Wellspringwords Literary Anthology

“The Descent…”

Issue 1

cover artwork by Nkem Ugo

As the 2024 theme for the Wellspringwords platform is “Sinking into Self-Trust”, we asked women of color writers to share their heart-led exploration of the sinking, or “The Descent…” into their personal experiences of Self.

Some of the questions we posed for reflection and writing were:

  • What is it like to sink into yourself? What is it like to return home?

  • Is home an abandoned space, dark and full of ghosts? Or have you never really left?

  • Is your body the one true place you can feel held in this world? Or is it a numb environment, unsafe and unwelcoming?

  • When you go to touch yourself or call your name, do you feel you are within your own ownership? Or do others own your vessel and your essence?

Please be aware that some content in this issue engages with suicide, low self-esteem, vivid descriptions of inner darkness, and sexual violence, as noted by (cw) below.

And because this is an anthology devoted to the expression of women of the global majority, writers for this issue have self-identified as:

Filipina/Asian

|

Mexican-American

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Nigerian

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Filipino American

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Black

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Afrolatinx/a

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Black of African Descent

|

Indian

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Asian

|

Biracial Black Femme

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Filipina/Asian | Mexican-American | Nigerian | Filipino American | Black | Afrolatinx/a | Black of African Descent | Indian | Asian | Biracial Black Femme |

Deepest respect and honor to the contributors of this issue for emanating such honesty, courage, curiosity, and grace. It is Divine.

As you journey through this anthology below, be present with your heart.

Let your soul lead your reading experience. Dare to let yourself mingle with the unique experiences and expressions of these inimitable writers from around the Earth.

Peruse the issue…

Letter from the editorial team

Where Fire Meets Water: A Dance of the Authentic Soul Self | Writing Fellows, Price Maccarthy and Shayna Shah, and Wellspringwords Founder, Nkem Ugo

Poetry

All together now & I Sent For You (cw) | Maia Caschera-White

(All together now for mobile)

a portal | malachiah

These Bones | Carol V. Meyer

Parked Car Prayer (cw) & Study in Pink | Jaclyn Navar

Permission | Nkem Ugo

A Body & Means of Identification | Ebony Johnson

Experimental Writing

Chapter 1. The descent | Chaaeun Hwang

(Chapter 1. The descent for mobile)

Memoir + Personal Essay

In My Own Skin (cw) | Camille Espiritu

Exploring Home. | María Miller Brown

The Body Otherwise | Reni Roxas

Read more about the Wellspringwords Literary Anthology