CONVOIUL (XV) by Gheorghe Schwartz Translated by Eugene Matzota ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.108, 8/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! Abstract: In "The Convoy (XV)", published in ALTCULTURE Magazine (no. 108, 2026) as an excerpt from Gheorghe Schwartz's visionary speculative work, the narrative plunges deeper into the disorienting, meticulously engineered realities of life outside the collective march. Against a backdrop of silent surveillance, pervasive self-censorship, and automated transportation, the protagonist reflects on a tense encounter at a secluded niche table with a nervous, polarized-lens-wearing youth who has similarly abandoned the serpentine procession. Blending sharp existential philosophy with Orwellian institutional critique, the text examines the friction between assigned covert missions, the illusion of free will, and the haunting psychological vacuum left behind by erased memories and cashless societies. As the protagonist navigates urban traffic toward a rendezvous at Konrad's—haunted by fleeting glimpses of women seemingly vanished from the Convoy—the excerpt resonates as a profound exploration of human alienation, systemic control, and the desperate quest for individual identity in a totally programmed world.
Maria (I) – Fragment din ”Omul de cenușă” ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.108, 08/2026 ▲
Maria (I), Nicholas Jordan ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.108, 8/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Abstract: In "Maria", published in ALTCULTURE Magazine (no. 108, 2026) as an excerpt from Nicholas Jordan's work ASHMAN, the narrative follows the tour group’s ascent into the picturesque yet austere landscapes of Bukovina, arriving at Vatra Dornei against a backdrop of mounting geopolitical tension. As rumors of civil unrest and historical uprisings filter in from the outside world via anxious transatlantic phone calls and foreign journalists, the narrator navigates eccentric interpersonal dynamics among the travelers—notably the mismatched, reluctant pairing of Moira and Geoffrey Johnston. Blending vivid travelogue with evocative reflections on sacred art and spiritual pilgrimage, the text captures the group's visit to the legendary painted monasteries of Moldovița. Amidst stunning Byzantine frescoes and discussions of medieval theology with local monastics, the narrator encounters Maria, an enigmatic and brilliant tour guide whose sharp intellect and intersecting paths with foreign reporters hint at deeper cultural and spiritual currents just beneath the surface of a changing Romania.
moartea face cu mâna… nebuna, de Doria Șișu ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.108, 8/2026 ▲
moartea face cu mâna... nebuna, de Doria Șișu ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.108 8/2026 ▲ ABSTRACT Title: moartea face cu mâna... nebuna (death waves its hand... the crazy one) Author: Doria Șișu Source: ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE, No. 108, 8/2026 Synopsis and Themes This poem is a striking, fragmented, and highly meta-textual exploration of trauma, repressed memories, and the agonizing process of writing poetry itself. It masterfully blends brutal, surreal imagery with an intruding, cynical voice—acting either as an internal critic or an imagined editor—that constantly interrupts, mocks, and judges the poetic act. Key Ideas • Visceral Trauma and Memory: The poem opens with violent, surreal metaphors—a giant blade rolling through the streets and blood-stained hands that represent "forgotten and murdered memories." It later addresses the chilling normalization of trauma and assault, describing them with a jarring sense of detachment. • The Meta-Poetic Dialogue: What makes the piece unique is the continuous disruption by a second voice. This critical presence breaks the fourth wall, demanding "mystery" and "poetic breath," calling out "clichés," and pitying the author who is "thinking she makes poetry" while stealing words from her past. • Dissociation and Defense Mechanisms: The speaker exhibits profound emotional disorientation, questioning their own subconscious reactions ("I realized I laugh in my sleep / or is sleep laughing in me?"). • Isolation as a Conclusion: The final lines shift to a poignant, quiet resignation. The narrator retreats into darkness, building walls of stones around their knees in a futile, heartbreaking attempt to speak of love to inanimate objects.
CONVOIUL (XIV) ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 07/2026 ▲
CONVOIUL (XIV) by Gheorghe Schwartz Translated by Eugene Matzota ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 7/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! Abstract: In "CONVOIUL (XIV)", published in ALTCULTURE Magazine (no. 107, 2026), author Gheorghe Schwartz and translator Eugene Matzota present an excerpt centered on the protagonist's profound disorientation, paranoia, and psychological exhaustion following his departure from the mysterious Convoiul. Plagued by unsettling dreams of marching alongside shadowy guards and shifting figures, the protagonist wakes in his hotel room to find his locked door mysteriously ajar. Amid blinking signals from a neighboring building and a pervasive fear of losing his sanity or failing an unseen psychological test, he navigates the hotel spaces and encounters fellow survivors. Blending surreal psychological tension with kafkaesque uncertainty, the narrative explores isolation, memory loss, and the fragile boundaries between reality and hallucination.
Drumuri la mănăstiri (II) – Fragment din ”Omul de cenușă” ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 07/2026 ▲
Drumuri la mănăstiri (II) by Nicholas Jordan ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 7/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Abstract: In "Drumuri la mănăstiri (II)", published in ALTCULTURE Magazine (no. 107, 2026) as an excerpt from "Omul de cenușă", author Nicholas Jordan chronicles a tour group's journey through the winding roads of the Prahova Valley, Brașov, Bran, and Sighișoara. Set against the stark backdrop of late-communist Romania, the narrative follows an eclectic mix of Western tourists obsessed with vampire myths and Count Dracula, led by an observant guide named Nic and a silent, enigmatic driver. Blending sharp sociological observation with atmospheric travelogue, the text explores the clash between romanticized literary expectations and the grim, melancholic realities of local daily life. From chaotic medieval banquets and damp lodgings to encounters with historical landmarks like the birthplace of Vlad Țepeș and the wooden staircase of Sighișoara, the narrative reflects on isolation, systemic oppression, and the peculiar ways foreign travelers seek out fantasy within a deeply constrained world.
Dar viața ta?, de Doria Șișu ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 7/2026 ▲
Dar viața ta? de Doria Șișu ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.107, 7/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi mai credem încă în cultură! Abstract: In the excerpt from "7 ani", titled "Dar viața ta?" and authored by Doria Șișu, the text delivers an intense, deeply introspective monologue on existential solitude, maternal love, and the heavy burdens of memory. Framed through a poignant dialogue with an unseen interlocutor, the narrative explores a life viewed as accidental and uncelebrated, haunted by the realization of lost time and the painful weight of self-reckoning. The excerpt captures a raw emotional reckoning with regret, focusing on an unconditional, all-consuming love for a daughter and a partner—the two beings for whom the narrator would sacrifice everything. Through lyrical vulnerability and poignant imagery of longing, the text reflects on the inevitability of mortality, the desire to transcend physical absence to remain a comforting presence like rain or wind, and the quiet exhaustion of a soul coming to terms with its own deeply felt destiny.
CONVOIUL (XIII) ▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.106, 06/2026 ▲
CONVOIUL (XIII) de Gheorghe Schwartz Tradus de / Translated by Eugene MATZOTA ▲▲▲ ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE Nr.106, 06/2026 ▲▲▲ Noi încă mai credem în cultură! Abstract Title: “THE CONVOY (XIII)” — Part I: The Body of the Snake (23) Author: Gheorghe Schwartz Translated by: Eugene Matzota Publication: ALTCULTURE MAGAZINE no. 106, 06/2026 “We still believe in culture!” Overview Sitting isolated in a quiet hotel lobby, the protagonist observes former members returning from the massive, collective entity known as "The Convoy" to rejoin civilian life—reunions that appear noticeably devoid of warmth or joy. With only three days of accommodation vouchers remaining, he faces growing uncertainty about his future while grappling with the reality of his covert recruitment by a secretive system. Through a communication device concealed as a business card, the protagonist learns why Convoy attire is heavily targeted by criminals: impostors use the uniforms to pose as law enforcement, carrying out robberies and murders under the guise of official authority. As he continues his assigned mission to investigate why individuals abandon the security of the Convoy for a life of hardship, the protagonist discovers that his own thoughts—and those of all marchers—are constantly harvested, processed, and analyzed by advanced computer algorithms, revealing a pervasive system of total surveillance.