leonardo chung
editor-in-chief
Leonardo Chung is a senior at Phillips Exeter Academy. He recently won 1st place in the 93rd Annual Writer’s Digest Writing Competition and is a finalist for the 2024 Witness Literary Awards. His work has been published or is forthcoming in Epiphany, The Portland Review, The Atlanta Review, Sweet Lit, and many other journals. He has participated or enrolled in several writing programs such as the Iowa Young Writers' Studio, Sewanee Young Writers' Conference, Kenyon Young Writers Workshop, and Juniper Institute for Young Writers. He takes inspiration from distinguished poets such as Langston Hughes, Naomi Shihab Nye, and Louise Glück.
elena prisament
lead editor
Elena Prisament is a rising freshman at MIT from New York with a passion for poetry and all things with words. She is a Sewanee Young Writers' Conference alumna and is active in leading her community's various literary & writing programs. She has been honored as a Regeneron Science Talent Search Scholar for her research and scientific writing. Her efforts in the field of linguistics research were recognized at the International Science and Engineering Fair and the National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium. Elena is deeply moved by the beautiful pieces Clepsydra continuously receives.
meet our reviewers
Veronica Marshall received her Master's in Fine Arts from Otis College of Art and Design in 2021. Marshall is the Art Editor of Flare Journal and also a reader for Ariel Publishing, LLC. She lives in Los Angeles, California.
veronica marshall
alex phuong
Alex Andy Phuong (He/Him) earned his Bachelor of Arts in English from California State University, Los Angeles. Emma Stone inspired Alex to write passionately after watching her Oscar-winning performance in La La Land. He now writes hoping to inspire the ones who dream. Blog:
gabrielle palmer
Gabrielle Palmer is a bartender and (occasional) writer living on the Oregon coast. She eavesdrops for a living and goes home to weave pilfered yarns to her partner, a teeming mass of interested publishers, and a menagerie of grumpy rescue critters. She’s probably listened to you.
sampoorna
thammadi
Sampoorna Thammadi is an engineering graduate with a Masters degree in Electronics and Communications Engineering. She is about to publish her poems in an anthology with Poets' Choice. She is, at the moment, self-employed as a micro-associate which includes providing data for training AI systems. She also gives private tutoring and volunteers at the local church as a Sunday school teacher and a Youth group worship leader.
gabrielle maryland
Gabrielle Maryland is a writer currently based in Asheville, N.C. Gabrielle dabbles in creative, experimental, and hybrid works of fiction and nonfiction. In 2018, she self-published to great success a series of chapbooks. She has also had the honor of being published in the Journal of Expressive Writing in 2021 and the Asheville Citizen Times in 2022. Currently, if she's not reading or editing the work of talented writers, she's enjoying her free time with her family.
yao liu
Yao Liu (She/Her) publishes poetry and fiction on her personal blogging page. As of now, she has published 66 poems, six flash fiction pieces, and one three-part short fiction series on her blog. She lives in San Diego, CA. When not writing or reading, she enjoys cooking, traveling, running, and spending time with loved ones. Blog: https://medium.com/@yaopliu Personal Website: https://yaoliuwrites.weebly.com/
kirsten liang
Kirsten Liang is a writer and FINNEAS fan. Her work has placed on an international level in the 2022 Writing Contest hosted by Wintermute Lit and on a national level at the Scholastic Writing Awards. She’s trying to be an optimist.
seth swenson
Seth Swenson is a recent graduate of the University of Minnesota's English Literature and Creative Writing departments. Seth lives and works in Minneapolis, MN, where he moved to from Wisconsin. When he isn't writing, he enjoys reading and watching movies, rock climbing, spending time outdoors, and going out with friends.
richard stimac
Richard Stimac has a full-length book of poetry, Bricolage (Spartan Press), and a forth-coming poetry chapbook, Of Water and of Stone (Moonstone). His works have appeared in Burningword, Clackamas, The Examined Life Journal, Drunk Monkeys, Hive Avenue Literary Journal, The Midwest Quarterly, and more. A screenplay of his is in pre-production. He is a poetry reader for Ariel Publishing.
danielle mcmahon
Danielle McMahon is a mom of two and occasional poet. She graduated from the writing program at University of Pittsburgh with a BA in 2006 with a concentration in poetry. Her poems have appeared in Rogue Agent, Storm Cellar, The F-Word, Tales from PA, and others. She lives in Pennsylvania with her family.
claire stemen
Claire lives, works, and writes in Seoul, South Korea. She is interested in the space in between things. One of her stories has been published in The Grief Diaries, and two of her poems were published in Miami University's literary magazine Inklings.