By Douglas J. Lanzo Flashing ambered orange, her eyespierce tall savannah grass,spotting shadows of horned beastsgrazing contentedly under mattedshade of acacia trees,as she tracks on padded pawsthrough yellow-seeded grass.Downwind of the herdthe undetected hunterflexes her spine and accelerates, pulsing with each clawed bound gripping sun-scorched earthas she powers quickening strides,turning in tight arc toward the … Continue reading A Huntress Who Locks in
The Gravity of Human Hands
By Mohit Saini \We are the species that names the stars,then counts their worth in coin and scars.We build our homes with borrowed stone,and call the dust beneath us "own."The same hand carving sacred artwill sign the orders, tear apart.The voice that rocks a child to sleepwill chant for war when passions leap.Yet in the … Continue reading The Gravity of Human Hands
Turnips in Southern Tennessee Still
By Michael Lee Johnson The full moon illuminates a dense coniferous forest and a path winding between the trunks of tall pines. The moonlight is divided into rays, covered by the tops of pine trees In Tennessee, the shadows of the southernwooden structures stalled off the narrowhighway and came to an abrupt end.Lost in the … Continue reading Turnips in Southern Tennessee Still
B*I*N*G*O*
By P.S. Nolf The G67 ball flees down the aisle, Bouncing off legs of tables and chairs and humans.Chased by hordes of tripping and skipping and flippingTigers, tuxedos, Siamese, and shorthairs. The kittens have gone to war.Too young to jump, humans help the littles to table tops. There they discover the best toys.Skittles likes to … Continue reading B*I*N*G*O*
Against All Stars
By Aykut Tufekli No more solitude to you, since I’m hereWith all my care that you will feelLook at the sky, all those starsNever will it shine as bright as your eyesNo words could tell the beauty of your heartIt must be hard to be both cute and smartThrough every dream, through near or farYou’ll … Continue reading Against All Stars
Gratitude
By Anonymous Like the sun that greets the dawn,Your words brought light when hope was gone.A gentle breeze, a steady flame,You made joy dance when I heard my name.Your poem flew like wings of grace,Took me to a peaceful place.By rivers calm and forests wide,I felt your kindness at my side.So here I send my … Continue reading Gratitude
September Autumn Competition Poetry Co-Winner: “An Evening in the Park” by Carissa Coane
Like torches held aloft, a patchwork of copper and gold treesdapple the terrain. Merciless, a sudden gust sweeps through,stripping the boughs,sending a storm of color whirling to the ground. A lone jogger slows to a walk,bewitched by the dried leaves’ crunch beneath his every step.Children kick through mounds of fallen foliage —scarves trailing, breath visible,voices … Continue reading September Autumn Competition Poetry Co-Winner: “An Evening in the Park” by Carissa Coane
September Autumn Competition Poetry Co-Winner: “Autumn Vibes” by Mary Bone
Autumn declares her glory withvibrant hues.The view is spectacular for a while.The trees are clothed for a time.The next season won’t be so gentle,when cold air blows in and stripsthe beauty away leaving a stark reality.Winter’s breath will soon arrive. Mary Bone has been writing poetry and short stories since childhood. Some of her poems … Continue reading September Autumn Competition Poetry Co-Winner: “Autumn Vibes” by Mary Bone
September Autumn Competition Poetry Co-Winner: “Autumnal Demise” by Emer McDermott
A soft hum came over autumn,beneath my feet patchwork was being complete. The wind rustled to knit the leaves together.Amber, gold, and green.The sky sighed out pristine clouds,soft velvet puffsagainst the cornflower blue.Tender September sung a symphony, and the morning mist danced, softening the distancebetween you and me. Rain ricocheted against my windscreenlike cathartic calligraphy, … Continue reading September Autumn Competition Poetry Co-Winner: “Autumnal Demise” by Emer McDermott
The Fairy of Sunlit Fields
By Elanur Williams She dances in sunlit fieldswhere the air smells of honey and earth,her laughter carried on the breezeamid the distant hum of bees.Her wings a shimmer, hair tangled with flowers,rose and lavender entwined. In her eyes, the summer sky:a thousand blue and infinite dreams.And as day meets dusk, she rests by a stream, … Continue reading The Fairy of Sunlit Fields
Academy of the Heart And Mind 