This Wilkes County-based writer compares the twinkle of fireflies to dancers and her childhood self to the hunter against a twilight sky.
by Cassandra May Howell | painting by Justin Leitner

Cassandra May Howell lives in Wilkes County, where she works as a tutor and teacher. She lives with her sister, soon to be brother-in-law and three dogs. Howell’s poem is based on the yard where she grew up and the fireflies she loved to catch there.

Justin Leitner is originally from Raleigh, North Carolina.  He received his BFA in Studio Art from Appalachian State University.  His work has been exhibited at wide range of art festivals and various art galleries like Visual Arts Exchange, Sertoma Arts Center, Artwalk and the Nth Degree Gallery.  

This article originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of WALTER magazine.