Between Tibet and India, in the mountainous Himalyan state of Nepal, a group of college and some high school students set out to create an online literary magazine in a country where only 54% percent of its population can read and write. The impetus behind this project was a love of literature and a lack of a platform on which to showcase the poetry and short stories of Nepali writers. Not only did these young people create an online environment for sharing poetry and fiction, but they did so in their non-native language, English, often working with difficult translations, and showcasing the work of writers world-wide in an online journal they’ve named The Applicant. In some sense, the journal is very much like an open mic in that you can find the polished work of a three-time pushcart nominee along side the passionate poetry of a middle school student.
In November, I responded to their call for submissions for an upcoming issue themed “Death and Rebirth.” My poem “What the Water Gave Me” appeared in their January issue.
In November, I responded to their call for submissions for an upcoming issue themed “Death and Rebirth.” My poem “What the Water Gave Me” appeared in their January issue.