Welcome to Vernacular

Simone DeBeauvoir said that, “Representation of the world, like the world itself, is the work of men; they describe it from their own point of view, which they confuse with the absolute truth.”

Women tell truths of their own. Womankind as a whole does not share a single country, or a single region, or even a single culture. However, women do share things that men do not share. They have ways of expressing themselves that transcend national barriers. Women, we believe, have an idiom that transcends idioms.

In fact, in preparing this new online literary magazine, we have discovered that women, despite the distinct and delightful idiosyncrasies of these writings, inhabit much common ground. We present here a collection of well-crafted literary works by women of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and agendas, and yet we find a common thread, one that confirms our prior suspicion that women, without having a country of their own, have a common language. It is a language filled with sass and strength, with wailing and sighing, with billing and cooing, with song and reverence.

Pull up a mug of something hot, and click on our table of contents. Read the absolute truth turned on its ear, rendered more absolute through its willingness to confabulate in order to unveil. Read our first missive to you delivered in our domestic, cottage-industry words.

Anne Babson
Editorial Board, Vernacular
Vice President of Literature, Women’s Studio Center

 

Thank you to our Editors

Bessie Bazile
Gina Buttafoco
Maura Candela
Jolie Cuminale
Vivian DeMuth
Christine Hamm
Alice Jacoby

Designer
Andrea Bonifacio

Vice President of Literature
Anne Babson

Vernacular Web Site Technician
Paul Backalenick
(www.nexxite.com)