Author Archives: Jaclynn Loibl

Pushing myself to speak to the painter at the house in Spanish, I asked, “¿Qué color o tenir es esto?” Later, Evelyn asked, “Did you speak Spanish? Why?” I explained that I love putting puzzles together and challenging my brain to do new things. Like how the subjunctive tense in Spanish is a real brainContinue reading “Funky Fresh Circles”

Our water smells like rust, and the taste is like putting a bleeding thumb in your mouth. I’ve heard it’s high in iron, and from years of visiting my Grandma’s cabin in Eastern Washington, I remember the brownish-red stains the water left on the white shower, toilet, and sinks. Eventually, we’ll call DJ’s Pump ServiceContinue reading “Settling Sand”

Sam’s Club is the first stop on my agenda when my peepers pop open. Not the chickens I don’t have, but my actual eyes, of course. With an empty fridge humming along, it’s clear what needs to happen next: food! It’s been a whole month since I’ve cooked a meal. Scratch that—I did whip upContinue reading “The Mantle’s Mounted”

I keep my hands in the sand, spilling it out like the grains of an hourglass. I loved you—the one I created from a smoky figure of mist. Is it through this door that I’ll find the ghost of what remains? The unedited you, the one I fell over the edge, then sought and foughtContinue reading “We’ll Do It Again”

I fall in and out of your hold; your soft whispers hush my fears as I tremble within. You touch and sway in the hammock under a peach-faded sky. My voice is muted, veiled like a lover’s cry, echoing Juliet’s pain that lingers in the courtyard. Behind the vines, casting a shadowy glow, her silhouette—dove-likeContinue reading “Falling and Falling: A Poem”

The Hoya’s petals burst into a circular, baseball-shaped bloom with soft pastel blue, pink, and purple hues reminiscent of a spring day made for children, baskets in hand, their hair, and lapels adorned with white bows. In contrast, with its massive, crooked leaves and cane-like props, the prehistoric monstera evokes the resilience of the AmazonContinue reading “The Bloom and the Broken: A Poem”

The burden of debts to others—be it emotional, relational, or societal—can act like a relentless creditor, pressuring and stressing us with every phone ring. This relentless sense of obligation leads to disempowerment and a sense of victimhood in our relationships. It’s a chain reaction that keeps us bound to repeating the same actions without aContinue reading “Breaking the Chains of Obligation”

What? August 22nd is a holiday? Not exactly, but it’s been a vacation day, cuddling with Evelyn and her cut toe on the couch, snacking on Cheetos and vanilla ice cream—so I’m taking the day off. You know the drill; take some time for yourself today. What do you want for you? Go do it.Continue reading “Permission Granted”

Like Mary Poppins riding in on an umbrella, malaise floated in, bringing that faraway look that says, “Going, going, gone.” It bids goodbye to the pace and place of today, and in comes the drudgery and sludgery of malaise. It’s like a thick slab of mustardy goo, and if you peel back the sandwich, you’llContinue reading “The Slow Descent into Malaise – And Back Again“