Synkroniciti is proud to welcome back poet, writer, and photographer Jonathan Yungkans of California with an introspective poem and a photographic series. The poem, “refuge,” inspired by a monoku–a one-line poem–by Cherie Hunter Day, relates a surreal dream that begins with a rusting railroad bridge. He thinks of the dream as an exercise the mind takes on to hold itself together, a fascinating interpretation. The dreamer is engaged in destroying and blocking the track, “afraid/ of what people aboard the next train/ might think they see/ beyond trees’ yellow leaves.” There is a worry that the world will invade and take the dreamer’s treasure, looking for gold. The dreamer doesn’t have gold, though, he has solitude and rest. He surmises that outsiders won’t realize the value there, symbolized by “two blue Adirondack chairs/ and an unobstructed view of water.” This is a poet’s vision–he has so much that is satisfying but the world doesn’t value it. It’s their loss.
Three photos from his “Watts Tower Series” follow. Watts Towers are the fruit of “a dream project of Sabato (Simon) Rodia, which he started shortly after settling in Watts. He continued work between 1921 and 1954.” They are “a collection of 17 interconnected towers, architectural structures and individual sculptural features and mosaics.” “The towers are constructed of steel rebar, set into a concrete and wire mesh foundation and decorated with found objects such as bottles, ceramic tiles and seashells. The site has been named a California Historical Landmark, restored between 2017 and 2022.”
It’s a strange vision…see through and bent into wild spires, and not everyone appreciates the eccentricity. It does have a haunting beauty and mystique, being a largely ornamental structure. Jonathan hints at the singularity of the vision behind it, which reminds us that our most beloved projects will not be loved by everyone. In fact, some people will find them distasteful. But the desire to create is an awesome inspiration and motivation that endures when we no longer walk this earth.
The photographs contrast well with “refuge” as they both show how creative people interact with others…the solitude that surrounds the creative in the midst of a crowd. This solitude has been interpreted in terms of the genius myth–but Jonathan shows us that the myth doesn’t really capture the reality. There is no super-human genius. There are those with drive and those with strange and wonderful thoughts. If we understood their humanity we might interpret their lives differently and come to call them friends.
Experience Jonathan’s fascinating take on dreams in Synkroniciti’s “Dreams” issue, available for purchase here: https://synkroniciti.com/the-magazine/purchase-individual-issues/.
Jonathan Yungkans hopes for one more raspberry black-tea lemonade from Starbucks before Aug-tober’s pumpkin-spice completely clouds the landscape. His work has appeared in Book of Matches, Gyroscope Review, MacQueen’s Quinterly and other publications. He has written three poetry chapbooks; the latest,The Ravens Will Arrive Later, is scheduled for a 2026 release from Gnashing Teeth Publishing. His e-mini-chapbook as the sky fragments was published by Yavanika Press in August 2025.