By Oliver Hickman Raindrops pecked at window sills. Streaks ran down the glass— channels between clinging mist. The clouds had slumped low, visiting the ground in person rather than by gift of drizzle. They hugged the roads, the hills, the gradual moor, laying a blindfold on the town of Teatrees. The views and vistas which … Continue reading No Place for Rain
To my Moon
By Josephine Rudolf The world only knows me when the sun is out,A select few have seen a cloudy day.But never night—I always hid that.Hiding in dark corners, almost freezing to death.Yet the second that corner was exposed,Something came back to life.It wasn’t me, but she looked the part,Which used to be enough. When we … Continue reading To my Moon
A View From My Window
By Leslie Selbst It is snowing heavily, and the flurry at the bird feeder gives credence to the fruitless search for food. The birds are hungry, and the fluttering and chirping grow louder as each struggles to maintain ownership of the seed pile. Their techniques vary, for size is not a predictor of control as … Continue reading A View From My Window
Cloudy Day for a Run
By Megan Nicholson I have felt consciously, emotionally asleep, wanting to stay awake for some unknown purpose other than to be away on these last couple of Saturday nights into Sunday mornings, and not let another day pass to further the timeline of distance between the last time I saw you until the unknown day … Continue reading Cloudy Day for a Run
After Your Funeral
By Mike Zimmerman The five of us promised your mother we would clear out the apartment. Grief-stricken, she’d tried her best, but left us with whatever she couldn’t take or toss. So, we’d divorced ourselves into two cars, and Jessie made an appointment with a disposal company. We had until 8 pm tonight to sort … Continue reading After Your Funeral
My Lost Diary
By Mubita Joseph Mubita I sat at my usual table in a coffee shop, my fingers dancing nimbly over the keyboard of my laptop. The aroma of freshly brewed coffee mingled with the sweet scent of freshly baked pastries, and the buzz of conversation from other customers provided a soothing background noise. As I typed … Continue reading My Lost Diary
Winter
By Mae Gonzalez Long gone are the leaves of fallLong gone are the people outside,Hoping they would find a good pumpkin.But I’m here.Inside, Looking out the window covered in frost.And I’m waiting,To do everything I missed in the fall.To do everything I missed in every season.Summer, spring,Fall.I couldn’t do it in summer, it was just … Continue reading Winter
Four Winter Haiku
By Jim Bates After the snowstormWinter's soft gentle beautySnow on evergreens.At the skating rinkHappy folks spin and swirlA winter ballet.Big cold moon risingMoonlight streaming brilliantlyIcy land sparkling.Bright morning sunBirds flit through snow covered treesSinging merrily. Jim lives in a small town twenty miles west of Minneapolis, Minnesota. His stories have appeared online in CafeLit, The Writers' Cafe … Continue reading Four Winter Haiku
Bravado
By Anthony David Vernon The measure of a man is respectWeighted in how he fights for his womanAnd how he earns his keepAt least that’s what my brother told meMan is expected respectSo he cannot back down from a burden placed before himBut the weight is so much to bareAnd it seems easier and kinderTo … Continue reading Bravado
The Bird
By Shirina Lee Edwin Elicia Burton settled into her regular spot at The Union Cafe, a corner table that offered an unobstructed view of the busy street in front of her. It was impossible for her to forego her daily journey to The Union. As a produce buyer at Whole Foods across town, it was … Continue reading The Bird
Academy of the Heart And Mind 