spin your webs strong, your stories thick. send your words out from their corners
into the world and watch: they pull us along.
Winter 2026 Issue 3
AUDRA BURWELL
I Missed Your Funeral
For Dan Dunklee
the last time i felt your voice
its soft, black hush
was in the salt wind
curled around my wrists
like it knew me
coast bleeding salt and
seafoam ghosts
i drove to the western reach
your book’s spine split
soft in my hands
edges thumb-worn
i drag it through cities
and school halls
delivering names you never met
to smiles still innocent
enough to break my heart
you follow when
no one’s watching
in Germany, Prague
beneath the knave of Köln
where i said yes
in a cathedral so vast
it ached to make grief
something holy
AUDRA BURWELL is a dedicated writer, poet, and communications professional with a passion for creative expression and community engagement. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing from California State University, Fresno, and is currently pursuing a Master of Fine Arts in Creative Writing with a specialization in poetry. In her professional role as Communication Coordinator at College Bridge, a nonprofit organization committed to increasing college access and success for underrepresented students, Audra combines her love for storytelling with her commitment to making higher education more accessible.