Volume 104, Number 1 - Spring 2026
Editor's Note:
Dear readers,
The 2026 edition of The Alembic is the 105th in our history. This year’s issue is not only the culmination of over a century of literary tradition, but it also represents a year’s worth of contributions from the very best creative minds from Providence College and beyond. Our editorial team has spent the last eight months carefully curating the moving poetry, captivating short stories, beautiful artwork, and striking photography that make up our latest edition.
We would like to thank everyone who had a role in crafting The Alembic this year, especially the editorial staff, Emily Pittinos, Ana Ramon-Foote, the Department of English, Megan Lessard, Caroline Cooper, the Student Success Center, and all of the contributors who poured their talent into this edition. This journal would not be possible without your support and enthusiasm.
We hope you enjoy reading the 2026 edition of The Alembic as much as we enjoyed putting it together!
Maddie Aylward and Andrew Hilton
Editors-in-Chief
Full Issue
Volume 104, Number 1 - Spring 2026
The Alembic
Volume 104, Number 1 - Spring 2026 - Audio
The Alembic
Cover
Alembic Cover 2026
Hale Mueller
Editor's Notes
Editor's Note
The Alembic
Audio Production Manager's Note - Audio
The Alembic and Sara A. MacKinnon
Table Of Contents
Table of Contents
The Alembic
Poetry
College - Audio
Jacqueline Lombardo and Caroline A. Thoma
It used to be I would write in echoes
Haley Metzger
It Used to Be I Would Write in Echoes - Audio
Haley Metzger and Sara A. MacKinnon
Wednesday Night Baptism
Haley Metzger
Wednesday Night Baptism - Audio
Haley Metzger and Sara A. MacKinnon
Dare to Dream
Amelia C. Westfall
Dare to Dream - Audio
Amelia C. Westfall
December Songbird
Hanna Boudreau
December Songbirds - Audio
Hanna Boudreau
Crow Chorus
Hanna Boudreau
Crow Chorus - Audio
Hanna Boudreau
For Jay- - Audio
Sophia Caneira
The City (after Mary Oliver’s “The Loon”)
Alyssa Caneira
The City (after Mary Oliver’s “The Loon”) - Audio
Alyssa Caneira and Sara A. MacKinnon
Ollie and I - Audio
Olivia R. Barbarini
”Song of our Summer”
Ella Bloom
"Song of Our Summer" - Audio
Ella Bloom
An Easement
Dave Harrity
An Easement - Audio
Dave Harrity and Sara A. MacKinnon
The Bees Are Disappearing
Matthew J. Spireng
The Bees Are Disappearing - Audio
Matthew J. Spireng and Mariama H. Bandabaila
Running over a Squirrel on the Drive to Breakfast
Matthew J. Spireng
Running over a Squirrel on the Drive to Breakfast - Audio
Matthew J. Spireng and Claire I. Cunningham
Too Suddenly
David Sapp
Too Suddenly - Audio
David Sapp and Sara A. MacKinnon
Two Sons - Audio
David Sapp and Sara A. MacKinnon
Serengeti - Audio
David Sapp and Sara A. MacKinnon
Petal Fall
Jennifer M. Phillips
Petal Fall - Audio
Jennifer M. Phillips and Maximilian P. Nigro
An Aurochs Gores a Horse
j. novalis wolfe
An Auroch Gores a Horse - Audio
j. novalis wolfe and Sarah V. Debian
Submission
Robert L. Penick
Submission - Audio
Robert L. Penick and Sarah V. Debian
Blind - Audio
Robert L. Penick and Sarah V. Debian
One for Cliff Wieck
Robert L. Penick
One for Cliff Wieck - Audio
Robert L. Penick and Sarah V. Debian
Perfect Pair
Michael Manerowski
Perfect Pair - Audio
Michael Manerowski and Kate E. Blackwell
Sometimes That’s Not the Case
Michael Manerowski
Sometimes That's Not the Case - Audio
Michael Manerowski and Andrew J. Auclair
Lover’s Fragment
Michael Manerowski
Lover's Fragment - Audio
Michael Manerowski and Andrew J. Auclair
The Night They Called Day
Mitra Beikzadeh
The Night They Called Day - Audio
Mitra Beikzadeh and Sara A. MacKinnon
Séance in North Burial Ground
Adrian Oteiza
Seance in North Burial Ground - Audio
Adrian Oteiza and Maximilian P. Nigro
Wrung - Audio
Willard Ramsey and Claire I. Cunningham
Competition
Richard Dinges Jr.
Competition - Audio
Richard Dinges Jr. and Claire I. Cunningham
Reveal - Audio
Richard Dinges Jr. and Claire I. Cunningham
Spring - Audio
Richard Dinges Jr. and Claire I. Cunningham
Compassion Fatigue
Wortley Clutterback
Compassion Fatigue - Audio
Wortley Clutterback and Grace C. Russo
Accommodations
Wortley Clutterback
Accommodations - Audio
Wortley Clutterback and Grace C. Russo
This Plastic
Pulkita Anand
This Plastic - Audio
Pulkita Anand and Sara A. MacKinnon
Ashes - Audio
CL Bledsoe and Claire I. Cunningham
The Old Question
CL Bledsoe
The Old Question - Audio
CL Bledsoe and Maximilian P. Nigro
For Steve Z
Hannah Dean
For Steve Z - Audio
Hannah Dean and Natalie M. Votto
49 - Audio
Hannah Dean and Natalie M. Votto
Visual Art
Lonley Soar
Elizabeth E. Keenan
Reflecting
Elizabeth E. Keenan
November II
Hale Mueller
November III
Hale Mueller
Notorious B.I.G.
Mario Loprete
Tupac Sukur
Mario Loprete
Fiction
The Snake - Audio
Jacqueline Lombardo and Sara A. MacKinnon
Stopped In
George Thompson
Stopped In - Audio
George Thompson and Sara A. MacKinnon
The Truth - Audio
Owen R. Kruger
Turbulence
Sophia Caneira
Turbulence - Audio
Sophia Caneira
Watchers of the Sun
Alyssa Caneira
Watchers of the Sun - Audio
Alyssa Caneira and Sara A. MacKinnon
For the Sins of the Father
Mary Kate Seiberlich
For The Sins of the Father - Audio
Mary Kate Seiberlich
Cherry - Audio
Mitra Beikzadeh and Amelia P. Brown-Oliva
Non-Fiction
Am I Dreaming?
Owen Comiskey
Am I Dreaming? - Audio
Owen Comiskey and Sara A. MacKinnon
Contributors' Notes
Contributors’ Notes
The Alembic
Meet the Editors
Meet the Editors
The Alembic
