I find myself screamingIt is the same symphony Never again, never againYou let me downTrust is but a word used by othersThe ones that have found love that is trueAt the human race I look with blank eyesA cry, a symphonyOf course I only wanted to love youTo have the best friendship a girl could haveSit outside the house in New OrleansWith barbequed Texas beef steaks, … Continue reading Symphony by Anna Kapungu
I cleared the ashes atop the altarand decluttered my fairy gardento grow,for the flicker was hiddenand the words were dimas I began to awaken: beneath the crescent clothunderneath the shards I left the circleand let the poking pitchforksplash spurts of blue and purpleto the renewal of my heart. I closed my eyes and let the tears drip and dreamt of the quartz crystalsto pour,for the … Continue reading Spell-caster by Caroline Reddy
In an interview with Brontosaurus Illustrated author Leanne Grabel, The Opiate probes the mind of this Portland-based luminary to get her thoughts on everything from the creative process that went into the book to her advice on how to cope with sexual assault, itself the subject of her new graphic novel released on The Opiate Books imprint. The Opiate: When did you first know that … Continue reading “I’ve Turned Depression and Anger Into Vaudeville”: An Interview With Leanne Grabel
It’s no secret why Mark Fisher ended up killing himself. Sure, he was “depressed.” But why do you think a mind like that would be? He knew, in the end, there actually was no alternative to capitalist realism. A question he asked in the title of his seminal work, Capitalist Realism: Is There No Alternative? It would appear not. And, after exploring the many facets of a … Continue reading “Stop Being Rich” Feeds Into What Mark Fisher Said About Anti-Capitalism All Being Part of Capitalism
It’s no secret that staying at the fair that is New York for too long (to paraphrase Joan D.) will lead to irreparable damage. Usually of the emotional variety—though you might also need a liver transplant after all the drinking expected of you as well. Sloane Crosley is here to crystallize that fact in literary form with her sophomore novel, Cult Classic. In contrast to her … Continue reading New York Is A Town of Ghosts (You’ve Fucked): Cult Classic
From the heart of the PacificFar beyond the Pandemic A Moby Dick is screamingAs if to keep its throat clear Or it would be choked toDeath with parcels of plastics Continue reading Do U Hear It? by Yuan Changming
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Regular readers of The Opiate may recognize Leanne Grabel’s work from the pages of our magazine, where we previously serialized Brontosaurus. Now available as Brontosaurus Illustrated, this is the work as you’ve never seen it–gorgeously illustrated and beautifully designed with the help of Robin Chilstrom. Don’t miss out on this truly unique and unprecedented memoir that turns a lasting trauma into something triumphant and hopeful. … Continue reading The Opiate Books Presents: Brontosaurus Illustrated by Leanne Grabel
