Poetry

Featured image for ““A Robin’s Agenda,” “Never mistake what is for what it looks like,” and “Narcissus pseudonarcissus””

“A Robin’s Agenda,” “Never mistake what is for what it looks like,” and “Narcissus pseudonarcissus”

Simon Maddrell

You can’t handle the truth of X
and Y complexities in your own
species, so it’s obvious you think
you can tell our gender by the
colour of our breasts or know
that we are born all-brown.
Featured image for ““gentrification,” “toward home,” and “the finery of flowers””

“gentrification,” “toward home,” and “the finery of flowers”

Olga Dugan

the better-off displace old families
leaving just a remnant behind
neighborhood changes fast
innovative foliage, bolstered lawns
porch, deck, people repaired and not
show it all happening at once
Featured image for ““The Perspective of Venice” and “The Dogmeat General””

“The Perspective of Venice” and “The Dogmeat General”

Jack D. Harvey

And in Venice, spring!
priest manqué
Baron Corvo’s pimping presence
passes by,
on the lookout for the right boys.
Oh che bel divertimento!
Featured image for ““A Turn Around Town,” “What the Body Remembers,” and “Fine Art””

“A Turn Around Town,” “What the Body Remembers,” and “Fine Art”

Steven Deutsch

I take the cobbled path through town
that I have walked for years.
The streets are for the wary—
ice strewn here and there
as if they had tired
of the nagging shovels.
The air still
with the silence of February.
Featured image for ““…As Old as Time,” “what do you call a friend who’s still alive but died,” and “not about birds, clearly””

“…As Old as Time,” “what do you call a friend who’s still alive but died,” and “not about birds, clearly”

Deztiny Musa

Goddesses of Rage and Despair
objects of desire
and hate
Did they drown in their own beauty?
curse their amber eyes and
silk thighs
gasping for air
Featured image for ““Clouds””

“Clouds”

Michael McQuillan

As this afternoon the cotton candy clouds share space with azure sky, I surmise that God above does not abide the lie that Hamas’ savage strike justifies the Israeli government’s genocide.

Widows, orphans, strangers bear the brunt of extreme and arbitrary force. Displaced tented families eke out day by day survival, searching bomb-razed hospitals and schools for children’s charred remains.
Featured image for ““Found,” “Where Are All the Small, Wild Things,” and “I have folded all my sorrows””

“Found,” “Where Are All the Small, Wild Things,” and “I have folded all my sorrows”

Mary Dean Lee

He arrives on horseback middle of a blizzard
in the Rockies, boots on, to collect me. There
is a valley of snow between us. He says nothing
about seeing the parole officer. I’m inside a lodge
with a roaring fire, legion of kin, we’re playing
Texas no hold’em and Scrabble with occasional…
Featured image for ““Necessary Evil,” “This Fooling with Words,” and “Gratitude””

“Necessary Evil,” “This Fooling with Words,” and “Gratitude”

Russell Willis

The idea of “necessary evil”
Is only plausible if you
Mistakenly equate evil with pain.
Reject the premise, then
Evil is never necessary.

Pain, on the other hand, is a different story
For human life to even exist
There is the matter of the
Pain of childbirth
Featured image for ““Snapping Turtle,” “Terrestrial Stage of the Red-Spotted Newt,” and “Our Anniversary Before Surgery””

“Snapping Turtle,” “Terrestrial Stage of the Red-Spotted Newt,” and “Our Anniversary Before Surgery”

Beth Cash

I float in the pond
on my blue mat,
splash away deer flies,
close my eyes in the baking sun.
The mat deflates, I am
half in the water, legs and head
cradled on the remaining air.
Featured image for ““Persephone’s Dream of Spring,” “Flotilla,” and “Forgive Us””

“Persephone’s Dream of Spring,” “Flotilla,” and “Forgive Us”

Kathleen Holliday

While it was dark,
(and hellishly cold!)
the earth a frozen stone,
I dreamt of loam
and pomegranates,
and a warm, green shore,
and a boat to ferry me home.

Poetry

Featured image for ““A Robin’s Agenda,” “Never mistake what is for what it looks like,” and “Narcissus pseudonarcissus””

“A Robin’s Agenda,” “Never mistake what is for what it looks like,” and “Narcissus pseudonarcissus”

Simon Maddrell

You can’t handle the truth of X
and Y complexities in your own
species, so it’s obvious you think
you can tell our gender by the
colour of our breasts or know
that we are born all-brown.
Featured image for ““gentrification,” “toward home,” and “the finery of flowers””

“gentrification,” “toward home,” and “the finery of flowers”

Olga Dugan

the better-off displace old families
leaving just a remnant behind
neighborhood changes fast
innovative foliage, bolstered lawns
porch, deck, people repaired and not
show it all happening at once
Featured image for ““The Perspective of Venice” and “The Dogmeat General””

“The Perspective of Venice” and “The Dogmeat General”

Jack D. Harvey

And in Venice, spring!
priest manqué
Baron Corvo’s pimping presence
passes by,
on the lookout for the right boys.
Oh che bel divertimento!
Featured image for ““A Turn Around Town,” “What the Body Remembers,” and “Fine Art””

“A Turn Around Town,” “What the Body Remembers,” and “Fine Art”

Steven Deutsch

I take the cobbled path through town
that I have walked for years.
The streets are for the wary—
ice strewn here and there
as if they had tired
of the nagging shovels.
The air still
with the silence of February.
Featured image for ““…As Old as Time,” “what do you call a friend who’s still alive but died,” and “not about birds, clearly””

“…As Old as Time,” “what do you call a friend who’s still alive but died,” and “not about birds, clearly”

Deztiny Musa

Goddesses of Rage and Despair
objects of desire
and hate
Did they drown in their own beauty?
curse their amber eyes and
silk thighs
gasping for air
Featured image for ““Clouds””

“Clouds”

Michael McQuillan

As this afternoon the cotton candy clouds share space with azure sky, I surmise that God above does not abide the lie that Hamas’ savage strike justifies the Israeli government’s genocide.

Widows, orphans, strangers bear the brunt of extreme and arbitrary force. Displaced tented families eke out day by day survival, searching bomb-razed hospitals and schools for children’s charred remains.
Featured image for ““Found,” “Where Are All the Small, Wild Things,” and “I have folded all my sorrows””

“Found,” “Where Are All the Small, Wild Things,” and “I have folded all my sorrows”

Mary Dean Lee

He arrives on horseback middle of a blizzard
in the Rockies, boots on, to collect me. There
is a valley of snow between us. He says nothing
about seeing the parole officer. I’m inside a lodge
with a roaring fire, legion of kin, we’re playing
Texas no hold’em and Scrabble with occasional…
Featured image for ““Necessary Evil,” “This Fooling with Words,” and “Gratitude””

“Necessary Evil,” “This Fooling with Words,” and “Gratitude”

Russell Willis

The idea of “necessary evil”
Is only plausible if you
Mistakenly equate evil with pain.
Reject the premise, then
Evil is never necessary.

Pain, on the other hand, is a different story
For human life to even exist
There is the matter of the
Pain of childbirth
Featured image for ““Snapping Turtle,” “Terrestrial Stage of the Red-Spotted Newt,” and “Our Anniversary Before Surgery””

“Snapping Turtle,” “Terrestrial Stage of the Red-Spotted Newt,” and “Our Anniversary Before Surgery”

Beth Cash

I float in the pond
on my blue mat,
splash away deer flies,
close my eyes in the baking sun.
The mat deflates, I am
half in the water, legs and head
cradled on the remaining air.
Featured image for ““Persephone’s Dream of Spring,” “Flotilla,” and “Forgive Us””

“Persephone’s Dream of Spring,” “Flotilla,” and “Forgive Us”

Kathleen Holliday

While it was dark,
(and hellishly cold!)
the earth a frozen stone,
I dreamt of loam
and pomegranates,
and a warm, green shore,
and a boat to ferry me home.