By Mark Tulin Tearful Tsunami A torrential downpour washed away her dreams, and took her down a spiral of despair I rushed toward her like a lifeguard, rescuing the rain-soaked girl, whose broken spirit left her drowning in a tearful tsunami I found her in dangerous waters, gave her a life preserver to hold, a … Continue reading Tearful Tsunami and Other Poems
Metal Santas and Other Poems
By Linda Imbler Metal Santas An eclectic gift-a full mailbox. The Publisher’s Clearinghouse hope against the statistics. The unnecessary true name or occupant, who will it be today? All sorted by good men and women in small trucks. The mighty flow of ads, a likely stream of more. The nature of peoples’ ink hidden within … Continue reading Metal Santas and Other Poems
Sacrosanct and Other Poems
By Stephen Kingsnorth Sacrosanct A lower middle class affair, though I knew nothing else; a serviette bound napkin ring, unrealised it taut. The cloth for granted taken ironed spread of shining white - swept after, brush and crumb pan, Edwardian no doubt. Place mats were blossoms blooming, japonica was mine, botanic chaenomeles - aka unknown … Continue reading Sacrosanct and Other Poems
Not The Time Or Place and Other Poems
By Andrew Scott Not The Time Or Place Crashing through the doors like a rabid animal trying to spread its infliction. Glazed eyes of hate seeing nothing but blurred red, anger leading the sight. The wrong place you have been lead with your tunneled thoughts. Feeling unexpectedly persecuted, ready to lash out. Not … Continue reading Not The Time Or Place and Other Poems
The Procession
By Anthony Ward It was the third consecutive year that Jared had sat outside the church on the Eve of St. Mark with the hope of catching a vision of the phantom congregation. The only eerie event he had experienced up until then was the spectacle of a Barn Owl that had swooped, banshee like, … Continue reading The Procession
Laugh and Other Poems
By Alex Andy Phuong Laugh Laugh, But not out loud Chuckle But do not choke Satirize Yet also harmonize Employ humor Cautiously For the sake of Uniformity Unite Us! Intel Intellectual intelligence Much more than brilliance Employing the mind And sensation To offer profound perception And empathetic perspectives Upon collective collectives That define more than … Continue reading Laugh and Other Poems
Horses Cannot Swim and Tiny Footprints of Mice
By Robyn Braun Horses Cannot Swim I wander into meadow edged by forest. In the cool morning mist, five horses graze. In the river, swimmers. I think, yes. Once in the water, I see the swimmers are horses. My mother always told me horses cannot swim, told me their thrashing hooves … Continue reading Horses Cannot Swim and Tiny Footprints of Mice
The Bell Tower
By DC Diamondopolous Reverend Langston Penniman sat on the edge of his bed, stretching his black fingers. Everything had either twisted up on him or shrunk except his stomach. Once six-foot-five, he now plunged to six two, still tall, but not the imposing dignitary he once was standing behind the lectern in front of his … Continue reading The Bell Tower
Yellow
By Bluford Birdsong Originally published in Literary Yard Jill shuts down the treadmill after running three eight minute miles, proud of herself and thankful for a couple of hours alone. Still panting, she opens the stainless steel door of the new fridge and grabs a blue shaker bottle of branch-chain amino acids. The Tahitian Punch … Continue reading Yellow
House of Gold and Nothing But Smiles Over Here
By Sekani Johnson House of Gold So ashamed am I of being such an intolerable guest in people’s (now stranger’s?) lives Burrowing into portraits of fatigued specters cold vapors swaying like cacti hovering over chimneys buried in the loamy earth of a dark warren Their bodies shed the lighter gemini and shy into bramble patches … Continue reading House of Gold and Nothing But Smiles Over Here
Academy of the Heart And Mind 