Windward Review Vol. 20 (2022): Beginnings and Endings
"Beginnings and Endings" (2022) challenged South Texas writers and beyond to narrate structures of beginnings and ends. What results is a collection of poetry, prose, hybrid writing, and photography that haunts, embraces, and consoles all the same. Similar to past WR volumes, this collection defies easy elaboration - it contains diverse tones, languages, colors, and creative spaces. Creative pieces within the text builds upon others, allowing polyvocal narratives to interlock and defy the logic of 'beginning-middle-end'. By the end of this collection, you will neither sense nor crave the finality that a typical text brings. Instead, you will be inspired to learn and create beyond a narrative linear structure. Your reading and support is sincerely appreciated.
"Beginnings and Endings" (2022) challenged South Texas writers and beyond to narrate structures of beginnings and ends. What results is a collection of poetry, prose, hybrid writing, and photography that haunts, embraces, and consoles all the same. Similar to past WR volumes, this collection defies easy elaboration - it contains diverse tones, languages, colors, and creative spaces. Creative pieces within the text builds upon others, allowing polyvocal narratives to interlock and defy the logic of 'beginning-middle-end'. By the end of this collection, you will neither sense nor crave the finality that a typical text brings. Instead, you will be inspired to learn and create beyond a narrative linear structure. Your reading and support is sincerely appreciated.
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By the end of summer, Eleanor, Noah, <strong>and</strong> I went to Dallas for a Coldplay concert. In<br />
twenty fifteen, Coldplay had just come out with a new album that talked about “brothers<br />
in blood, sisters who ride… if you love someone, you should let them know.” I watched Eleanor<br />
<strong>and</strong> Noah stare at each other as Chris Martin sang their favorite song… I watched them<br />
fall in love, <strong>and</strong> I hoped one day he would be my brother as it already felt like he was…<br />
When I was ten, I was a lot smaller than when I was sixteen, <strong>and</strong> I always felt a big<br />
brother connection to Noah. Every time I saw him at church, I ran up to him <strong>and</strong> he gave<br />
me a big hug <strong>and</strong> picked me up <strong>and</strong> twirled me around… I always thought he was cool,<br />
<strong>and</strong> still did when I was sixteen… The Coldplay album is still an association with our<br />
relationships with them, <strong>and</strong> Eleanor <strong>and</strong> I still think about how fun seeing them with<br />
Noah was. It was her favorite b<strong>and</strong>.<br />
Fall / Winter<br />
In November, we took a trip to Austin altogether, <strong>and</strong> they wore their red caps as we<br />
strolled down to home slice pizza, experiencing Eleanor’s past life (she went to UT). We<br />
caught a movie, as their parents <strong>and</strong> sister sat beside us. We were good for them, <strong>and</strong><br />
they were happy to be in our lives… As December creeped up on us, we celebrated yet<br />
another church parade <strong>and</strong> festival, wearing beanies <strong>and</strong> singing as the brothers stood<br />
in front of us. The five of us matched outfits as we wore red <strong>and</strong> white on Christmas Eve.<br />
“Well, this was unplanned,” Eleanor said as Noah joked<br />
about his red tie <strong>and</strong> her red dress. For some reason red was<br />
always a thing between them… He bought her a movie ticket<br />
charm that she wore on a necklace with a red bead beside<br />
it, <strong>and</strong> she always associates her past feelings with him to<br />
Taylor Swift’s song Red.<br />
Loving him was like driving a new Maserati down a dead-end<br />
street, faster than the wind, passionate as sin, ending so suddenly.<br />
Dean <strong>and</strong> I wore white, <strong>and</strong> took a picture where I was head over heels for him.<br />
Although I was sixteen, I loved him in a way I didn’t believe a sixteen-year-old could.<br />
Perhaps it’s just because he was my first love, but I never imagined him out of my life…<br />
That picture was one of my favorites, <strong>and</strong> I still have it… Eleanor still has the ticket.<br />
…<br />
Dean <strong>and</strong> I hung out a lot during the weekends, <strong>and</strong> almost every day during<br />
winter break. Most of the time we liked to stroll to the newly opened Bahama Bucks<br />
on Saratoga, eat the tasty tiger’s blood shaved ice <strong>and</strong> compete against each other in a<br />
game of Jenga.<br />
“Dean, stop you’re making me laugh,” I said as I shakily removed a block from the<br />
wobbly Jenga tower.<br />
“I want my fifty cents,” he laughed.<br />
Spring / Summer <strong>20</strong>17<br />
While Eleanor <strong>and</strong> Noah continued their weekly hangouts, sometimes on weekends<br />
happy for me when I made the cheer team. In June, we attended another trip in Houston,<br />
<strong>and</strong> had more volleyball nights than ever. I turned seventeen in July, <strong>and</strong> the brothers<br />
wished me happy birthday in our group message. We cheered with Joy as we watched<br />
Noah walk the stage during his college graduation, extremely proud of him for being the<br />
first of his family to be a college graduate.<br />
Sometimes emotions roared through the brothers’ bleeding<br />
hearts. Dean being only seventeen, sometimes became manipulative,<br />
<strong>and</strong> angry when we didn’t do things his way… which left me sad. I had a<br />
hard time trusting him—he always said words to make me happy, but<br />
sometimes his eyes were on other comets… Being the emotional boys<br />
they were, Eleanor <strong>and</strong> I would come home from dates—frustrated<br />
often, as tears filled my eyes <strong>and</strong> rage rushed through her voice.<br />
<strong>Beginnings</strong> X <strong>Endings</strong><br />
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