Memoria

I only ever saw Dad go to church for weddings and funerals, and I asked him once, “but why do you believe in all that?” The Sacrament by Aprill Allen My father died of a brain tumour at 69 years old in the January of 2016. He was admitted to hospice on a Thursday and died the Friday of the following week. Nobody really talks about the process of dying and what those who will go on living can expect to see. This is one moment from those 8 days. Aprill is a freelance management consultant...

Coming of Age by Anna Sublet Teenage years were interesting for me, as the only girl in a neighbourhood full of boys. But when the boys from the other side of the tracks crossed the line, I had a rude awakening to the threats existing beyond the home zone. 'Smile!' Anna Sublet is a curious reader and an undercover scribbler. She is slowly coming out from behind the fences. You can find Anna on her blog, Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram. Acknowledgements: Memoria is written,...

In that moment I knew I loved you. The bitter months that led up to that night were nonexistant. Wiped clean. A different kind of love overwhelmed me. To Wait by Zara Marimuthu We have this picture of what love should look like. We see “perfect couples” and want to embody their relationship. But for me, I had to relearn what that image was. It wasn’t prince charming. It was looking at my partner in his rawest form and still choosing to stand by him. Zara Marimuthu lives through words...

He tries to appear calm and explain to the doctor that she is dying. Why am I the one to do this, he wonders? Melting Moments by John Bartlett (part two) Melting Moments' is a reflection on remembering my mother from my childhood and then when she became older and dependent on my care for her like adult to child, all now 'melting moments'. This episode is part two of a two-part story. John Bartlett ‘s non-fiction has been published in The Age, The Canberra Times, The Australian, Good...

The kitchen is a warm comfortable womb on these afternoons. From the shelf the old brown Bakelite radio announces in its strident voice —'Portia faces life — for those who are in love and for all those who can remember.' He wonders if this Portia is like his mother? Melting Moments by John Bartlett (Part One) Melting Moments' is a reflection on remembering my mother from my childhood and then when she became older and dependent on my care for her like adult to child, all now 'melting...

What is it about lanes? What stories did you conjure up when your curious eye peered through the cracks of rusted corrugated back fences? What feet did you imagine trampled on bluestone surfaces? Lanes by Helena Spyrou Lanes is a remembrance of my teenage hood where I spent a lot of time walking through the lanes of Carlton in the early 1970s. I wrote the first draft of this piece in 1999 in a workshop with Arnold Zable that explored our relationships to cities. I was so pleased when it...

In the end, she only remembered that husband and son-in-law. Until the last days she’d score them with her wasp tongue. Wasp Tongues by Chaille Bos This story is in response to the death of my grandmother. It was my way of working through the reality that I never knew the real her and never had a chance to, and yet I found myself in a part of her nonetheless. - Chaille Bos. Chaille Bos has published microfiction, narrative nonfiction and pop culture articles. As well as writing her own...

The Rock Dove keeps to himself, head down, pecking aimlessly at refuse lining the pillars of the bridge. Rock Dove Under Ditmars by Zackary Lavoie This poem explores the seemingly ignored issue of abuse towards men in today's world. In this moment, a man (a Rock Dove) is verbally abused by his girlfriend (the Falcon) and leaves him to "die" in an apartment in Queens. This poem attempts to overlay the images of birds fighting and that of a struggling relationship. - Zachary...

Each time I entered the room I felt a shift in my body, as if accepting the uncomfortable things I was about to feel. As if knowing, that I was going to grow there. Acceptance, a short memoir by Tah Jimenez While I was writing this piece I felt a shift in my thinking as I walked into the mindset I used to have about mental health. I fit awkwardly in the skin of my younger self, the self that in this piece learns what it is to accept your emotions - Tah Jimenez. Tah Jimenez is a...

Memorial, a short memoir by Jo Penney My father passed 18 years ago, as I was divorcing and becoming the full-time carer of my two-year-old daughter. I've had panic disorder since I was six and it seemed money talked in our family. I had little to offer. My mother chose to put it all down the slots, two years later Dad got a headstone. - Jo Penney Jo Penney has been published in various zines and anthologies. She has a BA and MA from Deakin University in writing and literature. She is...

Memories, for me, range from Polaroid-like snapshots to short video clips in my head. I know, it's weird when you think about it. These scenes, short and long, remain buried in the fatty tissue of my brain until a sound, smell or photo reignites my memory of the event. The images dance around as I try to piece together the what I am actually remembering. Sometimes the image fades, and sometimes it hangs around, leaving behind feelings of longing, regret, and nostalgia. I was in my...

I cried because I knew that was what I was supposed to do, but not because I felt anything. When someone you know dies, the grief can affect you in a number of ways. For some, the pain and the loss is so overwhelming that you are unable to think or sleep or eat. The emotions carry them like a rollercoaster from shock through to anger, as they ride the highs and lows of grief. For others, the enormity of the situation can be too much, like the following story, Unlucky Thirteen, written...

Most of you at some point have had to overcome shyness. It can take many forms, like that awkwardness of meeting new friends, or when making a presentation in front of your class, knowing that all eyes are focused on you, watching you. Sometimes the sheer terror of putting yourself out there in front of a bunch of strangers can cripple you, leaving you with that feeling of humiliation as all your self-doubt gathers in the pit of your stomach, knowing that you must find a way to overcome...

There are numerous famous stories depicting sibling rivalry. The Biblical story of Cain and Abel, Ann and Mary Boleyn who fought over King Henry 8ths affections and of course the most famous Hollywood rivalry, Joan fontaine and Olivia de Havilland, with Joan famously saying, “She will be jealous if she dies before me”. And that, Joan did. It has been said that competition for a parent’s affection is steeped in competition for resources.Behaviourists have found that we share strong links...

"Black is a personal short story which attempts to capture my thoughts and feelings about depression. The story is a creative way to express my experience of depression and how it is all consuming and overrides rational thinking." – Jen Farrow. Black was written and produced by Jen Farrow. The story was performed by Jen Farrow and Amitoze Nandha. Acknowledgements: This episode was written and produced by Nat V. Black was written and produced by Jen Farrow with performances by Jen Farrow...

Once upon a time, my memories were stolen forever... When I scroll through photos on my iPhone, it helps me remember the little moments that pass a day, like a photo of my favourite meal, or a photo of a sign to help me remember an event. Plus all those big moments, like my trip to Malta, my mother's birthday, or, when a friend visited from Paris. The other day I found a silly selfie of my face, taken in the midst of the flu with my nose, bright and red and my eyes watering. Do you use...

Introduction episode to Memoria, a new fortnightly podcast featuring micro stories about the moments that shaped us and how our memories change over time. In this episode, we are calling for 400-word submissions from writers who wish to have their work adapted into an audio play. Check out our website for more details. Hosted by Nat V. Music in this episode, "Felt Lining" by Blue Dot Sessions.