By Claire Kortyna

February is over and theoretically spring is right around the corner. March will roar it’s lion howl, then pad softly away on lamb’s feet. It’s a transitional time. We are caught in between. Today’s web rove showcases that period of uncertainty, with narratives of change, hope, and resignation.

“The Firebird” by Saikat Majumdar (from The Kenyon Review)

“But he was just a baby then, they would tell him later, a baby who hadn’t started at the clash of steel. He hadn’t cried. As if he were really asleep! They had been stunned. But the brave sleep had led to nothing.” In this excerpt the character Ori, examines life and death on stage through his mother and his intense desire to act himself. Firebird Majumdar’s upcoming novel will be published May 2015 by Hachette India.

“Stardust” by Colette Tennant (from The Rattle)

In her poem Tennant succinctly and powerfully examines the interplay between scientific terminology and human existence. Somewhat ironically she describes the various objects that comprise the human life while simultaneously proving we are more than our compositions.

“Night Watch” by Jeffrey Hammond (from The Gettysburg Review)

“Even a night person will concede that a really dark night, if one can be found, rehearses our future absence. But such a person might counter this gloom with a question: when has so disturbing a lesson ever been conveyed so peacefully and with such beauty?”

Hammond examines the night and how it is perceived through the years and through literature, bringing a contemplative silver lining to our darkest hours.