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The Human Condition
FOREWORD
“...‘Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths,
Where the good way is, and walk in it;
Then you will find a resting place for your souls.’
But they [the people] said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”
— Jeremiah 6:16 (NASB) —
What is it to be human? What is it to feel the wild-wind rush of passion, the hurricane rains of despair, the warm sunbeams of peace? What is it to be beings of the present, yet so synchronously bent towards the future and conscious of the past?
Is being human to be one who stands seeking by the ways—or to behold the good paths and say, I will not set foot there?
Is it both?
This anthology grapples with what it means to be human. In these pages, contributors look for the ancient paths and reject the false ways. They brave the past and chase the future. They cry for justice, and for hope.
What is it to be human?
What is it to be you?
Elaine Ries
Editorial Volunteer
CONTRIBUTORS
Daylund Prior, Susan Wenzel, Jessica Noel Grissom, Ann Christine Tabaka, Burt Rashbaum, Stan Kempton, Danielle Resh, Lynn White, Ellen Huang, Thomas Piekarski, Gary Beck, Jaime Grookett, Andrew Scott, Farideh Shabanfar, Haile E., Lynne Golodner, Niles M. Reddick, Kenneth M. Kapp, and Lisa Reynolds.
“...‘Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths,
Where the good way is, and walk in it;
Then you will find a resting place for your souls.’
But they [the people] said, ‘We will not walk in it.’”
— Jeremiah 6:16 (NASB) —
What is it to be human? What is it to feel the wild-wind rush of passion, the hurricane rains of despair, the warm sunbeams of peace? What is it to be beings of the present, yet so synchronously bent towards the future and conscious of the past?
Is being human to be one who stands seeking by the ways—or to behold the good paths and say, I will not set foot there?
Is it both?
This anthology grapples with what it means to be human. In these pages, contributors look for the ancient paths and reject the false ways. They brave the past and chase the future. They cry for justice, and for hope.
What is it to be human?
What is it to be you?
Elaine Ries
Editorial Volunteer
CONTRIBUTORS
Daylund Prior, Susan Wenzel, Jessica Noel Grissom, Ann Christine Tabaka, Burt Rashbaum, Stan Kempton, Danielle Resh, Lynn White, Ellen Huang, Thomas Piekarski, Gary Beck, Jaime Grookett, Andrew Scott, Farideh Shabanfar, Haile E., Lynne Golodner, Niles M. Reddick, Kenneth M. Kapp, and Lisa Reynolds.
95 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 1, 2023
2 people are currently reading
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 22, 2024
It is fitting that Denise Ayis, editor of Valiant Scribe (Issue 4, Winter 2023), intersperses beautiful, soft, and elegant artwork to accentuate the poems and narratives written with equally artistic flair. One may ask why soften the impact of reading about inhumanity in the world. But I was glad to be lost in the fantasy of Daytuna Prior’s narrator in “Neverland” who poignantly reminds us that lost girls are "the adventurer's adventure." In the poem “Sea Shells,” Lynn White characterizes another young girl, a lost girl of another kind. She evolves from being lost in tradition but moves to self-discovery and self-advocacy as she replaces her satin shoes with marching boots. Only then is she able to hear a community of other marchers, asserting themselves in like manner.
This publication addresses a wide range of societal issues in Part I: “The Power of Voice,” from female suppression (“Sea Shells” by Lynn White), environmental abuse (“I Hear the Water” by Ann C Tabaka), feigned concern for homelessness (“You Shouldn’t Breathe This In” by Stan Kempton) to apathy about violence (“First They Came For : Modern Day” by Danielle Resh) and many other issues. A variety of voices express their dismay, disgust, and protest.
Part Two: “A World At Odds” addresses a reality in many urban areas: gentrification. The narrator in this short story contributes to the forced relocation of residents because of his drug addiction and a landlord’s nefarious request which would help him increase profits. The narrator in Haile E.’s narrative “Twisted Inversion of Labor-Bought Dreams” is tasked with a different type of request, one never uttered but deeply felt. As the child of an immigrant, for a very different reason than Wordsworth first stated, “the child becomes the father of the man.”
For some problems in life, no solution appears imminent, and that reality is well captured in Part Three: “To What End?” In their short stories, Niles Reddick and Kenneth M. Kapp address a similar question: How does a parent cope when a child is lost? Neither author appeases the reader with easy answers. But the editor does not leave the reader in a state of despair. She concludes the publication with the poem ”When It Happens” by Lisa Reynolds which reminds us we can still find a way to “dance twirling toward tomorrow.”
Though the artwork and words may ease harsh truths, when we’ve completed this publication, we’ll know we’ve been accused, probed, touched, enlightened, and hopefully, inspired to recognize the world cries out for our care, concern, and compassion.
Margo McKenzie
April 21, 2024
This publication addresses a wide range of societal issues in Part I: “The Power of Voice,” from female suppression (“Sea Shells” by Lynn White), environmental abuse (“I Hear the Water” by Ann C Tabaka), feigned concern for homelessness (“You Shouldn’t Breathe This In” by Stan Kempton) to apathy about violence (“First They Came For : Modern Day” by Danielle Resh) and many other issues. A variety of voices express their dismay, disgust, and protest.
Part Two: “A World At Odds” addresses a reality in many urban areas: gentrification. The narrator in this short story contributes to the forced relocation of residents because of his drug addiction and a landlord’s nefarious request which would help him increase profits. The narrator in Haile E.’s narrative “Twisted Inversion of Labor-Bought Dreams” is tasked with a different type of request, one never uttered but deeply felt. As the child of an immigrant, for a very different reason than Wordsworth first stated, “the child becomes the father of the man.”
For some problems in life, no solution appears imminent, and that reality is well captured in Part Three: “To What End?” In their short stories, Niles Reddick and Kenneth M. Kapp address a similar question: How does a parent cope when a child is lost? Neither author appeases the reader with easy answers. But the editor does not leave the reader in a state of despair. She concludes the publication with the poem ”When It Happens” by Lisa Reynolds which reminds us we can still find a way to “dance twirling toward tomorrow.”
Though the artwork and words may ease harsh truths, when we’ve completed this publication, we’ll know we’ve been accused, probed, touched, enlightened, and hopefully, inspired to recognize the world cries out for our care, concern, and compassion.
Margo McKenzie
April 21, 2024
November 22, 2023
The Human Condition is a beautifully illustrated collection of short stories and poems.
It is “an initiative to raise awareness about human rights worldwide in simple digestible works of art and literature accessible to all.”
Each work of art helps us see another perspective, not by quoting data and statistics, but by telling stories. In “Neverland”, we reflect on what it means to be a girl in a boy’s world. In the poem, “Walking on Eggshells”, we examine the possibility of breaking the silence of tradition, knowing we are not alone.
The poems and stories curated for this journal ponder issues of social justice. You will feel challenged and inspired. This journal is an enjoyable read.
It is “an initiative to raise awareness about human rights worldwide in simple digestible works of art and literature accessible to all.”
Each work of art helps us see another perspective, not by quoting data and statistics, but by telling stories. In “Neverland”, we reflect on what it means to be a girl in a boy’s world. In the poem, “Walking on Eggshells”, we examine the possibility of breaking the silence of tradition, knowing we are not alone.
The poems and stories curated for this journal ponder issues of social justice. You will feel challenged and inspired. This journal is an enjoyable read.
December 4, 2023
Such a beautiful, heart wrenching collection! I particularly enjoyed that it includes poetry, short stories, and flash fiction works. The work of art in between each story, depicting a line or the entire message of the piece, is a wonderful touch to keep the reader hooked. The water colour choice for the art is perfect and pairs softly with the hard truth that these pieces share. I appreciated the tough subject matter that were discussed within each piece. Some were hard to read, like the piece by Ellen Huang. But comfort is something we have to forgo if we want voices to be heard. Glad to have had the pleasure of reading this issue!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews