Repercussions

Echoes. Consequences. Recoil. The relevance of repercussion in our current moment, both as a literary project and as a global society, is a difficult reality to confront. Political action and decision continue to have unintended and unforeseen effects, driving wedges between political parties and people. New technologies, specifically AI, force us to question what it means to make art and what the role of humans is in a world where technology replaces human labor. The recoil from that impact feels like a ticking time bomb, as environmental and societal impacts cannot even be imagined. Meanwhile, amazing creatives produce works that touch the soul, echoing the amazing works of literature, art, and culture that alter human thought and worldview.

This issue came together with these heavy questions, and the pieces come together under the concept of echo, consequence, and recoil. Eoghan Smith’s A Provincial Death explores the upsetting of a writer’s world. Smyth clings to a rock in the middle of the sea, and as he reflects on his past, the reality of his new world surrounding him continues to press upon him as he attempts to survive. “Sparrows” and “Between the Tide and Sky” are two original short stories by Plamen Vasilev. Whether feeding birds or interacting with guards, “Sparrows” reveals that action has repercussions. Love and passion echo in “Between the Tide and Sky” as an artist and café owner spark up a relationship in a small, coastal town.

Timo Teräsahjo’s “Number Out of Service” mixes past and present as Eeri faces aging alone, reflecting on her estranged son. The story reveals how life evolves with or without us, leaving some in the past and others to progress depending on their own decisions. It’s the End of the World, My Love by Alla Gorbunova, translated from the Russian by Elina Alter, presents a fragile, haunted world in which characters grow, decline, and develop their character. This episodic novel reveals the connections between reality and the fiction that accompanies our lives. 

The poetry collection Vanishing Points by Lucija Stupica, translated from the Slovene by Andrej Peric, explores the fragmented nature of life in its realness. Themes ranging from loss to mystery to love, Stupica creates a dialogue between her poetry and the world. Finally, poems by Jovana Simic Roussou in the original Serbian and her English self-translation finish the issue. Roussou’s work places the poetic “I” in direct conversation with nature, showing how each connects and impacts the other. The issue ends with poetry from musician and poet Till Lindemann‘s collection Messer, translated from the German by Teodora Gandeva. These poems dive into life, how people are perceived, and how that perception impacts their daily experiences. 

The final repercussion of this issue comes at the level of Trafika Europe. As many know, we pride ourselves on creating a literary community, growing relations, and supporting those who share a similar goal. It is with heavy hearts that veteran editor Joseph Williams and I, Clayton McKee, put this last issue of the project together (for now). As outside influences continue to negatively impact culture and personal factors push us towards non-volunteer work, we find ourselves unable to continue in a way that this project deserves. We hope that this is not a farewell, but a goodbye for now. In case the former is the case, we can only express our deep gratitude for all of those who have worked with Trafika Europe.

The project will continue to be available for free, online, for as long as we are able to personally fund the domain and website hosting. So please continue to share our audio interviews and the works published in our journal. There will be some time for everything to be placed online in a format that eliminates some of our subscriptions; however, rest assured that any content is not lost or forgotten about. Please email trafikaeurope@gmail.com if there are any questions about a piece or an interview. 

Thanks for sharing some of the best new literature from Europe with us over the last eleven years.