Essay
The Candy Dish
How do we keep our candy dishes full at Halloween time or really anytime? My favorite candy to keep it full is usually gum drops or fruit slices and maybe even at times those fun size candy bars or some say miniatures. I know that is not too popular with the trick or treaters who look for the houses that offer those full-size bars, but I think it is better than offering a sack full of coupons and boxes of raisins that I used to receive the last few years that I went trick or treating while growing back then.
By Mark Graham4 months ago in Critique
12/12
What if noon was midnight and midnight was noon? Would we be eating lunch in the dark and sleeping during the day? Will the birds still sing at night as they do during the day? Day into night or will be night into day. One must think what if? Actually, some do this out of choice or necessity. So, what is time really all about. Is it really about keeping a schedule or just a way to keep us somewhat organized about our lives? A plan as such to keep us steady as we go about living our daily lives.
By Mark Graham4 months ago in Critique
A Foster child's room
When entering an empty room one pictures who will fill it up with all of what belongs to them. If one pictures a foster child who has come to stay for however long that may be needed. What do you suppose will be needed? Now picture a bed, dresser, desk and maybe a bookcase with a few books. The foster child walks in and says maybe "This room all for me?" They put down their backpack and unpack their belongings just wondering what to do with so much space for so little and pulls out a teddy bear and hugs.
By Mark Graham4 months ago in Critique
Saints. Content Warning.
Baptized into the Catholic Church & named after Paul the Apostle, my parents were hellbent on naming my brother and I after the Apostles, yet my sisters seemed to get the sloppy seconds as far as the grab bag of biblical names go. Eve, Mary, and Delilah didn’t seem like a good fit for them. Maybe they were the lucky ones. Maybe that paved the way for them to be heathens, non-believers, or maybe they were just typical Catholic school girls who cut up before, during, and after school.
By Paul R. Pace4 months ago in Critique
Commenting
I know I have mentioned this before in various formats, but I liked it when there was a most supportive commentor on the leaderboard. I know and agree with why it is no longer around, but for me that was a way of really thinking out an appropriate comment for all the stories, articles and poems that I read, and getting paid for them in a way was great for it gave me a way to use my teaching skills in a way. At times now I wish Vocal could bring back that category, and they could stipulate new rules.
By Mark Graham4 months ago in Critique
Religion and Immorality. Content Warning.
Warning: This piece is a personal reflection, not an attack on anyone’s faith. I write not as someone outside of faith, but as someone within it. I believe that while religion gives meaning to life, it also leaves room for doubt.
By Yasmine Lagras4 months ago in Critique
6000
I was noticing on my Stats page that I am approaching 6000 reads. To me that is an incredible feat for I really did not expect really anybody to read by work let alone comment on them. Since I have been writing here on Vocal for the last four years, I have received TS a few times, but not in the last few months though. Vocal has had its ups and down and yes, I am human and do not use AI to do my work for me. To me writing is a way to make me feel good myself.
By Mark Graham4 months ago in Critique
Returning to Vocal and Writing
Wow. It's been a wild ride the past five years. From telemarketing in 2021, to a failed craft business in 2022, to Vanlifing in 2023, to wasting tons of money in 2024, to hiding in my four walls in 2025. Bizarre, absolutely bizarre. I have horror stories and comical stories. I have romantic stories and tragic stories. But most of all, I have my own emotional journey story and that begins with coming back to the world wide web to continue my writing career. And that begins with the two websites that have prompted me to call myself a professional writer: Vocal.media and allpoetry.com.
By Shanon Angermeyer Norman4 months ago in Critique
Another Door
Where do you think these doors lead? These doors for me is an entrance to a Mexican restaurant where one can get the best guacamole and salsa that is not too hot and spicy but just right, but not mild either. It also has the best fried ice cream I ever tasted. The only thing that I still think is the most embarrassing thing is that on any person's birthday if arranged the staff would come and sing to them. I have no idea why anyone would do that to a family member even though it was our of love.
By Mark Graham4 months ago in Critique
If Great Dead Writers Were on Facebook - 5
When we think of great dead writers, we cannot of course leave out the great classical poets. I am not a poet myself and always struggle with writing poetry even in free verse. Well, I did get the haiku down, and there's a lot of various haiku on my profile here. Sometimes, I also get washed over by true inspiration or grief to churn out something reminiscent of poetry and even rhymed. But again, I am not a poet.
By Lana V Lynx4 months ago in Critique
8 Mile: The Sorrow of a Raunchy Dream and a Daily Battle
This 2002 film is not just a foray into the realm of rap ut a reflection of a man's battle within himself with his own personal demons. It is a raw and unflinching story that lingers long after the end credits.
By Baptiste Monnet4 months ago in Critique
