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Artist’s Note: In a society that wants everyone to be the same, many women find themselves trapped by the bars of conformity. They hide their true selves behind masks of fake happiness while chasing ideals of beauty and stereotypical aesthetics. They lie about who they really are. They dare not be different. They cannot be themselves. They are slaves to the conventions imposed by others. Their minds are crowded with thoughts upon thoughts. Many would like to study but don’t have the opportunity. Many want to travel and see the world but lack the financial means to do so. In the end, life seems governed by clocks marking the present moment as it moves toward an unknown future. Sad looks and tight lips become symbols of imprisoned souls.

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Viviana De Cecco is a writer, translator, and visual artist. She works as a content writer and book reviewer for Tint Journal and NewMyths. Her translations of twentieth-century poetry and short stories from Spanish, French and Italian have appeared in Azonal Translation, The Polyglot Magazine and Atèlier d’écriture. Her fiction and poetry have also appeared in Poets’ Choice, Aôthen Magazine, Seaside Gothic, Yuvoice.org, and others. As an artist, her visual art appeared in Mud Season Review, Acta Victoriana, Spellbinder Magazine, MayDay Magazine. Since 2013, she has published short stories, poems and novels of various genres. Her literary works and photographs can be found at: https://vivianadececco.altervista.org/