Letter from the Editor

Readers,

I’d hoped that by now, on the release of this second issue of Humana Obscura, the world would be in a different, better state. In some ways it is, in others it isn’t.

This year has tested so many of us in myriad ways. How has this time in history changed you or your creativity? What gave you purpose?

I was overwhelmed with the kind words from contributors and readers alike about the inaugural issue. This kind of feedback on a brand new endeavor and in such a tumultuous time has fueled an even greater sense of purpose for this magazine—and for myself.

I am humbled by the amount of talent within this issue, and am grateful and feel privileged that each contributor has trusted us with their work. We truly value the work of writers and artists and the connectedness within the creative community. As a creator myself, I know all too well the significance of support among peers and other fellow artists. This is why I’ve made my mission at Humana Obscura to lift artists up, offer a level of recognition I feel is rare from other publications, and create an inclusive and supportive community.

Now, more than ever, we need connection, community, and escape. It is my hope that you find all that and more here in these pages—in the poetry, the well-crafted prose, the beautiful artwork, and with the creators themselves.

We truly value the work of writers and artists and the connectedness within the creative community.

This latest issue is packed full of talent from across the globe, featuring work from 96 different contributors—40 artists and 58 writers, with several overlaps.

Pour some wine or brew some tea, curl up in your favorite chair, and escape with us into this second issue.

Be well,

Bri Bruce

BRI BRUCE (writing under the name B. L. Bruce) is an award-winning poet and Pushcart Prize nominee who was once deemed the “heiress of Mary Oliver” by a fellow nature poet. With a bachelor’s degree in literature and creative writing from the University of California at Santa Cruz, her work has appeared in dozens of anthologies, magazines, and literary publications, including The Wayfarer Journal, Canary, The Remnant Archive, Northwind Magazine, The Soundings Review, The Monterey Poetry Review, and the American Haiku Society’s Frogpond Journal, among many others. Bruce is the recipient of the Ina Coolbrith Memorial Poetry Prize and the PushPen Press Pendant Prize for Poetry, as well as the author of four books: The Weight of Snow, 28 Days of Solitude, The Starling’s Song, and Measures. In addition to her writing pursuits, Bruce is a painter and photographer, with work that has been featured in The Sun Magazine, Near Window, and others. Follow her on Twitter @the_poesis and on Instagram @thepoesis.