RAT RACE
Devon Webb
It's a fucking rat race in Auckland City.
get ahead
make a break for it
and run,
run like you're scared of
getting left behind
try and press rewind
but all those years have
left you now
what were you chasing?
the dreams of another generation?
a higher education?
educate yourself.
with that first breath of
fresh air
when you step outside in the morning
learn the lessons
of your own tongue
as it tastes the entire world
do not apologise
for not knowing something
but instead
thank yourself for your ability
to learn
and to grow
and to go
even if you go in circles
just make sure you go
in the direction that you
choose
Devon Webb (she/her) is a writer & editor based in Aotearoa New Zealand. Her award-winning work has been published extensively worldwide & revolves around themes of femininity, vulnerability, anti-capitalism & neurodivergence. She is a staff writer for Erato Magazine & Pulp Lit Mag, an editor for Prismatica Press, & a founding member of The Circus (@circuslit), a collective prioritising radical inclusivity within the indie lit scene. She can be found on social media at @devonwebbnz.