Journal Archive - Wax Nine Records : Wax Nine Records

Wax Nine Journal

Poems that are signed to a record label, each month on the third Wednesday.

Chapbook contest.

Illustration of a ghostly blue hand emerging from a gold framed, ovular mirror

“Ghost Story,” “Tu Negrita” & “The Magician” by Arumandhira Howard

Illustration of a hand holding a lemon

“Lemon Bake” & “On the Q Train Towards Stillwell” by Paula Gil-Ordoñez Gomez

Illustration of a horse and a skull

“A Face for Every Feeling,” “Teenage Wasteland” & “Election Night” by Jodi Bosin

Illustration of a neon- and multi-colored hand of yellow, red, green, blue and purple holding a purple amethyst.

“Workhorse” & “A Chambéry Stroll” by Christine Kwon

Illustration of a blue camping tent outlined in yellow against a dark blue starry night sky, with a yellow cross-section of a fig floating among the stars.

“Geodes and Figs” & “Pine” by Lyd Havens

Illustration of a ram with light fur looking straight ahead, holding a yellow flower in its mouth, with a white flower on its forehead. There is an orange and a blue circle behind the ram and a dark gray background behind everything.

“In Search of Plato’s Garden” & “A Small Wound of Goodness” by Timi Sanni

Illustration in blue, orange and yellow of a person lying down with their arm behind their head

“Frantic Efforts to Avoid Real or Imagined Abandonment” & “Greedy” by Sascha Cohen

Illustration in blue, orange and yellow of a person underwater up to their nose

“Aubade” & “Joy Was Duty” by Olaitan Humble

Illustration in blue, orange and yellow of buildings overhead

“Amateur Seismologist,” “Crosstown, Longitudinally” & “Family Business Ideas” by Alexyss Robinson

purple illustrations of eggplant, lollipops, berries, and cigarettes

“Modest Mouse Plays in the Background While I Get Fucked Against the Sink” & “Ekphrasis of Memory by René Magritte, Oil on Canvas, 1948” by Lip Manegio

grey illustrations of a frying pan, carabiner and keys, pocketknife, leaves, and a crushed can

“Prayers,” “Hello Again,” & “To Be Known Is to Be Loved” by Tasneem Ali

orange illustrations of carrots, popsicles, basketballs, a traffic cone, pumpkin pie, and an orange fruit

“You Ask What’s in My Closet and it Turns into a Fashion Show” & “Marrow” by Danielle Shorr

Abstract art piece/graphic score. 3 music staves with a treble clef in the middle of the page. The first staff has groupings of white and black notes with flat and sharp symbols, some on backgrounds of pink watercolor splashes. There are two crescendo markings and 3 pianissimo markings. The second staff has a watercolor and colored pencil green and yellow ginkgo leaf, a red-brown watercolor splash, yellow splatter, two pianissimo markings and an "ooo" marking, the text "Heeheeheehee haaahaaahaahaa hoo hoo!" and a staccato marking near the yellow splatter. The third staff has a pianissimo and pedal marking, a black and grey layering with sprinkled colors, and a Jackson Pollock-like swirling of colors and splatters with white splatters on top.

“Web Scraping” & “Ex Waif[u]” by Julie Chen

Abstract art piece/graphic score. 3 music staves with rhythm clefs. One large black line squiggles between the 3 staves. Some rhythm markings on each staff. Some torn newspaper ad clippings are collaged on each of the staves. The second staff has a large yellow-ish sphere with black detail reminiscent of a split stone fruit. Behind the whole image is a large, crude watercolor cross-hatch of dull orange-brown and tinted white/gray.

“NDN B-Side Love Poem” & “Love Poem for My God-Ugly Xmas Miracle” by Kinsale Drake

Abstract art piece/graphic score. The lines of a single music staff curl and twist in loops around each other. Black ink brushings move horizontally across the page. Teeth shapes are in groupings on various parts of the staff, some filled in, some with sharp or flat markings. In the top left, a pale yellow and pastel blue watercolor with ash glued on top, and a gold circle outline in black ink. At the bottom, a large fluorescent pink watercolor with empty circles on top of it. On te borrom right, a splatter of aquamarine, orange-brown and black watercolors. Some vibrant yellow across ht emiddle of the page. In the center, a black triangle with root-like shapes extending below. In the top right corner, red and pink watercolor bisected by a rectangle with empty and black halves.

“Floss” & “Taking the Train to Atlantic City and Back Like I’m F. Scott Fitzgerald Going to the French Riviera” by Audrey Lee

white and blue pencil-drawn cumulonimbus clouds are passing over a pink chrome 3d rainbow shape, the background is nearly black like the night sky with a few hand drawn sparkles surrounding the clouds.

“Scorpius,” “Check Out This Neverending Garden! I Planted It for Us,” & “Ice Cold Water” by Bee Morris

a 3d golden chain-link fence sits atop a blue/green gradient background with a 3d golden chain in the foreground.

“You Walk Yr New Boots Home From Payless” & “M E S S A G E F R O M A C A R G O S H I P” by stevie redwood

a shiny chrome blue 3d swan ice sculpture is centered on a gradient pink to charcoal background with two sparkles shining around it.

“I Am the Devil’s Phone Background” & “Babe I’m Ice Skating Towards You” by Freya Robinson

Illustration of a bottle spilling out purple liquid, which blends in with the sunset over a row of black houses, and the white outlines of hands and feet

“John Waters Trailer” & “Im Sorry Ok?” by Lexi McCoy-Caso

Illustration of a gold wrestling belt that says "World Champion," and a rosary and cross draped over it

“Poem Where I Get Suplexed by a Nun in the City Centre, Broad Daylight” & “The Boomer and the Tumour” by Alex Mountfield

Illustration of a blue fist and a red first aid kid rising out of a blue thumb to meet a steak knife

“Daddy Shaves His Mustache and We Cry Ourselves to Sleep,” “There Is No Such Thing As a Labor Shortage” & “Heartbroken, Insane” by Holly Burdorff

Illustration of a person with long red hair floating up, eyes crossed out with a black painted line

“Meet Me at Epsilon Eridani,” “Cephalophore” & “Disembodied” by Sheila Dong

Painting of person resting their head on their hands, with red textured background and offset white block

“I Reinvented the Wheel and All I Got Was Run Over” & “I Read a Poet’s CV and It Was 14 Pages Long and Then I Went Into Fetal Position” by Molly Gorelick

Painting of hands reaching for one another on red background

“Emergency Fund Request” & “I Can’t Afford to Sell the Car” by Brendan Joyce

Illustration of black handled scissors cutting up a credit card

“Last Year and All the Years Before I Said You Could Find Me Anywhere” by Libby Hsieh

Illustration of sliced brown bread on a grey background

“Anatomy of a Prophetic Calling” & “Escape Routes from Heaven and Hell” by DT McCrea

Flowers in a red gasoline can against a grey background and a pale full moon

“Who Do You Work For,” “HOV” & “Old Light” by Ryan Eckes

Painting of green leaves and red fruit on a blue background

“Someday You Will Be Worn Again,” “Metamorphoses (Uh-oh, Stinky)” & “Insulation” by Ria Mai Geguera

Painting of red melting ice cream and blue drops of water on a yellow background

“A: Another Biography” by Caroline Fernelius

Painting of lips and other colorful, geometric shapes

“Exorcism” by Nnadi Samuel

Illustration of a green and blue figure face down as water drops from a red shower head fall onto their back

“Speak Ill of the Dead,” “You Are Still Seventeen” & “A Very Small Wish” by Irene Hou

Illustration of Dr. Mario kicking a megavitamin

“Buffalo Bill” by Colette Arrand

Illustration of two figures, blue and green, sitting at a table with a red crystal on top

“Rest #1” & “Complex Histories” by s. neema

Colorful collage pieces, including a Barbie and sequins, on a pale green background

“Britney Spears and Me Dance Naked at the End of the World” & “Soil Slut (Ars Poetica)” by Madeline Augusta Turner

Colorful geometric shapes, including a white flag, on a pale yellow background

“Memories of Nibelheim” & “The Death of Superman” by Patrick Blagrave

Colorful geometric shapes, including a TV with jazz cup design onscreen, on a brown background

“Joni Mitchell’s Left Hand” by Meg Lubey

Black and white illustration of two figures in a bed covered with plaid blanket

“No Body Wants to Come Into My Bed,” “Nobody Comes” & “No Body” by Charlotte Abotsi

Black and white illustration of a hand reaching for a knife

“Gary Gulman, You Are Giving Up” & “I Will Live and Die in This Walgreens” by Eve Kenneally

black and white image of shadowy snakes forming the shape of a head with eyes peering out

3 Episodes by Sara Lieto

Person in dress stares at the sea through tall orange windows, plants and a face in the foreground.

3 Poems by Sophie Taylor

Illustration of 24 hour diner

2 Poems by Conor Ryan

Hollywood bombshell type sits at bus stop, billboard in the distance with vultures atop, sun setting behind

3 Poems by KKUURRTT

Illustration of person sitting on yellow background. Red thought bubble filled with teeth.

3 Poems by Lucy Zhang

Illustration of person facing away from a window and a plant on blue background. Green thought bubble filled with red smiling cartoon crabs.

“Meanwhile” & “Now That I Am in Reykjavik & Can Think” by Alina Pleskova

Illustration of a person crouched over a machine on pink background. Blue thought bubble filled with ghosts.

“A Travelogue Ft. The Ghost of Sylvia Browne” & “What Refuses to be Televised” by Jaime Garcia

Illustration of purple mountains and purple clouds

“Tumbledown” & “In the Dream It Was Different” by Audrey Gidman

Illustration: white, manicured, bejeweled hands reach across water to take coconut with a straw from brown hands with bandaids

“One of the Good Ones” & “How Can You Write Revolution if Palenqueras Still Pose for Pesos” by Jenzo DuQue

Pink person with orange hair and red blood shooting from their ears

“Runt” & “The Horse Girl Ideal” by Dana Guth

Illustration of a brown rabbit held in blue mittens. Some colorful houses, people, and the phases of the moon across the night sky in the background.

“Occasional Poem for Monica Lewinksy Tweeting About the Full Moon in Cancer, December 29, 2020” & “What Do Women Want?” by Casey Smith

Illustrated close up of a hand holding a blue mug in a living room, person standing in background holding slice of toast with peanut butter

“Dollars & Dimes” & “Jiffy” by Taylor Braswell

Illustration of a package with an axe in it, sitting in front of a purple door

“Honesty,” “Days of Our Lives” & “Hacks for Headaches” by Matthew Klane

Person wearing a blue sweater and skirt, pink mini backpack, and purple hair in a ponytail stares at an infinite row of claw machines filled with various toys, bears and bunny rabbits and one pink raccoon held in the claw

“There Are Strange Things Happening Every Day,” “Ultimatum” & “Mark Zuckerberg Told Me to Suck It” by Gold Carson

Pink billboard advertising a woman in a green bikini and 3 slot machine cherries, surrounded by blue squares filled with inflatable waving arms tube men

“Immigration Courts Need a Curandera” & “I’m Almost There” by M.R. "Chibbi" Orduña

Blue ponytailed figure in pink bikini cries into a mirror, squats on a pedestal, and observes themself on the pedestal, on a blue graphing paper background

“Things That Have Nearly Killed Me” & “Daylight Savings Time” by Patti Creamer

Black and white illustration of two people hugging, colorful flowers grow in front

“Elegy for 2019” by Umang Kalra

Black and white portrait of a woman with red flame halo surrounding her head

3 Poems on Saints by Rachel Milligan

Black and white illustration of man facing away and blue-highlighted glaciers rising from his back

“My Thoughts” & “Things We Love Too Much:” by Sean Cho A.

Person with glasses and tattoos sits in backseat of a car. On the steering wheel, a red manicured hand wearing a ring.

“Gay People Can’t Drive” & “I Know Alone” by Beyza Ozer

Person with red bandana over their face tips their cowboy hat in front of a late night bar's neon sign. Two people in the background stand closely smoking cigarettes.

“A Glossary of Enduro Terms” & “How About Them Apples” by Carson Jordan

Blue person with long hair, glowing halo and earrings, red snakes around their neck and dripping from their eyes

“Naming Ceremony” & “The Man on the Moon Tells Me My Name” by Jahnavi Mehta

Illustration of a body sitting and curled up, constellations in a black bubble behind them.

“Drapetomania (or How I’m Healing Unwell)” & “Eulogy for River who Rises from Ashes” by Celina Nicole

Illustration of two hands holding each other in front of spread legs and feet, which turn into grass and a blooming yellow flower in front of a star-filled night sky.

“Bouquet for Healthy Platonic Dependency” & “Prayer for Your Small Ground” by Mark Cugini

Illustration of two small figures standing on the ground in the night, larger figure outlined in green in the night sky behind them.

“We’re the Women of ’80s B-Movies,” “Spacing Out” & “First Winter Dream” by Allison Hummel

Drawing of a person's face in black ink on a blue background

“Candy” & “Haibun 2” by Corey Qureshi

Collage of four black and white photos of people looking shocked, set on a yellow background

“I Compulsively Look Up Men Who Hurt Me on Instagram” & “Broken Branch” by Caitlin Wolper

Drawings of two people standing facing away and one kneeling, on blue ground with green sky

“Vancouverism” & “A.M. Rounds – UTMB, 12.17.2032” by Riley Ratcliff

Illustration using reconfigured samples of 16 bit pixel art by Max Allison

“I Never Knew I Wanted to Be a Father” & “A Story of Speed” by Satya Dash

Illustration using reconfigured samples of 16 bit pixel art by Max Allison

3 ‘Sopranos’ Poems by Francisca Matos

Illustration using reconfigured samples of 16 bit pixel art by Max Allison

Excerpt from ‘Record’ by Danniel Schoonebeek

Abstract painting in blue, pink, orange, green and red by Laura Larson

“Questgiver” & “Postcard from the Hellified Zone” by Amy Marvin

Painting of a pink circle, outline of a hand in blue, lightning bolts, and tears by Laura Larson

“Moldy Clementines” & “Morning Routine” by Urvi Kumbhat

Abstract painting unpick, green, yellow and purple with black outlines of skulls overlaid, by Laura Larson

“Love Poem for Diet Coke” & “I Just Wanna Go Real Hard” by Sophie Furlong Tighe

Illustration of pregnancy test against pink background

“Warm Month Horse Mourn,” “Six Weeks” & “For God” by Kateri Whitfield

Illustration of Bad Bunny against red background

“Bad Bunny is Caro” & “Smallest Kind of Prayer” by Asiyah Herrero

Illustration of a window opening out on blue background

“Inheritance” & “Anniversary” by Freddie Blooms

Illustration of back of a woman staring at a boarded up house

3 Portraits of My Mother by Dani Janae

Illustration of person floating in dark water

3 Poems by Lauren Milici

Illustration of man taking photo of a woman in front of a house on fire

“Our Villainous Past” & “Blood Tomato” by Sara Renberg

Surrealist painting by Sarah Waddle depicting a blue figure screaming on grass, with yellow clouds in a pink sky

3 Poems by Cameron Gorman

Surrealist painting by Sarah Waddle depicting two entwined figures in a colorful, geometric setting

“Ghouls,” “Horrorshow” & “Dissolution Method” by Caroline Crew

Surrealist painting by Sarah Waddle with several figures including a blue skull and red clouds

“Consolatrix” & “Lake Lake” by Cori Hutchinson

Illustration of yellow fruit on black background with primary color polka dots

2 Poems by Mariah Freire

Illustration of gourd on blue background with primary color polka dots

2 Poems by Ezra Tiberius

Illustration of banana on light blue background with primary color polka dots

2 Poems by Neha Maqsood

Green and red abstract painting by Kjell Hansen

3 Poems by Ojo Taiye

Green and red abstract painting by Kjell Hansen

3 Poems by Alexandra Martinez

Red and pink abstract painting by Kjell Hansen

2 Poems by Nicole Steinberg

Geometric abstract illustrations, primarily black and white with thin lines in rainbow colors

“Tongue,” “2012” & “Chastened” by Kimaya Diggs

Geometric abstract illustrations, primarily black and white with thin lines in rainbow colors

“After the Water Turns Over” & “Thursday, 9 a.m.” by Abigail Swoboda

Geometric abstract illustrations, primarily black and white with thin lines in rainbow colors

3 Poems by Juhee Lee

Pink hands against pink and purple shapes in watercolor

“Life Dinner” & “Moon Poem” by Courtney Cook

Hooded figures in watercolor

3 Poems by Seth Jani

Face painted in blue watercolor with red splatter

“30” & “Bloated by Thoughts” by Sydney Gore

Colorful sketch of male torso, faces

2 Poems by Shira Sanghvi

Black ink sketch of nude woman's torso covered in red and yellow ink

3 Poems by Amy Saul-Zerby

Red lips and sketched faces on a city skyline

“Stay Cool” & “Tap B” by Amanda Dissinger

Illustration by Nia Chavez; a green hummingbird sipping a pink flower through a window.

3 Poems by Tucker Leighty-Phillips

Illustration by Nia Chavez; lips play a trumpet filled with flowers.

2 Poems by Demree McGhee

Illustration by Nia Chavez; outline of a person against the sun and cherry blossoms.

2 Poems by Laura Wang

Abstract painting by Sally Egbert

“Token” & “Liner Notes to the Soundtrack of My Ego Trip” by Adrian S. Potter

Abstract painting by Sally Egbert

“I Say Alanis Morissette Three Times in the Mirror” & “My Nonna Counts Rosary Beads in a Dream” by Erika Walsh

Abstract painting by Sally Egbert

“Chesapeake,” “Small Evening, Abroad” & “Normandy” by Tyler Barstow

Red chair covered in vines on purple background

3 Poems by Imani Christopher

Pink tampon emitting sparkles, held by green hand on lavender background

3 Poems by Sharada Tolton

Green jar containing floating dishes behind purple curtain

Adulting by Charlotte Seley

Lightly frowning flowers against a checkerboard pink and blue background

“sonnet in pill form” & “delicacy” by Stephanie Ginese

Backs of people standing in line wearing cloud, star, and a heart-printed colorful robes

Stick & Poke by Richard Chiem

A room with pink star wallpaper, grey posters, and a window looking out to some pink clouds

“The Future” & “Evolution is a Sort of Dementia” by Leanne Ruell

Text: "We're postponing this week's poems. Here's where the honorariums went instead. $50 went to Uncle Bobbie's Coffee & Books, one of Philly's great independent Black-owned bookstores. About their fundraiser: "donations will towards providing financial relief to our staff, paying our vendors, and paying our other bills.” Click through for an assortment of lists of other bookstores you might like to support now & always, including Uncle Bobbie’s.

Buy from Black-Owned Bookstores

We’re postponing this week’s poems. Here’s where the honorariums went instead. $50 went to Philadelphia Community Bail Fund. About: “The mission of the Philadelphia Community Bail Fund is to end cash bail in our city. Until that day, we post bail for our neighbors who cannot afford to pay.” Click through for an assortment of guides to local bail funds you might like to support now & always, including @phillybailout.

Donate to Bail Funds

We're postponing this week's poems. Here's where the honorariums went instead. $50 went to ProjectSAFE. About: "Mutual aid-based harm reduction for women, queer, and trans people involved in the street economies of Philly. Kensington based/sex worker focused." They're also currently providing medical support those injured at protests and/or after incarceration. Click through for an assortment of guides to local sex worker funds you might like to support now & always, including ProjectSAFE.

Support Sex Workers

Yellow square, blue spiral, and primary color flowers on a black background

Watching Porn by Nikki Wallschlaeger

Yellow pitcher in the sky pours onto swirl of primary colored flowers, against black background

2 Poems by Gion Davis

Red fish on black background with blue and yellow accents

The Fish by Jacqueline Linares

Abstract illustration of two rainbow semi-circles on a white background

Why We Can’t Have Nice Things by Joanna C. Valente

Abstract rainbow illustration with long intersecting shapes

“roadkill” & “salvation” by Emily Clarke

Abstract illustration of fan-like shapes in many shades of red, pink and yellow

You Are Shining Some Glory on Me by Innas Tsuroiya

Collage of previous weeks' illustrations

“notes app on night mode” and “wai t” by Lio Min

Collage of previous weeks' illustrations

“bit of skin” and “Lines from a Salesman” by Kathryn Hummel

Collage of previous weeks' illustrations

2 Poems by Angelo Maneage

panties in the sunshine

3 Poems by Laura Theobald

braided person against colorful flowers

In Search of a Lost Time that Never Existed by Iris McCloughan

two people facing the moonlight

2 Poems by Cleo Qian

pink flowers in the blue nighttime, yellow hand crossing its fingers

2 Poems by Cassandra de Alba

fluffy clouds and pink eyes

2 Poems by Anis Gisele

blue heart in pink flames on yellow background

“For Jerry” & “Both Lines Blue” by Matt Korvette

Hands with blue nail polish holding a red apple

No Second Seventh and Second by Jordan Davis

Painting toenails and spilled polish

2 Poems by Arti Gollapudi

Fence over grass and a blue sky

2 Poems by Alexus Erin

Textured red lines with hands and a flower emerging.

“Elegy for a Midwestern Punk Scene” & “a sonnet” by Isobel Bess

Red figures look out over a blue forest

5 Problems by Matthew Mahaney

Red figure seated on a white block.

“liposuction” & “shrink” by katixa espinoza

Gas station at dusk

3 Poems by Claudia Delfina Cardona

Funeral procession and bees

“One Jester” & “Vertigo” by Kevin Latimer

Detached head and pigeons in foggy pink space

“Judith Poem no. 4” & “protein” by Alanna McArdle

Disembodied mouth emitting a cloud with eyes.

Excerpt from My Baby First Birthday by Jenny Zhang

Floating patterned textiles

2 poems by Melissa Lozada-Oliva

Back of a person looking at many gleaming tablets

2 poems by Zach Blackwood