Manuel A. Melendez is a hybrid writer born and partially raised in Camagüey, Cuba. He received his MFA in Poetry from the University of Alaska Fairbanks. He has been published in Carolina Muse Literary & Arts Magazine, WayWords Literary Journal, Apricity Magazine, Dream Noir Magazine, Superstition Review, and Midway Journal. He dreams of one day living in a world where poetry can take permanent physical shape, but he settles for a fierce latte, vibrant verses, and being penniless but ravishing on his deathbed. He can be found on Instagram at @marvelzednelem and on his website, manalemel.squarespace.com.