far from being outside observers
like them
we eat drink pee & poop
procreate to finally fall to earth
dissolving into undergrowth
dust to dust
embraced embodied
we join our crew …
Poem, in its entirety, is available in the printed version of the current issue.
Bio:
Ann van Wijgerden was born in the United Kingdom and has spent most of her adult life in the Netherlands and the Philippines. A poet and writer, she has had work published in numerous magazines and anthologies, including Orion, Last Stanza Poetry Journal, and Yellow Arrow Journal. She is a 2025 Best of the Net nominee. She co-founded and works for an NGO called Young Focus, which provides education for children living in Manila’s “Smokey Mountain” slum area.