Angelina Cheng

This page provides a brief description of each work in this special issue. To go to a work directly, click the bolded titles. Ava, “Ave the Runner” A spirited poem about running and birthmarks. Celina Leroy, “Reflections of Beauty” A beautifully descriptive poem about why the author loves making portraits of port wine stains. Sarah Woodhouse, “I Am Not My Birthmark” Also in the author’s collection titled Shine Bright My Superstar, the poem is about the many other strong qualities they want...

Welcome to our second special issue, fourth issue overall: Vascular Birthmark Awareness. Every year, 1 in 10 (10%) children born in the United States are born with a vascular birthmark. However, the exact rarity of these birthmarks depends on the specific type. There are three major types of vascular birthmarks (hemangiomas, port-wine stains, and salmon patches), and they’re caused by improperly formed blood vessels. Due to the rarity of vascular birthmarks -- particularly those on the upper...

I used to be a strawberry. Where crimson red Blends with peach And creates port wine stains Across my blemished face But, I didn’t want to be a strawberry So I turned into a cherry Where dark red lips And rosy cheeks And mounds of glitter gold Conceal my crimson skin Until shame blends with lust And yearning becomes desire When beauty is in the eye of the beholder Of the rose colored glasses And who knew you’d lose your shape When you pluck out the strawberry seeds To turn into a delicious...