Acceptance to Volition

Congratulations on the acceptance of your work into the Volition's Spring 2009 issue!

We are in the process of finalizing the layout, and it will be sent to the publisher soon.

**Before we can send it out, it is important for you to send us how you want your name to appear in the issue to avoid discrepancies. Pen names are accepted.

Please reply as soon as possible. The faster you reply, the sooner we can get the issue printed. It is preferable that you reply by this Thursday (04/02/2009) the latest before noon.

*Also, Volition is holding an Open Mic Night event April 30th from 8pm-11pm in the JC Cinema.

It is going to be a big event, with the Undergraduate English Society and Independent Arts Collective co-sponsoring the event. The new Volition issue will be distributed. It is an opportunity for you to share your recently published work to a wide range audience, and to check out the amazing talent at Mason. There will be free food as always.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Lizzy and Amber

Co-editors-in-chief

Lenguas

Voy a hablar con ti
en la lengua de tu madre
porque me antoja
que las palabras en ésa lengua.

Pero mis palabras
que necesite menos
de lo que necesite
mis labios en tu cuello y espalda.

Espero a que aún esta lengua
que sólo hablan cuando cansado
que se le susurró
en mi oído
como el sueño a mi lado

In English:
I will speak to you
in the language of your mother
because i crave
your words in that language

but my words
you need less
thank you need
my lips on your neck and back

I only hope that this, the language
you only speak while tired
is the one you will whisper 
in my ear
as you sleep beside me

Morning Afters

Como él habló conmigo,
me comí sus palabras,
creyendo que eran para mí.

Pero sus palabras son
para mis besos,
no para mí,
para mis labios,
no para mí,
para mis brazos
y todo lo mio ahora
es suyo


In English:

When he spoke to me
I ate his words
believing they were for me


But his words are
for my kisses
not for me
for my lips 
not for me
for my arms
and all that was mine
is now his

Why Rives is my favorite Slam Poet

"if you still cannot fathom the imagery and ecstasy of
eons or ions
spun into speech
from your actual spasms
by a soul, in a room,
with an immortal mouth
gnashing loudly for true love over loneliness
and moaning to the moon, the moon, the ever-loving moon
so that all the neighbors know it --

-- if you can't fathom that,
don't fuck a poet." from Dirty Talk by Rives
"Last night I dreamt
I was little again and
I could hear back then
but the silence in my house
was deafening."  from Sign Language by Rives

"I was born
as deaf and as quiet as a starfish
but if I had been born a man
I would pray
to the lord above
every night at the top
of my fucking lungs
just to thank him
for giving me
voice." from Sign Language by Rives

"And then maybe I...played with myself,
and it's exactly what you're thinking.
But if I did, it was only to put
the mental motion picture of our naked night together
on replay and replay and replay
so touching myself was just like...
Tivo in a way." from Kite by Rives

"Just so you know--

My weird mind wanders and my brave heart breaks.
I've nailed some milestones, but I've made mistakes,
Cuz I got more faults than a map of California earthquakes.

I am taking a nap beneath your covers.
Wake me if you like me.
Wake me if you want me
Wake me if you need another poem.

Your once and future lover
has made himself at home." from Kite by Rives