by John P. Kristofco midnight orphan, stepping like a deer outside the woods, come to taste the buds beside the stream, soften stones, veil falcon’s prey, lay back on the grass and gaze into our souls, skittish at the sun like birds, too light to fall, too soft to…
By Naomi Ruth Lowinsky “I’m a green-and-yellow basket case,” you tell me, shuffling from bathroom to bedroom and back. We lean on each other, laughing. The basket weaver of the stars sent you to me, my green man, my pollen, my salmon leaping upriver. A tisket, a tasket, we’re in…
by Ann Minoff like my mother when I eat food remains on the corners of the mouth most fingers and pants especially the black pair I wear all the time, crumbs on the chair and floor she wore animal prints leopard spots on her blouses skirts, pants, and shoes, even…
by Mary Scanlan I shuffled into my home office with solemnity and in silence, coffee in hand and ready to start my morning ritual before the day’s noises began. It was a relatively mild November morning in 2014. The sun was struggling to rise, as was I. After a brief…
By John P. Kristofco silent but for wind against exquisite bones, bird that flies alone along the same line as in days of brighter sun, before the coming of the night and snow, before the blue lament of letting go
by Tammye Huf “Did you burn your mouth?” “What? No.” My hand flew instinctively to grope at my mouth, searching for my injury. “You’ve got a white spot right there.” Kevin bent in and gently kissed the corner of my mouth. It didn’t hurt, my burn, so I kissed him…
by Amelia Mason Found Poem taken from #YesAllWomen tweets – (Trigger warning: Deals with themes of assault and rape) Victim Gets Revenge on Rapist by Setting Him on Fire. Well, he was sorta asking for it, dressing in such flammable clothing. 1 in 5 women experience rape or assault….
by Timothy Caldwell Lightning strikes in the distance. He begins counting, “One thousand one, one thousand two, one thousand three, one thousand four…” Thunder arrives. “The storm is four miles away, Grandpa. That’s what Daddy taught me,” he says. “That’s right,” I say, as the clouds suck more afternoon sunlight…
By Barb Ariel Cohen Traceless sky Much in motion The heart looks forward And close within Clarity everywhere Moves like physics The heart lives lighter Inside the skin Within this moment The universe The still vibration Of time and place The clouds all know this They rise and fade Form,…
by Barb Ariel Cohen The uncomfortable world waiting Beneath my breastbone, held Like stale breath, while the truth is this: A world blooms dancing at my every glance The old captivities die hard Resist yielding, lace themselves into My tight-fisted hands with cloying insistence Hoard tears behind my eyes…