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June 2022

Runner-up "Alexandria" by Sarah Al Adayleh In his sleep, his fingers move in twisted circles, dancing a silent, drug-infused choreography. Eyes shut, his body lies slumped back in the pale green armchair. The liquid in his lungs makes it hard for him to lie down without drowning, so he sleeps in his chair while I sit on his hospital bed. At times, he speaks out loud in sudden bursts, speaking confidingly as if to an old friend. Not to me. He mutters about his knee surgery, conspiracy theories, and loneliness. Then he falls back into silence in the armchair.  From his bed across the

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Runner-up "Kuwait City" by Sarah Al Adayleh Saud timed his runs to avoid people. But even in the dark hours before morning he sensed idle eyes tracking him across the neighborhood and imagined whispers of 'ayb. 'Ayb for being outside amongst the laborers. 'Ayb for straining his sweating body past the climate controlled neighborhood walking paths. He had tried navigating past mall-walking mamas and babas who made their laps around vacant luxury brand shops and the occasional SADU CO sportswear boutique dotting the retail desert. The rush of sweaty air Saud left in his wake clashed with their clouds of 'oud. They wrinkled

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1st Place "Sharjah" by Sarah Al Adayleh I was ten when I first learned how lonely it is to be a woman.  The sun was low on the green Sharjah hilltop, where my aunts Masi and Kaki, two female cousins, and I were picking marigolds. For every yellow marigold, an orange one - to have even-looking garlands for the pooja tomorrow.  The marigolds were planted in the shape of "SMILE, YOU'RE IN SHARJAH." We didn't want to knock off any letters, so I had to be methodical. It was a cool day that smelled like wet grass. People walked out of the fruit and

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