Magnolia Yang
Allow me to be your unreliable narrator.
Your imperfections, the cracks in your façade—
I see them through rose-tinted lenses.
Your hope and desire that knows no extent,
infinite in its capacity, forever in its longevity,
they are qualities that only you possess,
qualities “not likely I shall ever find again” 1
Use me to get closer to your lover.
Blind me, throw the dust into my eyes.
Gift her an entire room of flowers.
Tell a lie, sacrifice yourself for her.
I know I was never on your radar.
Because even if you use me,
like a chess piece,
to claim your beloved queen,
I want to stay by your side
so desperately.
_______________________________
1 Francis Scott Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby. (Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1925) 180.
Author: Magnolia Yang is a writer from Meanjin (Brisbane). She is a secondary education and creative writing student at QUT. Her writing can be found on ScratchThat Magazine, and she has read her work at the Freshblood Festival. If she isn’t watching anime, she’s probably watching an anime video essay.
Artist: Phoenix Sunrider (they/she) is an aspiring author with several works in the making. They love all kinds of animals, and add as many as possible into all their works, whether that be high fantasy, magical realism, or even fan fiction. They currently have no social media platforms, but hope to develop some when more works become completed.
Edited by Mia Paton