Letter from the Editor


Alchemy is pleased to bring you Issue Twowe have been very excited about it because we were able to feature such a unique variety of content, from homophonic translation to book reviews and work translated from Russian, Japanese, Serbian and more:

Jenna Jauregui brings us “Fishtory,” a homophonic translation of her own short fiction. With this translation’s energetic pace and seemingly non-sensical phrasing, it makes English feel different and new.

Mariya Lipmanovich has translated a short piece from the well-known Russian writer, Anton Chekov. “A Little Prank” could have been merely a sweet little story——but much is left unsaid and unsolved, making it a richer, more intriguing story.

Asheli Mosley introduces us to the work of Kajii Motojiro, a Japanese writer, through his story, “Caress.” Motojiro’s piece about cats, particularly their ears, makes us see the ordinary and the familiar through a lens of the strange and unfamiliar.

Julio Enriquez translates from the Spanish, a work of UCSD Literature professor Cristina Rivera-Garza. The story, “La Cresta de Ilion,” is illuminated with rich imagery and symbolism through a mysterious encounter with a stranger who enters the narrator’s home.

Katya Jordon has translated “Man With Man,” a piece from Russian writer Alexander Grin. This story she brings us is filled with questions of suffering, solitude and the nature of human relationships.

Chloe Park brings us the work of Korean writer Shin Hae-Wook——and with this poem, “Hands,” a world of tiny and tender details, of gloves and palm lines.

Katherine Klaric’s contribution, “Bone to Bone,” is a series of poems from the Serbian, by Vasko Popa. Popa’s work is written simply but often asks us to consider the body in writing—“muscle of darkness, muscle of flesh.”

Courtenay Selden translates a poem from the French poet, L.G Damas. “Hiccup” plays with sound in interesting ways by drawing on the hiccup, on music and breaking down syllables.

Mia You is back with a poem entitled, “Snail,” by Korean poet Chung Ho-seung. “Snail” puts its readers in the perspective of the tiny, overlooked creature and reminds us to be more careful where we step.

Last but not least, our artist, Eleanor Bennett has provided us with the cover art for Issue Two——she is a sixteen-year old, internationally award-winning photographer.

Once again, I am thrilled to bring you another issue of Alchemy. The editorial team has worked hard this year to launch this venue for talented student translator’s and we are very proud of the work of our contributors. I have been fortunate enough to work with an amazing, hard-working staff and since I will be passing on the editorial torch, I cannot wait to see what great content Alchemy brings next year.

 Allie Moreno, Editor-in-Chief