By Soumya Doralli The dam-water brimmed and splashed, on the periphery of the steel-grey reservoir, a frothy bubbling roaring mass, sealing minds and opening hearts, chock-full of buzzing mouths, I pay no heed to the busybodies, to the arms-in-arms, to the tippy taps, eerie funeral songs for the cadaver, unbridled passion to wake the dead, … Continue reading Seen
A Water Song
By Helen Lemus The ocean calls With a song, A piece Of eternity In a lullaby Soothing me to sleep. Cold, clean water, Salty, Slaps my cheeks, And morning Laughs at me Sleeping While there are so many Seeds To plant. Beneath Warm suns, A sonata Props up My sore soul Straight from the ocean's … Continue reading A Water Song
In-Law
By Elizabeth Allison She brought the orchid to the house when I miscarried the second time to let it speak of loss. Her loss. Scarlet droplets spotting pale yellow petals said “You are my chance.” Fat leaves curling into themselves cried “I’ve only one child. I’ve only one shot.” Wide purple lips, open to prey, … Continue reading In-Law
Bitter Experience and Other Poems
By Katherine Orfinger Bitter Experience (for Oates and Chekhov) and I understand now why Anna held herself to a godly standard and why she needed to make those little lines, their lives seeping together my head, a dim bathroom: she paces. my own soul peers through a speckled mirror a forgotten piece of metal glints … Continue reading Bitter Experience and Other Poems
Don’t Feed the Ghosts
By Bryan Thomas Woods In the parking lot of the Saint Labre Cemetery, Officer Carter stood underneath the only working streetlight. He scribbled into a notepad as the pages flailed in the winter winds. “Can I see some ID?” Officer Carter asked. He shined his flashlight on a man sitting in the darkness. “Don’t have … Continue reading Don’t Feed the Ghosts
Old McWilliams Had a Dog and Other Poems
By Ken Gosse Old McWilliams Had a Dog a Mixed-Melody Sing-Along Sing the verses to “Old MacDonald” and the alternate refrains to “Bingo Was a Dog” Old McWilliams bought a farm and brought his wife along. They had some children and a dog and loved to sing this song: B–I–N–G–O, E–I–E–I–O, Sing it fast or … Continue reading Old McWilliams Had a Dog and Other Poems
Thieves by Day
By Loretta Biggs Being robbed in Rio is as common as a Brazil Nut allergy. Vanessa has been robbed three times, and she is only twenty-four. The first time, at eleven years old, some barefoot child with a rock made her remove her classy Nikes and custom-made clothes and left her crying on the street … Continue reading Thieves by Day
Folder and Veteran
By James Patrick Folder Here, take these, read them, keep them, burn them. I put them by, kept in a folder the verses you passed to me wrapped in a note with instructions trying out your woman’s voice on a man you chose to trust knew from the first I’d need to keep them with … Continue reading Folder and Veteran
Talk to Me Sister, Trixie Mattel as a Pop Social Linguist
By Alan Lechusza In the era where banned books are up 30-40% nationwide overall (1,477 situations of banned books affecting 874 titles, PEN America 2023), the importance of contemporary cultural language – its use, dialectic and multi-media reference – becomes important. Pop cultural language transgresses the growing divide between academia and the modern lingua franca. … Continue reading Talk to Me Sister, Trixie Mattel as a Pop Social Linguist
Old Covered Bridge
By J. Jacob Grizzle Does that old covered bridge still stand in the place where the old highway used to cross the creek? It's a treasure of time, a place in the heart that reminds us of what we used to be. Can you still hear the train in the distance at night, Does that … Continue reading Old Covered Bridge
Academy of the Heart And Mind 