From dust we come, to dust we go by Erika Lynet Salvador (she/her)
Mark Close by Liv Gamble (she/her)
Erika Lynet Salvador, born and raised a Filipina, is a student at Amherst College. Her essays, mostly her musings on sociopolitical events, are featured in the Philippine Daily Inquirer and the Transit Dialog. Meanwhile, her visual art, focused on semi-realistic and impressionist styles with vibrant colors using oil and watercolor, are featured or will soon be featured in the *82Review, the Adroit Journal, and the Quibble Lit. She also explores film and phone photography from time to time and is an avid reader of free-verse poetry. See her art on Instagram at @bodeganierika or https://linktr.ee/salvadorerika
Liv Gamble is a 29-year-old lesbian writer from the UK. She holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Creative Writing and is particularly passionate about writing that includes LGBT themes. Being a born romantic, poetry is her favourite genre to write in. She has had several poems accepted and published in various collections, including Sapphic Writers and Ice Lolly Review. You can find Liv on X @ollyolly_olly and Instagram @livgamblevstheremix
Mark Close
Mark Close and Mark just as near –
a fairer scene I couldn’t hold more dear.
A thousand memories of nature’s grace.
In his stead, I see her face.
Stone-walled slopes hem the land,
running through a silver strand.
Golden the bales and rows of seed,
golden the old proverbs I still heed;
red sky at night, red sky at morning,
pink for a girl and black for mourning.
Chicken of the woods in warm-hearted hands,
my love does run deep through these green-crested lands.