Red Corner: a poetry anthology

Red painted ink on the walls

Sad now it's tainted pink

The bathroom sink

And she falls

What strings

Do I have to play

Without you?

Cleaning the earwax

The way, the blockage

From my brain

Where all is sound

I bind, and buckle down

I could stay

Where my body is warm

Maybe one day you will realize

That I am a prize.

Maybe one day I will accept

That

My prize must be won.

Red Corner is not merely a poetry book. It is a story about the human condition: the inexplicable moments that are held in beauty, the everlasting treacherous nights, the alluring uncertainty, vastly convoluted experiences and the unique nature of individuals, inherently, making us one and the same.

Written and illustrated by Dawn Web, photographed by Angelina Wrona and published by Vivid Illusion Creative Studios Inc. Red Corner is part one of the collection Primary Series and showcases their poem "Flashbacks" which is also featured in Fathom Editorial (Creative Writing Journal). Dawn's raw and vulnerable tone explores themes of identity, queer and political issues, love, growth, perseverance, and navigating intergenerational trauma aftermath to crack open the cycle. They strive to bring individuals closer to themselves and others through art.

Dawn is a multi-media artist, award-winning dancer, feature-musician in Wool Sweater, and queer neurodivergent advocate for mental health as well as marginalized individuals and communities. They find comfort in multiple mediums such as playing music, writing, painting, and dancing. These are devices that Dawn pulls out of their toolbox to explore and express themself. In university, they registered for a creative writing class and what began as journalling was transformed into poetry, prose, songs, and stories. They believe that with the right tools we can spark change through creation and leadership.

Dawn Web was born and raised in a small town in Ottawa, Ontario, and comes from a mixed-race family of six. They moved to Halifax, NS for university, where they completed a Bachelor of Science with a Specialization in Neuroscience and Psychology. This led them to pursue a career as a First Responder, Child and Youth Counsellor, Research Assistant, and even a Personal Support Caretaker.

Dawn is the Creative Director for Vivid Illusion Creative Studios Inc., a musician, visual artist, dancer, and an educator. DW completed de-escalation training as well as Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL), specializing in 1-to-1 and Online Teaching. They completed various training with creative writing, music theory/training, dance and visual art drop-ins and art-therapy.