [The Saga of Alan Moore's "Swamp Thing"](https://pwatem.com/saga-of-the-swamp-thing/) - by Christopher Sloce I used to have something that resembled a swamp in my front yard. I spent a lot of time in there pretending to be Roland from The Dark Tower, had a cap gun and everything. I also used to pretend to be Swamp Thing, who appealed to me as a more dynamic kind - [Film Review: 12 Years a Slave](https://pwatem.com/film-review-12-years-a-slave/) - by Alex Carrigan This was not an easy movie for me to sit through. Then again, when has a film by British director Steve McQueen ever been? McQueen has only released three feature length films to date, and none of the films are easy watches. His first film, Hunger, won the Camera d'Or at the Cannes - [The Richmond Transients: The Architect of the Side Walk Airspace ](https://pwatem.com/the-richmond-transients-the-architect-of-the-side-walk-airspace/) - by Elly Call He carried the radio because it might have been his infant. Its cries provided his unusual building materials. Beyond the collonades of guitar twang he set in front of himself, around himself, behind himself, Was the glass-trash gravel. Mid-grey alley-way. Some sassy traffic. None of this mattered to the man who took - [Featured Writer: Richard DiCicco ](https://pwatem.com/featured-writer-richard-dicicco/) - by Cyrus Nuval Photography by Zoe Dehmer I had the privilege of interviewing one of Poictesme’s notable writers, Richard DiCicco. Richard is a senior majoring in art history and minoring in creative writing at VCU. For Poictesme’s chapbook, Cobblestone(s), Richard wrote "Magnum Opus," a bleak and somber psychological short suspense story set in the late - [Moon River (It was my mistake.)](https://pwatem.com/moon-river-it-was-my-mistake/) - by Lyndon German It was my mistake, thinking genius was associated with trade or talent. That night I stumbled upon a strange house with a red light, I assumed a villain dwelled here. When in fact, after sitting on a couch of some unknown origin, I learned the light was red only because they were - [Richmond Wanderings: Rooftopping on Tuesdays](https://pwatem.com/richmond-wanderings-rooftopping-on-tuesdays/) - by Maya Chesley photography by John Dijulio A block from where I live, a wonderful, cluttered building sprouts up from the ground. Ivy beards over its walls, hugging it like an old and near-forgotten lover. We crawl up this ivy, Elise and I, up the rickety black of a ladder that will one day hide - [Inside Liberate RVA's Anarchy Garden](https://pwatem.com/inside-liberate-rvas-anarchy-garden/) - by Amelia Heymann When I first thought about an Anarchist-run event, certain images came to my mind. One was a group of teenagers pushing over trashcans while shouting "Fuck the system!" Another, a group of angry punk kids ranting about how the man is keeping them down, as some obscure band screams in the background. - [Moveable Feast Review](https://pwatem.com/moveable-feast-review/) - By Kiara Moore The Moveable Feast on September 20th was a gluttonous event that centered on indulging in booze, food, and ah, yes the richest sustenance of all, literature. The gathering, which takes place in the Visual Arts Center on Main, showcases the work of MFA students who read from their respective pieces. Four students - [The Pipes Call Again (The Distance): Richmond Wanderings](https://pwatem.com/the-pipes-call-again-the-distance-maya-chesley/) - by Maya Chesley No stars wink at me from miles away; no squid-shaped clouds swim across the horizon. Even the moon has nodded off behind the silhouettes of gaunt willows. The Richmond sky, from my spot on the sand, looks flatter than a piece of black construction paper and just as dull. I breathe in. - [Poictesme + Zine Fest](https://pwatem.com/poictesme-zine-fest/) - The only thing that might be better than Cobblestone(s) is the zine that the staff made at zine fest. About zine fest. - [Film Review: Gravity](https://pwatem.com/film-review-gravity/) - by Alex Carrigan Several months ago, I saw the first teaser trailer for Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity. Now, when I went to watch the teaser, I didn't really know what I was expecting. Cuarón is a director I really like, but it has been a long time since he released a film. Children of Men was the last thing he ## Pages - [Home](https://pwatem.com/) - HOME HOME ABOUT PWATEM OUR AWARDS STAFF ABOUT PWATEM OUR AWARDS STAFF PUBLICATIONS RABBLE SPRING ANTHOLOGY PUBLICATIONS RABBLE SPRING ANTHOLOGY SUBMISSIONS SUBMISSIONS CONTACT CONTACT Home PUBLICATIONS SPRING ANTHOLOGY RABBLE ABOUT PWATEM OUR AWARDS STAFF SUBMISSIONS CONTACT Home PUBLICATIONS SPRING ANTHOLOGY RABBLE ABOUT PWATEM OUR AWARDS STAFF SUBMISSIONS CONTACT PWATEM (pwa-tem)1. A student-led anthology of literary - [Default - Our Awards](https://pwatem.com/our-awards-1/) - Awards Associated Collegiate Press 2025 Illustration of the Year: “The Cycle of Paris and Helen” by Gillian Grunenfelder2025 Fall Best of Show, Literary/Arts Magazine: Fifth place (Spring 2025 issue)2025 Fall Best of Show, Magazine Design: Sixth place, “Shrinking Feeling” by Gillian Grunenfelder, Elina Perera and Reese Cilley2024 Fall Clips and Clicks, Magazine Page/Spread design: Fourth - [Submissions](https://pwatem.com/submissions/) - Submissions Submissions for Rabble are generally open during the summer and first half of the fall semester, but exact dates are announced on Pwatem’s instagram and discord. Similarly, the Spring Anthology accepts submissions during winter break and into the spring semester. When in doubt, check discord or reach out to the inner staff for any - [Spring Anthology](https://pwatem.com/spring-anthology/) - Spring Anthology The Spring Anthology is Pwatem’s second publication of the year, released at the end of the spring semester. It accepts writing and art submissions of any theme. Our illustration team will illustrate select pieces, but not all writing will be illustrated due to the high volume of works. PWATEM 2025 PWATEM 2024 PWATEM - [Default - Pwatem Rabble Editions](https://pwatem.com/rabble-archives-1/) - Rabble Rabble is Pwatem’s fall publication, a chapbook that accepts writing submissions (including but not limited to poetry, prose, scripts, and non-fiction) tied to a theme. Our illustration team then works to create artwork that complements each piece, resulting in a beautifully designed final product! Rabble 2025 Rabble 2024 Rabble 2023 Rabble 2022 Rabble 2021 - [Default - Pwatem](https://pwatem.com/about-1/) - PWATEM Pwatem is a publication that showcases an anthology of literature and art created by undergraduate students at Virginia Commonwealth University. We publish a wide range of creative works, including poetry, prose, and art, from talented students across all majors. Our dedicated and enthusiastic staff of editors works to promote and nurture the creative community - [Default - Staff](https://pwatem.com/staff-1/) - Staff Melody - Editor in ChiefMelody is a senior in communication arts with a minor in marketing insights, and this is her fourth year with Pwatem. She enjoys illustrating, watching anime, and reading when she gets the chance. While she loves anything cooking related, she is also a big fan of the shoujo genre. Ashley - [Contact](https://pwatem.com/contact/) - Contact Us! Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.Name *FirstLast Email Comment Message Email *Comment or Message *Submit - [Publications](https://pwatem.com/publications-2/) - PWATEM Rabble Rabble is Pwatem’s fall publication, a chapbook that accepts writing submissions (including but not limited to poetry, prose, scripts, and non-fiction) tied to a theme. Our illustration team then works to create artwork that complements each piece, resulting in a beautifully designed final product! Rabble 2025 Rabble 2024 Rabble 2023 Rabble 2022 Rabble - [Rabble](https://pwatem.com/rabble/) - [About Us](https://pwatem.com/about/) - PWATMPwatem is a publication that showcases an anthology of literature and art created by undergraduate students at Virginia Commonwealth University. We publish a wide range of creative works, including poetry, prose, and art, from talented students across all majors. Our dedicated and enthusiastic staff of editors works to promote and nurture the creative community at - [Default - Submissions](https://pwatem.com/submissions-1/) - Home PUBLICATIONS SPRING ANTHOLOGY RABBLE ABOUT PWATEM OUR AWARDS STAFF SUBMISSIONS CONTACT Pwatem Home PUBLICATIONS SPRING ANTHOLOGY RABBLE ABOUT PWATEM OUR AWARDS STAFF SUBMISSIONS CONTACT Home PUBLICATIONS SPRING ANTHOLOGY RABBLE ABOUT PWATEM OUR AWARDS STAFF SUBMISSIONS CONTACT Submissions . . . Currently, we are open to submissions from all VCU undergraduate students, regardless of their - [Default - Pwatem Archives](https://pwatem.com/archives-1/) - Home PUBLICATIONS SPRING ANTHOLOGY RABBLE ABOUT PWATEM OUR AWARDS STAFF SUBMISSIONS CONTACT Pwatem Home PUBLICATIONS SPRING ANTHOLOGY RABBLE ABOUT PWATEM OUR AWARDS STAFF SUBMISSIONS CONTACT Home PUBLICATIONS SPRING ANTHOLOGY RABBLE ABOUT PWATEM OUR AWARDS STAFF SUBMISSIONS CONTACT Pwatem Anthology Archives . . . - [OUR AWARDS](https://pwatem.com/awards/) - Associated Collegiate Press 2022 Magazine Pacemaker: Winner2021 Best of Show, Literary/Arts Magazine: First place2021 Magazine Pacemaker: Finalist2019 Magazine Pacemaker: Winner2019 Design of the Year, Illustration: Honorable Mention, "Moon Fish" by Karly Anderson2019 Best of Show, Literary/Arts Magazine: Fourth place2018 Magazine Pacemaker: Finalist2018 Best of Show, Literary/Arts Magazine: Second place Society of Professional Journalists 2022 Region - [Spring 2023](https://pwatem.com/spring-2023/) - Our Spring Anthology is made up of a variety of students works from the spring 2023 semester at VCU. https://issuu.com/vcustudentmedia/docs/pwatem_2023 - [SUBMISSIONS](https://pwatem.com/submit/) - Currently, we are open to submissions from all VCU undergraduate students, regardless of their major. Pwatem accepts submissions on a rolling basis throughout the year and we encourage writers and artists to submit their works multiple times. We do not require cover letters and there is no fee for submissions. submit your 2023-2024 art and - [OUR STAFF MEMBERS](https://pwatem.com/staff/) - Reese Cilley: Editor-In-Chief (they/them) Reese Cilley is a junior majoring in Communication Arts with a double minor in Creative Writing and Environmental Studies. They enjoy reading, listening to podcasts, drawing, playing the trumpet, and watching cartoons in their free time. They love everything cartoons and environmental science. Kirsten Sturgill: Art Director (they/them) Kirsten is a - [PWATEM RABBLE EDITIONS](https://pwatem.com/rabble-archives/) - [PWATEM ANTHOLOGY ARCHIVES](https://pwatem.com/new-pwatem-archives/) - [Best Art 2022](https://pwatem.com/pwatem-2021-2022/best-art-2022/) - Isolation - Sid Estelle - [Publication](https://pwatem.com/publications/) - Pwatem publishes two publications annually. Rabble, a themed chapbook, is released in the fall, while the yearly anthology featuring works of all themes and genres is produced in the spring. You can find printed copies of our journals throughout the campus and at the Student Media Center located at 817 West Broad St. Rabble Pwatem - [Publication for 2013-2014 Academic Year](https://pwatem.com/publication-for-2013-2014-academic-year/) - https://issuu.com/vcustudentmedia/docs/poictesme2014 Notes From a Film Writing Student by Alex Carrigan The Sins of Dutch by Christopher Sloce Book Review: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew by Daniel Parker Notes on Peter Pan and J.M. Barrie by Carla Dominguez Richmond Wanderings: Rooftopping on Tuesdays by Maya Chesley Moon River (It was my mistake.) by Lyndon German Film - [Publications for 2015-2016 Academic Year](https://pwatem.com/publications-for-2015-2016-academic-year/) - https://issuu.com/vcustudentmedia/docs/poictesme_spring_2016_no_bleed https://issuu.com/vcustudentmedia/docs/rabble_2015_final_with_cover_no_cro Website Accepted Angelou Street by Sylvia Jones Rainer Rilke and Oft-Tattooed Reasoning by Jessie Kraemer "If you knew Time as well as I do" by Megan Goldfarb Sleeping at Night by Mashalla Mukadam - [Publications for 2014-2015 Academic Year](https://pwatem.com/publications-for-2014-2015-academic-year/) - https://issuu.com/vcustudentmedia/docs/poictesme_spring_2015_press https://issuu.com/vcustudentmedia/docs/poictesme_rabble_final_2014 Website Accepted Common Eyes By Lauren Chartuk Yeats and Otherworldly Inspiration by Ishan Bose Spoken Word: The Negro Speaks of Rivers Hating Ted Hughes by Taylor Purcell Charles Dodgson and Lewis Carroll: A Double Life by Bryce Melton Notes on the Phantom Tollbooth by Taylor Manigoult - [Publications for 2016-2017 Academic Year](https://pwatem.com/publications-for-2016-2017-academic-year/) - https://issuu.com/vcustudentmedia/docs/poictesme_spring_2017 https://issuu.com/vcustudentmedia/docs/rabble_2016 Website Accepted Happy Birthday by Marlon Mckay Little Journey into the Grim by Lauren Chartuk God's Grand Bravado by Kenny Burchett - [Pwatem 2022-2023](https://pwatem.com/pwatem-2022-2023/) - [Art 2021-2022](https://pwatem.com/art-2021-2022/) - Teatime - by Meg McCraw - [Writing 2021-2022](https://pwatem.com/pwatem-2021-2022/writing-2021-2022/) - Consequences — by John Novak Pine St Window to the Soul — by Avery Vaughn - [Cobblestone(s), chapbook companion 2013](https://pwatem.com/current-chapbook/) - "The rocky earth was split wide open and scattered away from the crack. Trackers say, "Here's to hopin', rather than the end, it leads us back." Featuring Nicholas Shipman, Leslie Pyo, Britney Barbour, Margaret Goslin, Amanda Hitchcock, Richard DiCicco, Kristen Rebelo, Kyle Saxton, Ameorry Luo, Emma Scarvey, Elly Call, Skye Young and Templeton Kelly - [definition of pwatem](https://pwatem.com/noun/) - [vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1409761560044{border-top-width: 2px !important;border-bottom-width: 2px !important;border-color: #494949 !important;}”] (pwa-tem) noun 1. A student-led literary and art journal of Virginia Commonwealth University. 2. A fictitious French province created by James Branch Cabell that serves as a setting of several of his fantasy novels including the series Biography of the Life of Manuel[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/1″][vc_column_text][widgets_on_pages id][/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row] - [Best Writing 2022](https://pwatem.com/pwatem-2021-2022/best-writing-2022/) - [sample page title](https://pwatem.com/fruitnewt/) - space to type - [new test page](https://pwatem.com/new-test-page/) - [Best Art 2021](https://pwatem.com/best-art-2021/) - [2020-2021 Writing](https://pwatem.com/2020-2021-writing/) - [Best Writing 2021](https://pwatem.com/best-writing-2021/) - [Pwatem 2020-2021](https://pwatem.com/pwatem-2020-2021/) - [Best Literature 2020](https://pwatem.com/best-literature-2020/) - Winner of Best Literature: From an Immigrant Mother by Mary Kamara Tell us a little about yourself? Do you have preferred pronouns? Are you currently a student, and in what grade/major? I use She/her, and I’m technically a Junior but I have three semesters left till graduation. I am major in English and minor in - [Best Art 2020](https://pwatem.com/best-art-2020/) - Winner of Best Art: Reclamation by Andrew Caress Tell us a little about yourself? Do you have preferred pronouns? Are you currently a student, and in what grade/major? I’m a Senior graphic design major and am from North Carolina. He/him Could you tell us about Reclamation? Is there an artist statement that you would like - [Online Work](https://pwatem.com/onlinework/) - [archives](https://pwatem.com/archives/) - 2020 https://issuu.com/vcustudentmedia/docs/poictesme_spring_2020_no_crop 2019 https://issuu.com/vcustudentmedia/docs/poictesme_spring_2019 2018 https://issuu.com/vcustudentmedia/docs/pwatem-2018 - [Spring 2020 Anthology](https://pwatem.com/spring-2020-anthology/) - Pwatem is happy to announce that our 2020 Spring anthology is now available! Due to COVID, we are currently working on having our release event online. Check back in to see our in-depth looks at our staff, contributors, and interviews from both winners of Best Literature and Best Art! read online below! - [Spring 2019 Anthology](https://pwatem.com/spring-2019-anthology/) - [Rabble 2019 Now Available](https://pwatem.com/rabble-2019-now-available/) - Pwatem is happy to announce that our Fall 2019 Rabble is now available! Find out what falls under the theme of: &? - [Open Submissions for Pwatem 2020!](https://pwatem.com/open-submissions-for-pwatem-2020/) - We are currently accepting submissions for prose, poetry, and ALL forms of art for our spring publication! Submit at https://pwatem.submittable.com/submit by March 4th! - [Rabble Submissions](https://pwatem.com/rabble-submissions/) - Rabble 2019 Submissions are NOW OPEN!!!!! Rabble is accepting written submissions!!!! All submissions must fall under the theme of: &? (and?) What is &??????? A question in symbols wondering; WHAT NEXT? - WHAT DOES IT MEAN? a question which in itself interrogates the bounds and integrity of written language and communication. SO? SO WHAT? - - [Publication for 2007-2008 Academic Year](https://pwatem.com/publication-for-2007-2008-academic-year/) - https://issuu.com/vcustudentmedia/docs/poictesme2008final - [Publication for 2008-2009 Academic Year](https://pwatem.com/publication-for-2008-2009-academic-year/) - https://issuu.com/vcustudentmedia/docs/poictesme2009 - [Publication for 2011-2012 Academic Year](https://pwatem.com/publication-for-2011-2012-academic-year/) - https://issuu.com/vcustudentmedia/docs/poictesme2012 - [Publication for 2012-2013 Academic Year](https://pwatem.com/publication-for-2012-2013-academic-year/) - https://issuu.com/vcustudentmedia/docs/poitesme_2013 - [Frequently Asked Questions](https://pwatem.com/frequently-asked-questions/) - How do I submit? You can submit to us by sending an email to pwatem@gmail.com. Please check our submission guidelines for more information. When is the submission deadline? The submission deadline for our main journal is February 5th. How do I join Poictesme? You can join Poictesme at any time, but it is recommend to - [best of art](https://pwatem.com/1114-2/) - Birdman 1 / Shawn Yu graduated from the VCU school of the Arts in 2007 with a BFA concentrating in Communication Arts. He received his MFA in painting from the New York Academy of Art in 2011. He currently teaches Drawing at Art Foundation in VCU and the art department at Virginia State University in - [Pangaea](https://pwatem.com/pangaea/) - by Cat Ennis Sears (2007) If you were to pull away, you’d leave behind inlets in my skin, and I’d always be able to see what part used to fit where. Cat Ennis Sears graduated from VCU in 2007 with a degree in English. She received an MFA from Emerson College and an MT - [best of](https://pwatem.com/1167-2/) - [best of writing](https://pwatem.com/best-of-writing/) - For the Blues (2001), Nathan W. Friedman Larkspur in the Attic (2010), Kelly Gemmill piedmont station delaplane, virginia (2009), Audrey Walls Climate Growth (2009), Matt Stangel Zion (2007), Evan Vosburgh Hunger (2001), Jon Pineda The Lion at the Gate (2010), Amy Sailer Need (2005), David Pandolfe Crenshaw's Fault, Christopher Ahart In a Tavern Near Prague, Ethan - [For The Blues ](https://pwatem.com/134-2/) - by Nathan W. Friedman “It’s hard to tell, it’s hard to tell, when all your love’s in vain.” —Robert Johnson In the Lyceum, behind whitewashed, Ionic columns, summer so thick that lecturers remove their coats and shout over cicadas, it is understood: thousands of square and savage miles, layers of black and virgin loam, wilderness - [Larkspur in the Attic ](https://pwatem.com/larkspur/) - by Kelly Gemmill Here in the attic room the larvae sleep their ever quiet egg-sleep, hanging from the walls and ceiling, purple. As Mother and I raise brooms against the sea unborn we paint it all with violet dust, some sort of purple pollen seeming to glimmer most awfully, here, in window light, in warm - [piedmont station delaplane, virginia](https://pwatem.com/130-2/) - by Audrey Walls here the hickory trees hang dead in dry silence like stiff brown bones. if you dropped a lit match you would burn the land the barns, the farms, the homes. leaving a trail of char through the yellowing grass, blackening every blank stone. you would rewrite the story with your tinderbox fingers - [Climate Growth ](https://pwatem.com/125-2/) - by Matt Stangel Humidity is the loose mid-section of a hang-rope, less frayed, more weathered, catering its O to the shape of the ravine. Thursday the new Friday? Panama shifting. If tidal line? If mountain range? If steam boat dragging a lattice of sunlight passing through leaves, then smoke? If not wide as airplane strip? - [Zion](https://pwatem.com/120-2/) - by Evan Vosburgh There wasn’t a big crowd like down in Zion when the big top would come down before Flag Day and Mom would let me wear my summer dress, the one with the daisies in yellow, because we were in Susquehanna, and Susquehanna was no Zion. Daddy had dropped Louisiana, Caroline and I - [Hunger ](https://pwatem.com/115-2/) - by Jon Pineda The morning after their son is born, he goes home to feed the cats. He drives through Ghent, with its thick Victorians, and crosses the tracks To the edge of Riverview where the same-styled homes stand, Though the paint peeling from each shutter makes them seem ruined Somehow. At the stoplight, he - [The Lion At the Gate](https://pwatem.com/the-lion-at-the-gate/) - by Amy Sailer My brother and I played at invalids- sparred each surgery with a stitch or broken bone, kept each cast and eye patch for conversation. Our toybox quickly filled. My mother told me, years later, the neighbors were appalled. I remember Mabel, who died in a nursing home at age ninety-nine, stalked the motion of our Radio Flyer - [Need](https://pwatem.com/need/) - by David Pandolfe (2005) Colin placed the last of the clean glasses onto the shelves, trying to ignore the deluge of spring rain that continued to pound the roof of his empty tavern. A bad night, definitely, when even the regulars wandered off two hours before last call. But just a bad night, he told - [Crenshaw's Fault](https://pwatem.com/crenshaws-fault/) - by Christopher Ahart Crenshaw woke up with a splitting head. It began the night before as a tiny, almost unnoticeable fracture, but as his brain burbled and churned through frenzied dreams, the fracture turned to a fissure and, ultimately, a split. Crenshaw felt only the slightest pain, an itch really, before his pillow was besotted - [The Blue Note](https://pwatem.com/the-blue-note/) - by Jesse Ulmer They mocked the idea of him and the boy moving into that old church. The place wasn’t worth a damn thing, and it needed work, lots of it. The town thought it very queer that a man named Daniel would be the one to do it, to fix up that old church. - [Sample Page](https://pwatem.com/sample-page/) - This is an example page. It's different from a blog post because it will stay in one place and will show up in your site navigation (in most themes). Most people start with an About page that introduces them to potential site visitors. It might say something like this: Hi there! I'm a bike messenger - [Kathleen McLaughin](https://pwatem.com/kathleen-mclaughin/) - After Funeral (2001) Planting Potatoes (2001) Spring Storm, Shepherd (2001) Kathleen Laraia McLaughlin is a documentary photographer and educator with an appetite for exploring the world. For her efforts at capturing a disappearing world, she has received a Fulbright Senior Scholarship, an IREX Grant (National Endowment for the Humanities), and a Houston Center for Photography Fellowship. Her - [Jared Boggess](https://pwatem.com/jared-boggess/) - A Dream Across Keys (2009) Jared Boggess completed his BFA in Communication Arts in 2010. His bio and selected works can be found at http://jaredboggess.com - [Shawn Yu](https://pwatem.com/shawn-yu/) - Birdman (2007) Shawn Yu graduated from the VCU school of the Arts in 2007 with a BFA concentrating in Communication Arts. He received his MFA in painting from the New York Academy of Art in 2011. He currently teaches Drawing at Art Foundation in VCU and the art department at Virginia State University in - [Jeff Lassahn](https://pwatem.com/jeff-lassahn/) - Two Soldiers After the Destruction of the Iraqi City of Najaf (2006) - [Templeton Kelly](https://pwatem.com/templeton-kelly/) - DYAO (2012) Día (2012) At a tiny macabre play, Templeton Kelley volunteered to go on stage, and a character whispered a secret in his ear. He can only remember hearing the word “winds,” but the experience made him see life through the eyes of a 19th century carnival gypsy. He was bubbling with fun and - [In a Tavern Garden Near Prague](https://pwatem.com/in-a-tavern-garden-near-prague/) - by Ethan Scott He had amassed broken scraps and limbs Against the near wall. Heavy parts too old to work - for Him: evidence of the life of gathered dead - the almost complete Relief for the crippled foundation. He shifts his stance, Puts his weight to battered machinery He cannot lift himself. It doesn’t - [UNDER CONSTRUCTION](https://pwatem.com/under-construction/) - Poictesme is moving into a new internet apartment. Please check back soon. - [contributors](https://pwatem.com/contributers/) - Nicholas Scarpinato, photography Ameorry Luo, graphic design Greg Weatherford, SMC director Susann Cokal, faculty advisor Lauren Katchuck, SMC business manager Mark Jeffries, SMC production manager Skye Young, illustraton - [Join Us](https://pwatem.com/join-us/) - Poictesme is looking for the best writing and art that VCU students have to offer. Be part of the compendium. Submit your work or join the staff and come hang out with us. Every year, Poictesme prints 3000 copies of its journal and spreads them around the VCU campus and in RVA coffee shops and bookstores for free. Anyone with - [current publications](https://pwatem.com/current-issue/) - "It's strange-- how much easier it becomes to articulate something about yourself from behind the structures of form and meter, or a character's persona, or a brush, or a camera lens." Amy Sailer, former Editor-In-Chief "The rocky earth was split wide open and scattered away from the crack. 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