Restivity
Nathan Stewart
Rest is an aftermath. It’s a scholarship in eyestrain – the release of hungry headaches and the craft of high-strung gains. But also, a propensity – to think in broken bits, listen to open windows and the sympathy of crickets and cooling units. Perhaps, it’s the possibility of hope. The hard-won clarity from Finals – a space to slouch and daredreams – the rising notes on the striped reed of your throat. We should know. It’s a phone’s vegetative glow – the glorious couch potatoes. The restive pursuit of inactivity.
Parirou Djafari is a hard-of-hearing, talented visual artist. She appreciates her parents, who have been her primary motivation for becoming interested in art. She doesn’t remember why she became interested in painting or drawing self-portraits, but through them, she can show her identity, ability, and empowerment. According to Parirou, “There are only two styles of my self-portrait paintings: the serious and the smirk.”
Nathan Stewart is an aspiring English Teacher and previous student at Phoenix College. He’s always loved creative works because they escape the conventional practices of education. As a student, he relishes the spaces where he can explore and express what’s on his heart and mind. Nathan’s poetry is an extension of his journals, which have helped him through rough times. He hopes to bring some personality and color to teaching English.
RISE 