By Mason Yates For Korbin Ratner, the rural Illinois town Oakdale Ferry could not end its day unless the cotton candy sky melted blue and pink together, or his girlfriend, Tiffany Earman, drove him to the small mom and pop gas station uptown, where he worked overnight as a cashier. On this particular evening, both … Continue reading Chain-smoker in Blue Jeans
An Offering of Red
By Channie Greenberg
Karaoke and Horticulture
By Peter Mladinic Karaoke Backyard sun and shadows and birds chirping takes me back to one birthday winter night at the Texas Lounge. We took turns at karaoke. At the mic I was attempting “Bernadette” as sung by the Four Tops. Shots of courage I’d gotten from the bar didn’t prevent my voice’s faltering, uncertain … Continue reading Karaoke and Horticulture
as insignificant walks & waltz and Other Poems
By Jen Schneider as insignificance walks & waltzes i used to walk at night only after the weight of the day’s work had lifted now i walk at night because only the sky reminds me that none of that work matters Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2022/07/12/james-webb-space-telescope-photos-explanation/ a ___ reasons to wish upon a star a billion -- divided … Continue reading as insignificant walks & waltz and Other Poems
A Homeless Man and Other Poems
By Mike Neville A Homeless Man There is a homeless man just wandering the streets… You think this is no one that you care to meet… He walks up and down the streets all day… And you wonder where at night does he stay… He may live in a his car or in a camp … Continue reading A Homeless Man and Other Poems
Lefty
By Judy Lunsford The tumors are in there taunting me. They keep me from being in control. The surgeon is confident that he can drain the cysts. He is also confident that once he drains the cysts that I should get my life back. He is going to be drilling holes in my head. I’ve … Continue reading Lefty
Getting On and Other Poems
By Anthony Ward Getting On As we grow older, We become firmer. Rigid with responsibility- Making us brittle. When you’re young, You’re soft and ductile. You don’t feel hurt The way we do. Where we were once quite agile, We’re now quite fragile, Much stronger in mind, Than when we believed we were. A Fine … Continue reading Getting On and Other Poems
Emptied of Desire and Other Poems
By Richard LeDue Emptied of Desire The dark circles under my eyes are hallow, the pillow a sponge for my sweat, blankets too easily pulled away in the middle of the night, and the dream journal from my youth full of crooked words, describing eyelids that dared to take shape among the space between stars, … Continue reading Emptied of Desire and Other Poems
At Forlorn Days
By Ezekiel Angela Iyeh Birds sang porch songs no more when the earth swallowed a woman, a heart as sweet as melon. Stillness framed the hearts of her sons and daughter. Dawn came wobbling, like the rolling of pages in the wind, summoning the spirit of sorrow with dark clouds as light glowed away like … Continue reading At Forlorn Days
Steps Away from Pragmatism
By Thaddeus Lee There’s a place where all of us go. It’s not far from here. Simply a few steps from the corner store and a block or so from Times Square, and you’ll be there with us. A place to be free. A lush landscape of green hills overlapping each other until they meet … Continue reading Steps Away from Pragmatism
Academy of the Heart And Mind 