Essay

It’s not all for naught, it will add up to something. You have to believe it. I’ve to believe it. I do! Incredulous as it makes me, I really do.

Jun 14 • Shannon Ratliff

The Search for Wonka

Inspired by John McPhee's The Search for Marvin Gardens.

May 17 • Shannon Ratliff

This place where the skyscrapers grow scales, born from borrowed light bouncing off the tall, spindly walls.

May 4 • Shannon Ratliff

It was April and it was always about to be something else.

Apr 16 • Shannon Ratliff

You are here to generate joy like an engine.

Feb 20 • Shannon Ratliff

Scan is to skim or examine closely.

Feb 4 • Shannon Ratliff

We used to think life could be coaxed if you assembled the right materials and watched closely enough.

Jan 29 • Shannon Ratliff

The Creature of the Face

The world embeds its signals, no matter the species.

Dec 10, 2025 • Shannon Ratliff

The serpent doesn’t circle you. It circles all of it.

Dec 3, 2025 • Shannon Ratliff

It felt good to be dizzy with purpose...

Oct 29, 2025 • Shannon Ratliff

Teeth sharpen in the dank, split open the bone.

Oct 22, 2025 • Shannon Ratliff

The Fiction of Light

The rooster’s body requires the fiction of light.

Sep 24, 2025 • Shannon Ratliff

#nojs-banner { position: fixed; bottom: 0; left: 0; padding: 16px 16px 16px 32px; width: 100%; box-sizing: border-box; background: red; color: white; font-family: -apple-system, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol"; font-size: 13px; line-height: 13px; } #nojs-banner a { color: inherit; text-decoration: underline; } This site requires JavaScript to run correctly. Please turn on JavaScript or unblock scripts