Last Week on Vocal Media
September 23, 2024
I mentioned this in my first post, but I think I’m going to do a weekly post highlighting some of my favorite stories and poems posted to vocal media. Each week, I’ll post my favorite poem, microfiction, story, and top story from the previous week, Sunday - Saturday. Unless you have a better suggestion, I’ll call it ‘Last Week on Vocal Media.’ You get to read the first edition, you lucky dog!
Without further ado . . .
The Poem: Aboulomania by D.K. Shepard.
This acrostic poem - which received a top story from Vocal - will resonate with anyone who is a teacher (Bless you all) or otherwise had a long day and just doesn’t feel like making any more decisions. I loved it because it reminded me of my wife, who is a schoolteacher. She often comes home exhausted, and who could blame her? I can almost see the weary expression on her face when I read the first two lines of D.K.’s poem:
Another question and I’m here once more,
Back to a crossroads of crucial choices,
Unsurprisingly, D.K. is also a teacher. Go give it a read; you’ll thank me later.
The Micro: Night Moves by Alyssa Nicole
This fantastic short story was originally entered into a competition, but I don’t think there’ve been enough eyes on it. It follows a dock worker who ends up being coerced by some unsavory people and has a very satisfying ending. The way Alyssa manages to paint such a vivid scene in such a short amount of words is inspiring. Check out her story and show it some love.
The Story: Okay Already - So What? by Judey Kalchik
Okay, so this one isn’t really a story; it’s closer to a blog post, but you should absolutely read it. Judey has published a few pieces about Project 2025, and each is eye-opening, well-written, researched, and informative. Okay Already focuses on elements of the Heritage Foundation’s manual, ‘The Mandate for Leadership,’ how President Trump fits into it all, who the people behind Project 2025 are, and what comes after the upcoming Presidential Election. Read it!
A Vocal Top Story: Liar by Alexander McEvoy
Most of the stories I’ve read that were written in second person point of view I haven’t liked. But Liar? Wow. Alexander draws you further in with each descriptive word, like a master story teller. It tells a story of self doubt, anxiety, and depression, while the overall message is one of hope and understanding. It’s no wonder this story received a top nod from the Vocal team. Read it and let me know what you think.
Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think of this first post, and if you have any suggestions for me, be sure to let me know!
What a great compilation, and your synopsis-teasers are spot on! Thank you for highlighting my work, too.