I found Reid Williams on Instagram. There was a filterless photo of him, cigarette hanging out of his mouth next to a picture of a woman in bunny ears. What really got my attention was the caption displaying the title of his zine, PLAY(ed) Boy. From one media form to another, I turned to Google. Growing up in a world where the internet is my zine, I was intrigued what I would find. A free download later, I came upon fifty-two pages of poems about unconventional heartbreak from the voices we don't hear from enough. It was genuine and honest and not like anything I had read before. At a state school in Pennsylvania, I'm use to the emotionless macho male. The less attachment you have the more attractive you are. PLAY(ed) BOY let me see that there is always an attachment, even when you don't think there is.
PLAY(ed)BOY was conceived as a public, communal project for reasons beyond simply showcasing the scope of the subjects of it's content. While, of course, doing so was it's primary goal, contributing to the rise of a literary scene that could be as fun and vibrant as those surrounding young people's production of music and art in New York was a real aspiration of the project. And it is for that reason that another issue is due in September. So, I urge you, please contribute to the accessibility and, corny as it may seem, excitement that can accompany literary creation. Many writers in the first edition of the zine claimed to "not really write poetry," yet we can all see that such is not true. If you're reading this, please give submitting a shot. All submissions, questions, and comments can be sent to playedboy2k15@gmail.com by filling out the form below and information on the theme of the current issue can be found at playedboy.tumblr.com
