by Kamy Callow The chamber was quiet. Soft lights pulsed along the white walls, shifting through gentle colors—rose, sapphire, gold—like the room itself was breathing. Children sat cross-legged on padded circles, perfectly spaced across the polished floor. They were six years old. They had no names—only numbers. 717 sat still,…
by Kamy Callow The chamber was quiet. Soft lights pulsed along the white walls, shifting through gentle colors—rose, sapphire, gold—like the room itself was breathing. Children sat cross-legged on padded circles, perfectly spaced across the polished floor. They were six years old. They had no names—only numbers. 717 sat still,…
by Chris Dungey These ingredients were printed on a crème-colored envelope wedged between toilet tank and wall— an unopened sachet or potpourri. We couldn’t tell, but there were red line sketches—of leaves, sprigs, poinsettia. When for? The Holidays were past—but “Scents of the Season” it read, in English. Still, through February the pouch waited to be poured into an exhausted vase of…
by Kristin Borders Sherrow had been sitting on the gray metal bench half the afternoon, deep in thought, when the moody stranger approached from the corner of Allan and Lamott. The kid was young, late twenties or early thirties maybe, but each step had a slight catch to it—a limp…
by Susan Pendley somewherein my dreamsand when I wake,the relentless crawler ticks.A senseless scrolling of regrets.I want to wind downinto that prairie-dog townand find you theregnawing on the cornersof my mind.If I wander through the mazeyou madewould I see you there?Could I touch youand hear your voice? I run through…
by Angelina Sandoval “Loretta! What’s growing up the side of the house?” Garth stomped in from the front door, dropping his fishing gear against the wall. His wife’s ever-present smile was beaming at his return. “Just some old vines,” she said. “I think they’re rather lovely. But don’t mind that….
by William Heath On the Serengeti you see so many edible animals roaming about, you wonder why there aren’t more lions around. They could feast on at least three squares a day and grow enormously fat, their kids could multiply and do the same. But it seems one feast on a juicy flank is enough to keep your African lion satisfied for…
by Kelly Sicard May we open our eyes to those who suffer. But if we are blind, may their cries and stories reach our ears. And if we are deaf, may their voices echo so they quake in our hearts. And if our hearts are hardened, may memories of grace-filled hands lifting us crack them open. And if our…
by Gil Hoy Last night we squabbled again in my dream. We squabbled about whether we’d been in love With each other and never another. And when we both agreed we had We fought about who’d loved the other one more, and why. I won that argument too (as I usually did) or maybe …
by T.R. Healy A Man in Half “Easy now, easy,” Surtees cautioned himself after turning the corner so fast his tires squealed. As he applied his brakes, he noticed that the sharp turn caused the paper bag on the passenger seat to tip over. A few hundred-dollar bills fell on…
by Bill Derry It is you, Carlos flashing your brilliant smile cruising your new bicycle sporting your black hoodie unabashedly you Yes, you, Carlos, innocent, eighteen, inquietante a spotless record already employed a consternation to your neighbors perturbador de la paz Yes, your Spanish-speaking, legal asylum–seeking, ideology-wreaking self,a palpable threat una verdadera amenaza So, of course, the early morning raid from ICE…