By Domina Petric The alphabet of nature Agate caught the rainbow in its memory. Beryl hid its heart at the bottom of a lake. Carnelian is as sweet as honey. Citrine is the sun that illuminates Earth at noon. Charoite is a picture of a stormy sky and a setting sun. The winter landscape is … Continue reading The alphabet of nature And Other Poems
Patterns
By S.F. Wright Wednesday evening Almost over; Then Thursday, And Friday. The weekend’s Booze Seems like A faraway Oasis; Yet it will Come, go, Disappoint. Then Tired Sunday, Monday; And the oasis Appears Again. S.F. Wright lives and teaches in New Jersey. His work has appeared in Hobart, X-R-A-Y Literary Magazine, and Elm Leaves Journal, … Continue reading Patterns
Wasted Cut Out Flowers and Other Poems
By Richard LeDue Wasted Cut Out Flowers Lucky to have a blank page again, staring at me with more affection than the lovers who don't know they're lovers, who only wake up naked in their dreams, who usually let the silence buy their drinks, who reminisce about paper airplanes crash landing, only to give flight … Continue reading Wasted Cut Out Flowers and Other Poems
They Don’t Talk Much Anymore
By Ed Ahern Their intimacy speaks in the unsaid. opposition unraised, disagreement stilled, stifled correction or contradiction, permission for those close to rest in the wrong while choke-chaining the harsher truths. Little silent helping things saying that courtesy is an inadequate term to explain the need to hold one another in loving stasis. Ed Ahern … Continue reading They Don’t Talk Much Anymore
Rose Garden Refuge
By Sarah Brennan I remained on the bench until it was no longer cold, long after my breathing regained its normal rhythms, and my tears had stopped flowing. Around me the garden was calm and quiet, but my mind still raced. I kept replaying the three days in March when my world changed. The teachers … Continue reading Rose Garden Refuge
The Time Was Right and Other Poems
By Ken Gosse The Time Was Right a pastiche on Dylan Thomas’ poem, “Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night” He’ll rage against the dying of my light but old age took its toll along the way. He doesn’t know I think the time is right. Much wiser than he knows, I welcome night. … Continue reading The Time Was Right and Other Poems
Clothes Pole
By Jim Bates Set firmly in the ground It had its own spot in the backyard A heavy-duty metal post with wooden arms attached Held together with clothesline rope A lever controlled it going up and down A thing of mechanical beauty Simple utility and grace His mother hung sheets from it every week White … Continue reading Clothes Pole
Speak
By Sandy Rochelle Every once in a while you open your mouth as if to speak. To abandon the silence that has been your companion. Your unspoken words are wrapped in gold. Your conjured verbs bathed in silk. Speak and abandon your silence to an Egyptian tomb. Hieroglyphics to be deciphered by some future species … Continue reading Speak
Irregardless
By Mike Turner Does’t thou wield thy blade? Slashing at mine liberty? Stabbing my heart? Thrusting to the very centre of my soul? Should I not yield to your blandishments? And implore you to bind up my wounds? For is not true ardor Surrendering all to the struggle? Facing the furies in consequence of losing … Continue reading Irregardless
Goodbye Parliament Hill Fields and In Dreams
By J.R. Barner Goodbye Parliament Hill Fields1 I had been up all night with a fever. She placed a cold rag on my head, Faithfully, every hour when the grandfather clock in the hall had ceased to strike. She would emerge from behind the antique chest of drawers Like a ghost, hovering over to me, … Continue reading Goodbye Parliament Hill Fields and In Dreams
Academy of the Heart And Mind 