Scrawl Place

The Journal
Dragon Driving the T

Dragon Driving the T

BOSTON — This is a story by Reggie Kwok, inspired by the Boston subway system … and dragons.

A Familiar Frottoir

A Familiar Frottoir

ST. MARTINVILLE, LA.—A story by Shome Dasgupta, inspired by a house in Louisiana.

Of Land and Of Water

Of Land and Of Water

KARACHI, Pakistan—A story by Javeria Hasnain about growing up in the suburbs of Karachi.

Lanternfly

Lanternfly

ALLENTOWN, Pa.—A story by K.P. Taylor, inspired by Dorney Park & Wildwater Kingdom.

Allowed in the Temple

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

Question of Survival

FRENCH FRIGATE SHOALS, Hawaii—A story by Kim Steutermann Rogers inspired by Green Turtle nesting on a remote island.

Misfit

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

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, Before

ANTAKYA, Turkey — A story by Emma Janssen, inspired by a trip to Antakya before the devastating earthquake in February 2023.

Freya

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.

Miradouro do Monte Agudo

Miradouro do Monte Agudo

LISBON, Portugal — A prose poem by Emily Marie Passos Duffy, inspired by the Miradouro do Monte Agudo.

The Butter Museum

The Butter Museum

CORK, IRELAND—A story by the writer Melissa Flores Anderson, inspired by The Butter Museum in Cork, Ireland.

On The Way

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.)

Tsinghua

Tsinghua

A poem by Ellen Zhang, inspired by Beijing, China.

Almost Amsterdam

Almost Amsterdam

A story by Karin Hedetniemi, inspired by the Dutch Bakery & Diner in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada.

The Golden Jester

The Golden Jester

A story by Christina Janousek, inspired by the Castle Schönbrunn in Vienna, Austria.

Alumbrar

Alumbrar

A story by Melissa Nunez, inspired by La Parguera, Puerto Rico.

Vatican

Vatican

A story by Katie McIvor, inspired by the Vatican Museum.

Midtown Minute

Midtown Minute

A story by the writer Emily Polson, inspired by a trip to Midtown Manhattan.

Roadkill

Roadkill

A story by David Luntz, inspired by the Karoo Desert in South Africa.

Scattered

Scattered

A story by Lannie Stabile, inspired by the Four Corners Monument.

Pastrami

Pastrami

A story by the writer Mordecai Martin, inspired by Katz’s Deli in Manhattan, NYC.

The Straw Chair

The Straw Chair

A story by Rosemary Thorne, inspired by the Plaza de Don Pío, Villafranca del Bierzo, Leon, Spain.

A West Door

A West Door

A story by the writer Douglas Cole, inspired by various places in Seattle, Washington.

A murmur of wings

A murmur of wings

A story by Rosemary Thorne, inspired by the Praça do Comércio in Lisbon, Portugal.

cottonwood falls

cottonwood falls

A poem by Eimear Laffan, inspired by the Cottonwood Falls in Nelson, British Columbia.

Balboa

Balboa

A story by Lucas Smith, inspired by Balboa Island, California.

Fly Zone

Fly Zone

A story by writer Melissa Nunez, inspired by a trip to the National Butterfly Center near the Texas-Mexico border.

95th & Broadway

95th & Broadway

A poem by Lisa Summe, inspired by the subway stop at 95th and Broadway in New York City.

Prague

Prague

A story by Stuart Buck, inspired by a trip to Prague, Czech Republic.

Jharokha

Jharokha

A poem by Nikita Parik, inspired by the Begum Bazar in Hyderabad, India.

Ledra Street

Ledra Street

A story by Nora Nadjarian, inspired by a street in Nicosia, Cyprus.

Chagall Windows

Chagall Windows

A story by Liza Wieland, inspired by Marc Chagall’s “America Windows” at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Three Years

Three Years

A story by Adrienne Marie Barrios, set in Seattle and suburban Seattle.

South Beach

South Beach

A story by Wilson Koewing, inspired by a trip to South Beach, Miami, Florida.

Sijo: Just Maple

Sijo: Just Maple

A poem by James Penha, inspired by a trip to “Just Maple” a syrup producer in New Hampshire.

Alameda

Alameda

A poem by the writer Matthew Andrews, inspired by the tiny doors in Alameda, California.

Angel Island Ferry

Angel Island Ferry

A poem by Matthew Andrews, inspired by Angel Island in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Fumar mata

Fumar mata

A story by HLR, inspired by a trip to Benidorm, Spain.

Needle Park

Needle Park

A story by Becca Yenser, inspired by a park in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

My Lost Vowel

My Lost Vowel

An essay by P.S. Nolf, inspired by Putneyville, Pennsylvania.

Imitation

Imitation

A story by Shreya Khobragade, inspired by Hill Road in Mumbai, India.

Summer Sippers

Summer Sippers

An essay by Jillian Luft, inspired by a day in Fort Pierce, Florida.

Playful Dead

Playful Dead

A story by Bayveen O’Connell, inspired by The Sacro Bosco (The Monster Park) in Bomarzo, Italy.

Churchyard Kurseong

Churchyard Kurseong

A story by Mandira Pattnaik, inspired by a cemetery in Kurseong, one of the most haunted places in India.

The Goose Lady

The Goose Lady

A story by Judy Lunsford, inspired by the Riparian Preserve in Gilbert, Arizona.

Namesake

Namesake

A story by Christina Rosso, inspired by Laurel Hill Cemetary in Philadelphia.

eu kalypto

eu kalypto

A story by Jody Rae, inspired by New Brighton Beach, California.

Ghost Ballet

Ghost Ballet

A poem by Todd Osborne, inspired by Ghost Ballet, a sculpture in Nashville, Tennessee.

La Brea Tar Pits

La Brea Tar Pits

A story by Kelle Clark, inspired by the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles.

Cadillac Ranch

Cadillac Ranch

A story by Paul Ruta, inspired by an art installation in Amarillo, Texas.

Lagos

Lagos

A poem by Fasasi Abdulrosheed Oladipupo, inspired by Lagos, Nigeria.

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon

A poem by Kimberly Glanzman, inspired by a hike through the Grand Canyon.

Ghost Forest

Ghost Forest

A poem by Amy Bobeda, inspired by a walk in Madison Square Park, New York City.

MCO

MCO

A poem by Selena Cotte, inspired by MCO, the Orlando, Florida airport.

Hiraeth in California

Hiraeth in California

A poem by Katie Manning, inspired by the “Stairways to Nowhere” in Felicity, California.

Grandview

Grandview

A story from Christy Lorio, inspired by a hike in the Grand Canyon.

Under the Waterfall

Under the Waterfall

A poem by Elizabeth J. Coleman, inspired by a waterfall in Sapphire, North Carolina.

The Lady in White

The Lady in White

A story by Melissa Llanes Brownlee, inspired by a road on the Big Island, Hawaii.

Dublin City

Dublin City

A poem by D.S. Maolali, inspired by a walk through Dublin City, Ireland.

Potter’s Field

Potter’s Field

A poem by Amy Bobeda, inspired by Washington Square Park, New York City.

Washington Square

Washington Square

A poem by Shane Schick, inspired by Washington Square Park in New York City.

Cover Story

Cover Story

A poem by Ceridwen Hall, inspired by the Hawkbill “Devil’s Boat” submarine attraction in Arco, Idaho.

Hot Pot

Hot Pot

A story by Wilson Koewing, inspired by a hot pot in Dalabyggð, Iceland.