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In the business of things that don’t earn you much
I am a dandelion and you are a symphony
We both live long interrupted lives of flight and bumblebee cacophony
The similarities are striking
And so is the Lightning

In the business of things that don’t earn you much
A smile is up for sale on the snail market
Things are slow and progressive
But we live day to day
One breath at a time
Holding onto the dirt and calling it home
We are nomads
No match for our treacherous selves that betray us out of place
We are extroverts
Open minded and confident when discussing our introversion

In the business of things that don’t earn you much
We are jackpots and potholders
Boiled streaks of golden seeds too good for investment and too wide for parliament seats
The only representation our tongues receive is that which falls on our cheeks

In this business we are not efficient
We are not affluent
You have nothing to spare
And much left to the uncertainty
Of hope



Ziad Gadou is a twenty-three-year-old Egyptian spoken word poet. He uses his poetry to discuss mental and social issues that tackle his life as a nomad who moves between different Arab countries. He draws inspiration from the poets he watches online and in the open mic events he frequents in Dubai, Muscat, and Cairo. His influence is deeply rooted in both Western and Eastern music and literature.
Current Issue
22 Apr 2024

We’d been on holiday at the Shoon Sea only three days when the incident occurred. Dr. Gar had been staying there a few months for medical research and had urged me and my friend Shooshooey to visit.
...
Tu enfiles longuement la chemise des murs,/ tout comme d’autres le font avec la chemise de la mort.
The little monster was not born like a human child, yelling with cold and terror as he left his mother’s womb. He had come to life little by little, on the high, three-legged bench. When his eyes had opened, they met the eyes of the broad-shouldered sculptor, watching them tenderly.
Le petit monstre n’était pas né comme un enfant des hommes, criant de froid et de terreur au sortir du ventre maternel. Il avait pris vie peu à peu, sur la haute selle à trois pieds, et quand ses yeux s’étaient ouverts, ils avaient rencontré ceux du sculpteur aux larges épaules, qui le regardaient tendrement.
We're delighted to welcome Nat Paterson to the blog, to tell us more about his translation of Léopold Chauveau's story 'The Little Monster'/ 'Le Petit Monstre', which appears in our April 2024 issue.
For a long time now you’ve put on the shirt of the walls,/just as others might put on a shroud.
Issue 15 Apr 2024
By: Ana Hurtado
Art by: delila
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Issue 1 Apr 2024
Issue 25 Mar 2024
By: Sammy Lê
Art by: Kim Hu
Issue 18 Mar 2024
Strange Horizons
Issue 11 Mar 2024
Issue 4 Mar 2024
Issue 26 Feb 2024
Issue 19 Feb 2024
Issue 12 Feb 2024
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