By Stephanie Greene I’m making soul cakes for Jesse, my lost brother. In times of turmoil, we turn to charms. I don’t have fingernail clippings or tender little bouquets of his hair to include in some spell; I’m improvising here. The medievals have us beat, reaching as they did, beyond death. On All Souls’ Day, … Continue reading Soul Cakes
I Go Up and Other Poems
By Holly Day I Go Up Since we can’t go out, I go up, bring my flashlight with me to the roof the highest point of the house, shine it up. If there is someone up there that can see me, trapped in my house, sitting on my roof flashing messages in Morse Code, binary, … Continue reading I Go Up and Other Poems
Drops
By Mike Turner How many drops are in the ocean? How many stars up in the sky? How much joy is in a baby’s laugh? How many sorrows in a sigh? How can we say enough’s, enough? Whispering our questions by-and-by? Oh, how many drops are in the ocean? And which of those many drops, … Continue reading Drops
Smoked Salmon for Lunch
By Luke Beling I was biting into a smoked salmon sandwich, watching my shadow, when Pretty walked up to me. I wouldn’t have looked at her if she hadn't spoken. My shadow made me appear bigger than I was, and by moving in specific ways, my rail-thin arms became bodybuilder-like. "That's a nice tie." She … Continue reading Smoked Salmon for Lunch
The Vignette
By David R. Topper I was faced with the task of choosing a picture to put in her obituary. Where to begin? You see, at my age I read the obits every day. And I must say that I often look at some of the pictures and mumble under my breath, “Couldn’t they find a … Continue reading The Vignette
Splinter
By Lamont A. Turner I carry every slight in my soul like splinters, Perforating my being, diluting it with foreign and odious matter. Every insult imbues my core with shrapnel Like hot lead from the rifles of an enemy impervious to my feeble assaults. My God how this added mass weighs me down! Clanging about … Continue reading Splinter
The Fate of the Poem and Other Poems
By John Grey The Fate Of The Poem I let it go and the wind took it, or was that the mail. It had a thousand mile trek ahead of it through six states and who knows how much rain soaked it, how many dogs chewed it, which spotty teenage girl mistook it for a … Continue reading The Fate of the Poem and Other Poems
Sedimentary Rock and Other Poems
By Eva Schiffer Sedimentary Rock Ground up experiences, suspended as long as the water is moving, disturbing its longing to rest, to settle, grain into grain, carrying but an echo of the sense the old rock used to make, before it gave in to the water. Layer upon layer of matter and time. Sedimentary Rock. … Continue reading Sedimentary Rock and Other Poems
Things Fall Apart
By Tabassum Tahmina Shagufta Hussein Things fall apart When you don't know the people Once you used to know. Things fall apart When you don't know the people Stabbing you behind your back Things fall apart When you don't know What's happening behind the scenes Against you Things fall apart When you can clearly notice … Continue reading Things Fall Apart
Whose Time Is It, Anyway? and Other Poems
By Ken Gosse Whose Time Is It, Anyway? I stared at its face and I dared it to grace me an hour of time, either way; one before or one after, for sadness or laughter (as if time is under our sway). A move into the future means now would be past and an hour … Continue reading Whose Time Is It, Anyway? and Other Poems
Academy of the Heart And Mind 