Well hello there.

We hope your summer has been enjoyable and fruitful, and that your creative spirit is ready to attract new energy as the seasons change.

On September 22, we will witness the delicate balance between night and day firsthand, at the Autumnal Equinox. The equinoxes (from the Latin aequi equal, and nox night) always remind me that we all have certain parts of ourselves, of our lives, that we keep in the light for others to see, and other parts we keep in the dark, private. This is not to associate the light with good things and the dark with evil, but rather the two parts of the same self. The desire to express the balance of light and dark is palpable in literature, painting, and photography. We love to read about how the events unfolding in the lives of characters (the light, the visible) affect their inner state (the dark, the private). We love watching them struggle through turmoil and find inner poise. Visually, the play of shadow and light is as beautifully reflected in chiaroscuro paintings of the Renaissance as it is in the lenses and filters of cameras.

Here, at Bracken, we're growing our next issue, which will be born this Fall. We've got some beautiful pieces to share with you all in poetry, fiction, and art, but we're always looking for more good work.

This fall, enjoy the colorful leaves, the waning rays of the sun, and the quicker onset of night. Go in. And if you want some inspiration, browse our past issues where you can find gems like Sara Backer’s “I Asked the Alchemist” or Claire Hermann’s “Runaway.”

Until next time, Happy Autumn!

Bridget Nee