Cynthia Bale
Scheherazade
Decades ago on my morning commute, deep in untreated PTSD, I had an overwhelming urge to floor the gas pedal, miss the curve in Phillips Lane, and slam into the concrete side of the Watterson Expressway. But I liked the song that was playing on my mix tape and I wanted to hear the end of it.
the hope
that someone else will wait
for a better end
extending storylines
as a lifesaving act
About the Author
Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, Cynthia Bale now crafts and parents on Treaty 6 territory in Edmonton, Alberta. They are a 2025-2026 confluence fellow whose work has also appeared in haikuKATHA, Eucalypt, Chrysanthemum, bottle rockets, and other publications.