"Motel" by Michelle McElroy

Gender Triptych by Matt Vekakis

in mutable New
England, you wear
as many layers
as you need
to survive.
down for snow,
polyester for rain,
hoods for cold,
sleeveless for heat, &

windbreakers for
their namesake.
some days, all
five—telling
yourself this is all
for your own good.
downtown, tobacco
barn—even to the
door of a Rodeway

​Inn as the sky
pancakes green
and loud.
be prepared,
he says.
cover or camouflage?
cover, you’ve said.
cover, you still want
to believe.

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Matt Vekakis is an incoming MFA student in poetry at the University of Florida. Their recent work has appeared in Southern Humanities Review, Appalachian Review, Welter, High Shelf Press and Waccamaw, among others. Matt serves as EIC of the Lunch Break Zine—the literary companion of Out to Lunch Records.

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Michelle McElroy is a native New Englander who studied painting at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and has worked at the Museum of Fine Arts Boston, Skinner Auction House and Historic New England. Interested by how light and shadow can transform everyday scenes are constant inspiration. These are images that she may see on early morning runs, midnight snacks in the kitchen or simple observations of everyday scenes that people can connect with or create a narrative of their own. Michelle’s work has been accepted into various juried shows in galleries around the United States and actively shows at local venues, such as libraries and cafes. She is a member of the Cambridge Art Association, Edward Hopper House, and Center for the Arts in New London, New Hampshire. Michelle lives in New Hampshire with her husband and two cats. Instagram: @michellemcelroyart  Website: michellemcelroy.com