by Hayley Russell Behind the old house stood the tree where endings went to rest, its branches curled like open hands, offering and releasing in the same breath. Each fall, I traced the edges of every leaf, memorizing the slow surrender, green to gold, gold to rust, rust to the soft crumble of becoming earth again. It taught me more than anyone ever managed about the art of leaving: that release is…
by Clayton Heilman The interpretive dance, fueled by some inner desire — a state of lowered inhibitions, allowing this fluid-mechanical motion. The body weaves noiselessly in-between the contrast of dark and light. Spinning across shadows, strobing flesh through light beams. The room lacks power, save that which gushes from deep…
by John P. Kristofco in autumn clouds above the church, twenty, maybe thirty geese align like praying hands, aimed at something promised by the wisdom of their hollow bones, agate eyes acknowledging the sun; they sweep above our sanctuaries, sidewalks, all the places where we leave our lives behind, in…
By Jeannette Kirchner Crushed rock across finger tips bricks to the hand scraping across them. Broken, cracked, faded, colorless stained glass of meaningless scripture. Shame overshadows as pieces of straw fall through the roof scared flocks scattered into the sky. Scurried away from their home built from God’s former home…