Poetry

Featured image for ““Cartography” and “Front Row””

“Cartography” and “Front Row”

Stan Werlin

For fourteen nights
Unnerved and trembling
We place him in an unfamiliar bed
As alien as we are to this white-blond Asian boy,
Our sudden son
His scalp razored bald
Tenderly, we wonder, by his grieving birth-mother
Featured image for ““404[Snow],” “Equinox Lily,” and  “Unknown Algorithm””

“404[Snow],” “Equinox Lily,” and “Unknown Algorithm”

M. Nova

“Do Not Disturb” — active
Yet a cunning code still pierces
Viciously, into cloud files — memory/hate/love
Restore automatically if:
Emotional thunderstorm detected
Featured image for ““A Photo of a Father Holding His Young Son,” “Soapbox Row,” and “Museé Rodin””

“A Photo of a Father Holding His Young Son,” “Soapbox Row,” and “Museé Rodin”

Stephen Barile

Mother took the photo
With a Kodak Brownie box-camera;
The black-plastic handle,
Gray knobs of the 1947 model.
In the square view-finder lens,
Upside down
Featured image for ““Defining Divinity,” “Gallop Arrested,” and “A Journey – Steering to the North””

“Defining Divinity,” “Gallop Arrested,” and “A Journey – Steering to the North”

Ailish NicPhaidin

Deep in the heart of the countryside
The tiny sturdy two-teacher school stood
Hidden between the tall trees and fading footsteps.

Many years ago, it finally closed its doors,
To all except for the traveling vagrants
Scurrying mice, spiders, wasps and black crows.
Featured image for ““The First Clothes,” “Telenovela,” and “Cardea Comes Tumbling””

“The First Clothes,” “Telenovela,” and “Cardea Comes Tumbling”

William Ross

How could they have missed it? Surely there was
wetness and rising tides, juices that rampaged

in spring, stamens and carpels in the garden,
swelling and presenting. A whole paradisiacal world
Featured image for ““The Soft Apocalypse,” “Alluding Perusing,” and “Outré””

“The Soft Apocalypse,” “Alluding Perusing,” and “Outré”

Drema Drudge

Don’t go stalking my spirit
when I pass.

Let me fly so you can go on.

The end is the end, but it isn’t, too.
Featured image for ““Cosmetic Concern,” “Sufficient Fate,” and “Never Considered””

“Cosmetic Concern,” “Sufficient Fate,” and “Never Considered”

John Zedolik

A faint waxing half moon of pink has risen
temporarily (I hope) where I gouged
my forehead on a painted hook screwed
into the door upon which to hang a holiday wreath
Featured image for ““Funeral Blues,” “Past’s Dreamland,” “Funeral Parlour’s Instructions””

“Funeral Blues,” “Past’s Dreamland,” “Funeral Parlour’s Instructions”

Tanya Moldovan

When I die, bury me in a bright red dress,
the colour of the blood that pushed through my veins
the fire of life and love’s caress.

When I die, bury me with red bright lipstick on,
to dilute the grayscale of mourning
brought by the passers-by.
Featured image for ““The Enigmatic Life of Clara Sandoval,” “The Regime,” and “Tanka Number Three””

“The Enigmatic Life of Clara Sandoval,” “The Regime,” and “Tanka Number Three”

Edward Miller

My aunt had a dear friend named Clara Sandoval
But my mother did not approve of her at all.
One day when we were alone, momma said:
“I do not like that Clara Sandoval.”
She added “and I don’t want you to trust her either
No matter how much chocolate she brings you.”

Poetry

Featured image for ““Cartography” and “Front Row””

“Cartography” and “Front Row”

Stan Werlin

For fourteen nights
Unnerved and trembling
We place him in an unfamiliar bed
As alien as we are to this white-blond Asian boy,
Our sudden son
His scalp razored bald
Tenderly, we wonder, by his grieving birth-mother
Featured image for ““404[Snow],” “Equinox Lily,” and  “Unknown Algorithm””

“404[Snow],” “Equinox Lily,” and “Unknown Algorithm”

M. Nova

“Do Not Disturb” — active
Yet a cunning code still pierces
Viciously, into cloud files — memory/hate/love
Restore automatically if:
Emotional thunderstorm detected
Featured image for ““A Photo of a Father Holding His Young Son,” “Soapbox Row,” and “Museé Rodin””

“A Photo of a Father Holding His Young Son,” “Soapbox Row,” and “Museé Rodin”

Stephen Barile

Mother took the photo
With a Kodak Brownie box-camera;
The black-plastic handle,
Gray knobs of the 1947 model.
In the square view-finder lens,
Upside down
Featured image for ““Defining Divinity,” “Gallop Arrested,” and “A Journey – Steering to the North””

“Defining Divinity,” “Gallop Arrested,” and “A Journey – Steering to the North”

Ailish NicPhaidin

Deep in the heart of the countryside
The tiny sturdy two-teacher school stood
Hidden between the tall trees and fading footsteps.

Many years ago, it finally closed its doors,
To all except for the traveling vagrants
Scurrying mice, spiders, wasps and black crows.
Featured image for ““The First Clothes,” “Telenovela,” and “Cardea Comes Tumbling””

“The First Clothes,” “Telenovela,” and “Cardea Comes Tumbling”

William Ross

How could they have missed it? Surely there was
wetness and rising tides, juices that rampaged

in spring, stamens and carpels in the garden,
swelling and presenting. A whole paradisiacal world
Featured image for ““The Soft Apocalypse,” “Alluding Perusing,” and “Outré””

“The Soft Apocalypse,” “Alluding Perusing,” and “Outré”

Drema Drudge

Don’t go stalking my spirit
when I pass.

Let me fly so you can go on.

The end is the end, but it isn’t, too.
Featured image for ““Cosmetic Concern,” “Sufficient Fate,” and “Never Considered””

“Cosmetic Concern,” “Sufficient Fate,” and “Never Considered”

John Zedolik

A faint waxing half moon of pink has risen
temporarily (I hope) where I gouged
my forehead on a painted hook screwed
into the door upon which to hang a holiday wreath
Featured image for ““Funeral Blues,” “Past’s Dreamland,” “Funeral Parlour’s Instructions””

“Funeral Blues,” “Past’s Dreamland,” “Funeral Parlour’s Instructions”

Tanya Moldovan

When I die, bury me in a bright red dress,
the colour of the blood that pushed through my veins
the fire of life and love’s caress.

When I die, bury me with red bright lipstick on,
to dilute the grayscale of mourning
brought by the passers-by.
Featured image for ““The Enigmatic Life of Clara Sandoval,” “The Regime,” and “Tanka Number Three””

“The Enigmatic Life of Clara Sandoval,” “The Regime,” and “Tanka Number Three”

Edward Miller

My aunt had a dear friend named Clara Sandoval
But my mother did not approve of her at all.
One day when we were alone, momma said:
“I do not like that Clara Sandoval.”
She added “and I don’t want you to trust her either
No matter how much chocolate she brings you.”