It was 6 am. I sipped from a mug of hot coffee while I looked out our bay window. Night lingered in the air and held down the colors of dawn from blooming. Glowing streetlights made the dim snowflakes glisten as they turned in their slanted fall and windows of flurries were held in suspense … Continue reading Winter Competition Fiction Winner: “Philosophy of Snow” by Gary Hardy
Winter Competition Poetry Winner: “blizzard” by Jennifer Choi
a flock of bald eagles descends, swooping down from the northern sky, crashing onto asphalt roads, refracting streetlight beams. with sharp talons, they tear roofs apart, … Continue reading Winter Competition Poetry Winner: “blizzard” by Jennifer Choi
The Paradox of Apologies
By Jonizza Giovanna Lupi I’m Sorry Finding yourself uttering "I'm sorry" as easily as breathing, you realize it has become a reflex, a default response in your interactions. It slips. The words roll off your tongue, involuntarily peppering your conversations. A verbal tic. But as you catch yourself apologizing for things beyond your control or … Continue reading The Paradox of Apologies
History of Burned Books
By Richard Smith Books are inherently human. They capture human struggle, present human ideas, and promote human expression. As there has been division on how to handle differing and problematic facets of humanity, division in handling different and problematic media also exists. People have turned to censorship to solve various issues, and in the case … Continue reading History of Burned Books
Christmas Telescope
By Fred Donovan Somewhere between Venus and Arcturus, my daughter and I squint to seethe comet that will not returnfor 80,000 years, give or take a millennium.But the supermoon drownsthe comet’s dim light,and clouds move in to ensurethe failed viewing. “We’ll see it whenit comes back,” I joke. She is not amused.“Maybe we can catch … Continue reading Christmas Telescope
Puppy Love
By Sarah Rosenblatt My puppy is in love with each of the humansin the house.She’s also in love with the momentthat rises up, filled with its mitzvahs. It then departs like a friendwe don’t want to leave. And you see once you take love from an animal and give some back:you are making a lifelong … Continue reading Puppy Love
Evidence
By Jennifer Choi things that are already too broken to fix,& the moment you touch them,they fall apart even more—objects that crumble at the slightest pull.today, a city breaks,today, a house,today, a family,today, a mother,today, a father.in the stationery shop, Nana twinklesfrom inside her little box.the doll my mother made has tangled hair,its neck stiff … Continue reading Evidence
The Devil With A Gun
By Doug Stoiber He rode a crooked path across the plains, and started youngFifteen years old, he robbed a widow with a stolen gunHe rustled cattle, hijacked trains, kidnapped a banker’s childHe killed a missionary priest and left his church defiledThere weren’t laws enough that he could say he hadn’t brokenWith fear and anger, people … Continue reading The Devil With A Gun
Alpine
By KJ Hannah Greenber
Wet Work
By Robert Beveridge So many contracts,and lawyers to enforce them.Time is nothing—no, less.All that mattersis the position, the last kiss,a good scrub of the handswhen done. Surgeonsare better paid in coin,but derive less satisfaction. Robert Beveridge (he/him) makes noise (xterminal.bandcamp.com) and writes poetry on unceded Mingo land (Akron, OH). He published his first poem in … Continue reading Wet Work
Academy of the Heart And Mind 