Scrawl Place
The Journal
The Texas Motor Speedway COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic
FORTH WORTH, TEXAS — A story by Justin Carter, inspired by a trip to the Texas Motor Speedway during the COVID pandemic.
On a Boat to Kalijai
CHILIKA LAKE, INDIA — A poem by Debasish Mishra, inspired by a visit to a temple honoring the goddess Kalijai.
The Ghosts of Rocky Point
WARWICK, R.I. — A story by Tony Pacitti, inspired by a walk through Rocky Point, an abandoned amusement park.
Hogueras
ALICANTE, SPAIN — A story by Ethan Jacobs, inspired by a festival commemorating the longest day of the year.
The Berkeley Pit
BUTTE, MONT. — A story by Tina Kimbrell, inspired by The Berkeley Pit attraction, a copper mine flooded with acidic water.
At a Bar A Few Blocks From the End of the World
NEW ORLEANS — A story by Kirsten Reneau, inspired by Bud Rips, a bar near the Mississippi River.
The Divine Twins
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA — A story by Calla Smith inspired by the Palacio Barolo, an office building whose architecture was inspired by Dante.
Rekindling
BADAGRY, NIGERIA — A story by Jewo Oghenetega, inspired by Gberefu Island, “the point of no return,” in southwestern Nigeria.
Holy Land
WATERBURY, Conn. — A story by Cecil Fenn, inspired by Holy Land USA, a Bible-themed amusement park, when it was in disrepair.
Mystery Storefront
NEW YORK CITY—A mixed media collaboration between Miriam Calleja and Dylan Willoughby.
Down 112 Steps
MINNEAPOLIS—A haibun by Sara Lynne Puotinen, inspired by Mississippi River Gorge.
Sister Cities (Thành Phố Chị Em)
ROANOKE, Va.—A poem by Chanlee Luu, inspired by Roanoke’s “sister cities.”
A Summer Inquisition
ROANOKE, VA.—A poem by Chanlee Luu, inspired by a cafe in downtown Roanoke.
Why Did the Chicken Cross the Sea?
ROANOKE, Va.—A poem by Chanlee Luu, inspired by a scene at Hollins University.
How to get a good apartment in Lagos
LAGOS, NIGERIA — This is a story by Olákìtán Aládéṣuyì, inspired by renting an apartment in Lagos.
Becoming Alive in Bosa
BOSA, SARDINIA — This is a story by Claudia Lundahl about a trip to Italy.
The Meter’s Jammed, So I Left You Some Quarters
CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY — This is a story by Monica Louzon, inspired by Congress Hall, a hotel in Cape May.
Dragon Driving the T
BOSTON — This is a story by Reggie Kwok, inspired by the Boston subway system … and dragons.
A Familiar Frottoir
ST. MARTINVILLE, LA.—A story by Shome Dasgupta, inspired by a house in Louisiana.
Ash Wednesday at Grand Central Station
NEW YORK CITY — A story by David Luntz inspired by Grand Central Station.
Of Land and Of Water
KARACHI, Pakistan—A story by Javeria Hasnain about growing up in the suburbs of Karachi.
Lanternfly
ALLENTOWN, Pa.—A story by K.P. Taylor, inspired by Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom.
Allowed in the Temple
NEW ORLEANS—A poem by Christian Hanz Lozada, inspired by the Hotel Monteleone’s Carousel Bar and Lounge in the French Quarter.
Question of Survival
FRENCH FRIGATE SHOALS, Hawaii—A story by Kim Steutermann Rogers inspired by Green Turtle nesting on a remote island.
Misfit
SLINGER, Wis.—A poem by Katrina Serwe, inspired by a hike on the Cedar Lake segment of the Ice Age Trail.
Sunset in Sango-Ota
SANGO-OTA, Nigeria — A poem by Pamilerin Jacob, inspired by Sango-Ota, a town in Ogun State, Nigeria.
Antakya, Before
ANTAKYA, Turkey — A story by Emma Janssen, inspired by a trip to Antakya before the devastating earthquake in February 2023.
Freya
OSLO, Norway — This is a story by Elodie A. Roy, inspired by a trip to Oslo and the life-sized bronze sculpture of Freya, a walrus.
A Menstrual Cup is Highly Effective, Just Ask Walt Whitman
DUMBO, New York City — A story by writer Amy Bobeda, inspired by fairy cup legends and the Dumbo neighborhood.
Miracle in Union Station
LOS ANGELES — A story by Sara Dobbie inspired by an arrival at Union Station.
Rhapsody of a Woman in the Otherworld
CHIANG MAI, Thailand — A story by Jennifer Renart, inspired by the Muay Thai fighting scene in Chiang Mai.
The red light at the crossroads in front of the FAO in Rome will last four full minutes
ROME — A story by Slawka Scarso, inspired by a traffic light outside the FAO building in Rome.
Blind Date at the Natural History Museum Bergen
BERGEN, Norway — A story by Deborah Zafer, inspired by the National History Museum in Bergen.
Miradouro de Santa Catarina
LISBON, Portugal — A prose poem by Emily Marie Passos Duffy, inspired by the Miradouro de Santa Catarina.
Miradouro do Monte Agudo
LISBON, Portugal — A prose poem by Emily Marie Passos Duffy, inspired by the Miradouro do Monte Agudo.
The Butter Museum
CORK, IRELAND—A story by the writer Melissa Flores Anderson, inspired by The Butter Museum in Cork, Ireland.
Center of the Universe, Tulsa
A story by Exquisite Armantè, inspired by the Center of the Universe monument in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
At Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge
A poem by Emily Hockaday, inspired by the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in Queens, NY.
A Few Of Their Favorite Things
This is an excerpt from the novel “The Muu-Antiques” by Shome Dasgupta, set in a Popeyes Louisiana Chicken in Atlanta.
On The Way
This is an English-to-Yiddish translation of “On the Way,” a short sketch by Yente Serdatsky, inspired by Coney Island. (Translation by Dalia Wolfson.)
The Clementine of Enlightenment
A story by Monica Louzon, inspired by the Maryland Heights Trail at Harper’s Ferry, West Virginia.
The End of the World at Weko Beach
A story by Lindy Biller, inspired by Weko Beach, Michigan.
Tsinghua
A poem by Ellen Zhang, inspired by Beijing, China.
Almost Amsterdam
A story by Karin Hedetniemi, inspired by the Dutch Bakery & Diner in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.
ode to the Court Square–23rd Street passageway
A story by Erica Weidner, inspired by the 23rd Street subway station in Queens, NYC.
The Golden Jester
A story by Christina Janousek, inspired by the Castle Schönbrunn in Vienna, Austria.
long way to the ground
A story by Kyle Miller, inspired by Mackinac Island on Lake Huron in Michigan.
On Indigo Flight #6E – 6906 From Raipur to Pune (In Seat #2, With Extra Legroom)
A story by Rashmi Agrawal, inspired by a flight from Raipur to Pune.
He Came in from the Fog Where the Island Used to Be
A story by Ariel Goldenthal, inspired by the islands in Casco Bay, Maine.
Lullaby in a Drugstore
A story by Kelly Q. Anderson, inspired by a Walgreens in downtown Chicago.
Banana Kush on the Rocks
A story by Bekah Steimel, inspired by Sioux Passage Park in Old Jamestown, Missouri.
A Tuesday at Lake Balaton
A story by the writer Nathan Xie, inspired by Lake Balaton in Hungary.
Alumbrar
A story by Melissa Nunez, inspired by La Parguera, Puerto Rico.
Off the Hole of Death
A story by Rosemary Thorne, inspired by the Arkadiko bridge in Greece.
If Time Is an Illusion
A story by David Luntz, inspired by the Chartres Cathedral in France.
Vatican
A story by Katie McIvor, inspired by the Vatican Museum.
A Brief Treatise on How to Begin Anything Worthwhile
A story by Tyler Dempsey, inspired by Denali National Park in Alaska.
The Man in the Piazza at Santa Margherita Ligure
A story by David Higham, inspired Santa Margherita, Ligure, Italy.
Loneliness of the Long-Distance Woman
A story by Shannon Savvas, inspired by Venice, Italy.
Egg Nation (One Nation Under Chicken)
A story by Ben Davis, inspired by a road trip across the United States of America.
On Rainy Nights I Smell Shoe Leather
A story by Amy Cipolla Barnes inspired by fairy tales and road trips.
Some People On December 28
A story by the writer Bradley David, inspired by Los Angeles and the Donner Pass. Read it on Scrawl Place.
My Street Food Lady
A story by Zary Fekete, set in Beijing China.
Laura Palmer Slept Here and So Did I
A story by Paul Ruta, inspired by an overnight stay at Mt. Si Motel, North Bend, Washington.
Every Day of Childhood Family Vacations Were the Same as the Day Before
A story by Kirsten Reneau, inspired by Wynne, Arkansas.
Some People Feel Unsettled By Spaces They Can’t Fill
A story by Bradley David, inspired by a trip to Ucluelet Peninsula in Vancouver.
NO BODY THE NEWS KNOWS
A poem by darlene anita scott, inspired by the Church Hill neighborhood in Richmond, Virginia.
Midtown Minute
A story by the writer Emily Polson, inspired by a trip to Midtown Manhattan.
Roadkill
A story by David Luntz, inspired by the Karoo Desert in South Africa.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands During the 2004 Tsunami
A story by Sara Siddiqui Chansarkar, inspired by the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Warm Days Will Never Cease
A story by the Deobrah Zafer, inspired by The Spaniards Inn in Hampstead, UK.
Scattered
A story by Lannie Stabile, inspired by the Four Corners Monument.
Pastrami
A story by the writer Mordecai Martin, inspired by Katz’s Deli in Manhattan, NYC.
The Straw Chair
A story by Rosemary Thorne, inspired by the Plaza de Don Pío, Villafranca del Bierzo, Leon, Spain.
Flying Over the Hudson
A poem by Elizabeth Enochs, inspired by a flight over the Hudson River to New Jersey.
I Kissed a Wall in Ibiza
A poem by Elizabeth Enochs, inspired by the island of Ibiza, Spain.
After Watching a Couple Hug Goodbye at the COS Airport
A story by Emily Townsend, inspired by the Colorado Springs Airport.
The Whale Burns His Own Body
A story by Sarah Starr Murphy, inspired by the Mystic Seaport Museum in Stonington, Connecticut.
My One and Only, Moonbean
A story by A.D. Sui, inspired by a coffeeshop in Toronto, Canada.
At the SkyTrain station, you are leaning against planetary nebula IC 1295, thirty-one thousand three hundred and fifty trillion kilometers away
A prose poem by Meghan Kemp-Gee, inspired by a SkyTrain station in Vancouver, Canada.
Skirting Around the Crater
A story by Mandira Pattnaik, inspired by Lonar Lake, Maharashtra, India.
An ecological disaster of parakeets
A story by Brittany Thomas, inspired by a walk through Retiro Park in Madrid, Spain.
Some Place Like Smoke Hole
A story by Annie Marhefka, inspired by a trip to Smoke Hole, West Virginia, USA.
Summers on Ridge Avenue
A poem by Maura O’Dea, inspired by a street in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Love in the Time of Welly Vodka
A story by Cathleen Davies, inspired by The Welly Club in Hull, UK.
All He Could Do Was Hold His Hand
A story by David Luntz, inspired by Coney Island.
Venice Boulevard, March 2019
A poem by Melissa Fitzpatrick, inspired by a ride down Venice Boulevard in Los Angeles.
L’enfer, c’est les autres
A haibun by Courtenay Schembri Gray, inspired by Les Deux Magots, a café in Paris.
This Is Not a Love Poem
A prose poem by the writer Raegen Pietrucha, inspired by Las Vegas.
Shrooms in Unity, Maine
A story by Goldie Peacock, inspired by the town of Unity, Maine.
A West Door
A story by the writer Douglas Cole, inspired by various places in Seattle, Washington.
A Brief & Reliable History of U.S. Route 1 (Peabody through Revere Exits)
Writing from Alyssandra Tobin, inspired by exits on U.S. Route 1 in Massachusetts.
A murmur of wings
A story by Rosemary Thorne, inspired by the Praça do Comércio in Lisbon, Portugal.
The Sacred Way
Writing from Amy Bobeda, inspired by Athens.
The Disc of Phaistos
Writing from Amy Bobeda, inspired by the Disc of Phaistos in Crete.
Into the World There Came a Soul Called Ida
A poem by Marceline White, inspired by an Ivan Albright painting at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Singapore Changi Airport at 2am
A hybrid prose-verse piece by Jenny Wong, inspired by Singapore’s Changi Airport.
What Happened Outside the 2nd Story Window of Mokhovaya Ulitsa 32
Creative nonfiction by Benjamin Davis, inspired by Saint Petersburg, Russia.
Last Goodbye in Bahawalpur
This is a poem by the writer Javeria Hasnain, inspired by Bahawalpur, Pakistan. Read it on Scrawl Place.
Devi invades the indigenous flora of Karachi
A poem by Javeria Hasnain, inspired by Karachi, Pakistan.
Cocktails & Dreams, Baga, Goa
A poem by Satya Dash, inspired by Baga, Goa, India.
transdesert gender tryst / at the foot of mount wrightson
A poem by sterling-elizabeth arcadia, inspired by Saguaro National Park, Tucson, Arizona.
Magical Marvin’s Mechanical Museum
A poem by Danielle Shorr, inspired by
unique museum in Farmington Hills, Michigan.
cottonwood falls
A poem by Eimear Laffan, inspired by the Cottonwood Falls in Nelson, British Columbia.
Summer in Helsinki
A poem by Gerry Stewart, inspired by Cafe Regatta in Helsinki, Finland.
Not a Single Joyous Thing to Be Found
A story by Cathy Ulrich, inspired by Ueno Park in Tokyo, Japan.
Balboa
A story by Lucas Smith, inspired by Balboa Island, California.
Fly Zone
A story by writer Melissa Nunez, inspired by a trip to the National Butterfly Center near the Texas-Mexico border.
95th & Broadway
A poem by Lisa Summe, inspired by the subway stop at 95th and Broadway in New York City.
As the snow began to fall
A poem by Ana Reisens, inspired by the Christkindlesmarkt in Nuremburg, Germany.
Waiting for a Flight at Charles De Gaulle Airport, 3/24/20
A story by Simon Nagel, inspired by the Charles De Gaulle airport in Paris France.
Prague
A story by Stuart Buck, inspired by a trip to Prague, Czech Republic.
Postcard Window at Suomenlinna (Finland’s Fortress)
A poem by Gerry Stewart, inspired by Suomenlinna, an old sea fortress in Helsinki, Finland.
Jharokha
A poem by Nikita Parik, inspired by the Begum Bazar in Hyderabad, India.
Laugarvatn, Iceland
A story by Caroljean Gavin, inspired by a trip to Laugarvatn, Iceland.
Ledra Street
A story by Nora Nadjarian, inspired by a street in Nicosia, Cyprus.
Descending Borobudur
A story by Sara Hills, inspired by the Borobudur Buddhist temple in Java.
Ancient Chinese Ritual Art
A story by Eliot Li, set in Hong Kong.
Chagall Windows
A story by Liza Wieland, inspired by Marc Chagall’s “America Windows” at the Art Institute of Chicago.
Three Years
A story by Adrienne Marie Barrios, set in Seattle and suburban Seattle.
Fair Winds at Clover Point
An essay by Karin Hedetniemi, inspired by Clover Point Park, British Columbia, Canada.
Self-Portrait at Agios Pavlos
A poem by Andrea Krause, inspired by the beach Agios Pavlos, Greece.
South Beach
A story by Wilson Koewing, inspired by a trip to South Beach, Miami, Florida.
Sijo: Just Maple
A poem by James Penha, inspired by a trip to “Just Maple” a syrup producer in New Hampshire.
Alameda
A poem by the writer Matthew Andrews, inspired by the tiny doors in Alameda, California.
Angel Island Ferry
A poem by Matthew Andrews, inspired by Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Seville, New Year’s Eve, 2019
A story by Fiona McKay, inspired by the Palacio de las Duenas in Seville, Spain.
Fumar mata
A story by HLR, inspired by a trip to Benidorm, Spain.
Needle Park
A story by Becca Yenser, inspired by a park in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Central Market, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
A poem by Andy Brown, inspired by Central Market in downtown Lancaster Pennsylvania.
This is how I drink whiskey in the morning
A story by Salena Casha, inspired by a trip to the distilleries of Islay, Scotland.
To misname a noun eg. Bird
A proem by Seye Fakinlede, set in the town of Ummuneochi, Nigeria.
The Order of Things
A prose poem by Daniel Johnson, inspired by the Mutton Lane Inn, Cork, Ireland.
My Lost Vowel
An essay by P.S. Nolf, inspired by Putneyville, Pennsylvania.
Late Night Past the Occidental Cigar Club
A story by Caitlin Fillmore, inspired by a trip to San Francisco.
Imitation
A story by Shreya Khobragade, inspired by Hill Road in Mumbai, India.
Summer Sippers
An essay by Jillian Luft, inspired by a day in Fort Pierce, Florida.
Honey Island Swamp
A poem by Jack Bedell, inspired by Honey Island Swamp, Louisiana.
Queen Bess Island
A poem by Jack Bedell, inspired by Queen Bess Island, Louisiana.
That One Week in Cedar Rapids, Iowa
A prose poem by Leigh Chadwick, inspired by a visit to Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
Pink Rose on a Marble Bench
A story by Slawka Scarso, set in the Villa Borghese gardens in Rome.
Playful Dead
A story by Bayveen O’Connell, inspired by The Sacro Bosco (The Monster Park) in Bomarzo, Italy.
‘B’ Is for Bosque
A story by Becca Yenser, inspired by the Bosque trail in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Churchyard Kurseong
A story by Mandira Pattnaik, inspired by a cemetery in Kurseong, one of the most haunted places in India.
The Goose Lady
A story by Judy Lunsford, inspired by the Riparian Preserve in Gilbert, Arizona.
Ode to the Magic
A poem by Erica Abbott, inspired by Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens.
Namesake
A story by Christina Rosso, inspired by Laurel Hill Cemetary in Philadelphia.
After Hours, Ad Astra
A poem by Alison Lubar, inspired by Washington Square Park in Philadelphia.
Steve’s Prince of Steaks in far Northeast Philadelphia
A poem by Jane-Rebecca Cannarella, inspired by Steve’s Prince of Steaks, in Philadelphia.
A Quintana dos Mortos in Love
A story by Rosemary Thorne, inspired by the Quintana de Mortos in Compostela, Spain.
eu kalypto
A story by Jody Rae, inspired by New Brighton Beach, California.
The Munlochy Clootie Well
A story by Sherry Morris, inspired by the Munlochy Clootie Well in Scotland.
My Boyfriend & I’s Kiss Cam Went Viral at Comerica Park, Reaching 2.5 Million Views
A story by Pam Avoledo, inspired by the Kiss Cam at Comerica Park, Detroit.
Bald Knob, West Virginia
A story by Kirsten Reneau, inspired by Bald Knob, West Virginia.
Mexico, New York
An essay by John Chrostek, inspired by a trip to Mexico, New York.
Looking for Judy @ Books and Books
A poem by Carol Krauss, inspired by a bookstore in Key West, Florida.
The Blanket by the River
A story by Shannon Frost Greenstein, inspired by a bridge near 30th Street Station, Philadelphia.
Ghost Ballet
A poem by Todd Osborne, inspired by Ghost Ballet, a sculpture in Nashville, Tennessee.
Nora Springs
A poem by Kelli Lage, inspired by Nora Springs, Iowa.
A Note on Preserving Federal Land
A poem by Sam Boudreau, inspired by Sex Peak, a mountain lookout in Kootenai National Forest, Montana.
La Brea Tar Pits
A story by Kelle Clark, inspired by the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles.
Cadillac Ranch
A story by Paul Ruta, inspired by an art installation in Amarillo, Texas.
When I Lived in Soda Springs, Idaho & the Cashier at the Convenience Store Was Friendly to Me
A short piece by Laurinda Lind, inspired by Soda Springs, Idaho.
If You Spend Ten Minutes in every Corner of this City
A poem by Fasasi Abdulrosheed Oladipupo, inspired by Ibadan, Nigeria.
Lagos
A poem by Fasasi Abdulrosheed Oladipupo, inspired by Lagos, Nigeria.
Love Is a Beach
A story by Overcomer Ibiteye, inspired by a beach in Lagos.
The House on Via San Lucifero
A story by Claudia Lundahl, inspired by a house in Sardinia.
Untitled Puerto Rico poem
A poem by Selena Cotte, inspired by Puerto Rico.
Grand Canyon
A poem by Kimberly Glanzman, inspired by a hike through the Grand Canyon.
On Chalk’s Airway, Flight 101 to Miami Beach
A story by the writer Amy Barnes about a flight to Miami Beach, Florida.
Every Time I Wonder Whether I’m More Heart Or Fist
A poem by Despy Boutris, inspired by The Garlic Shoppe, in Gilroy, California.
Ohio (a class of submarine; a state)
A prose poem by Ceridwen Hall.
Ghost Forest
A poem by Amy Bobeda, inspired by a walk in Madison Square Park, New York City.
Night Snow in Vancouver
A poem by Yuan Changming, inspired by Vancouver, Canada.
Sculptures in Glebe Park
A poem by Caroline Misner, inspired by the sculptures in Glebe Park, Haliburton, Ontario, Canada.
Since Eyjafjallajökul Erupted
A poem inspired by a volcano in Iceland by Emily Hockaday.
The Border Wall of Sadness
A story by Janice Northerns, inspired by Hobo Hot Springs in Saratoga, Wyoming.
MCO
A poem by Selena Cotte, inspired by MCO, the Orlando, Florida airport.
What the Brooke’s Point Farmer Taught Me
A poem by the Jose Luis Pablo, inspired by Brooke’s Point, Palawan, Philippines.
Divine Sorrow in Baguio City
A poem by Jose Luise Pablo, inspired by Baguio City, Philippines.
You Ain’t Shit
A poem by Courtney LaBlanc, inspired by the state of North Dakota.
Hiraeth in California
A poem by Katie Manning, inspired by the “Stairways to Nowhere” in Felicity, California.
On the Spiritual Edge, Outside Florence
A story by Cheryl Pappas, inspired by the Castello del Trebbio, outside of Florence, Italy.
If you were here my love, you’d be all talk
A poem by Kory Wells, inspired by the Ponte de Vecchio bridge in Florence, Italy.
Lost in the Crossroads at Lavapiés Quarter
A story by Rosemary Thorne, inspired by Lavapiés Quarter in Madrid, Spain.
The photoreconnaissance wants an autogiro
A poem by Vanessa Couto Johnson, inspired by the Palácio Nacional de Sintra in Lisbon, Portugal.
A Visit to the Azulejos Museum
A story by Fiona McKay, inspired by the Museu Nacional do Azulejo in Lisbon, Portugal.
Grandview
A story from Christy Lorio, inspired by a hike in the Grand Canyon.
Under the Waterfall
A poem by Elizabeth J. Coleman, inspired by a waterfall in Sapphire, North Carolina.
General Rules for a Starfari When Visiting Hollywood
A hybrid by Susan Triemert, inspired by Hollywood, California.
53 Minutes: Cliff’s Beach – Oahu, Hawai’i
A story by Shareen Murayama, inspired by a beach on Oahu, Hawai’i.
The Lady in White
A story by Melissa Llanes Brownlee, inspired by a road on the Big Island, Hawaii.
A Vague Recollection from 111 Liberty Ave.
A memory from Shome Dasgupta, inspired by a place in Lafayette, Louisiana.
Dublin City
A poem by D.S. Maolali, inspired by a walk through Dublin City, Ireland.
Potter’s Field
A poem by Amy Bobeda, inspired by Washington Square Park, New York City.
Washington Square
A poem by Shane Schick, inspired by Washington Square Park in New York City.
Cover Story
A poem by Ceridwen Hall, inspired by the Hawkbill “Devil’s Boat” submarine attraction in Arco, Idaho.
Hot Pot
A story by Wilson Koewing, inspired by a hot pot in Dalabyggð, Iceland.
Our Marriage Died at the Dead Sea
A story by Amy Barnes, inspired by a beach resort at Biankini Beach.