By Stephen Kingsnorth Body Language Reflecting on Painting: The Woman taken in Adultery Why does he lower face, join the woman in down-cast eyes, when the other men point with their calculating, tricky, digit stares? They unbent, he questions, bends again. Why does he lower frame, join the woman's down-cast norm, when … Continue reading Body Language and Other Poems
The Eve of Goodness and Might
By Luisa Kay Reyes Whether commissioned by a committee To celebrate a Christmas in the City The German carol “O Christmas Tree” Can be sung from Berlin to the South China Sea. While the hills may seem out of reach When celebrating Christmas at the beach The spiritual “Go, Tell It On The Mountains” Is … Continue reading The Eve of Goodness and Might
Surreal Magic Moments and Lockdown
By Maureen Barron Surreal Magic Moments The cellist had once played in the London Philharmonic. She spoke with plummy aplomb. She introduced the catholic priest dressed in his robes. He, long and thin and fair of hair, sat pious at the piano. We were battered by life, weary with worry. Sent for sanctuary to a … Continue reading Surreal Magic Moments and Lockdown
The Captain Dreams and Other Poems
By Alex Kashko The Captain Dreams Small tramp steamer On the way home The captain dreams Of days that are gone Captain Blood is laughing aloud Blackbeard's drinking gunpowder and grog As the captain dreams Of days that are gone The Flying Dutchman races The Marie Celeste As the captain dreams Of days … Continue reading The Captain Dreams and Other Poems
Assignment and Other Poems
By Alex Andy Phuong Assignment Assignments might be dreadful But they can still be Educational Empowering And involving much more Than reading or writing Because as knowledge accumulates People can benefit From self-improvement And the life lessons To guide them navigate Their own lifelong narratives Nepotism Kinship Friendship Favoritism Rather than being picky Practice sheer … Continue reading Assignment and Other Poems
The Purple Blossoms of Late Summer and Other Poems
By Thomas Page The Purple Blossoms of Late Summer In the plot by my porch purple flowers have bloomed During the Roman’s esteemed month To speckle the onions and the leeks Looking as clean as the weeds In the summer’s rains and shines. How pleasant are these surprises of nature Which see the green … Continue reading The Purple Blossoms of Late Summer and Other Poems
Music Stillborn, or Just Interrupted and Other Poems
By Holly Day Music Stillborn, or Just Interrupted Strewn with the bones of sailors lured to its rocky shores By sirens singing songs of love and sometimes loneliness Arms outstretched to passing ships as if in joyous embrace. A broken heart floats on a cold, neurotic sea. The waters beat upon the beach in bone-crushing … Continue reading Music Stillborn, or Just Interrupted and Other Poems
Adamantine Redux September 2020
By Jim Dodds The lost conceits we all maintain grow weary as the seasons turn all the strategies we use collapse, and mirrors do our pleading spurn. These adamantine phantoms fade, all pretense, smoke and mirrors just like dramas set on Shakespeare's stage, the ghosts of anger, fear and lust. Do fame and love and … Continue reading Adamantine Redux September 2020
Don’t Judge a Word By How It Sounds and Other Poems
By Alex Andy Phuong Don’t Judge a Word by How it Sounds “Clandestine” sounds nice Yet secrets obscure the truth It IS a big deal! Behind Scenic Fantasy Behind the glamour Of what many consider Beautiful is Fact Bedtime Lying in bed Implies laziness But sleep is essential To begin again And after the day … Continue reading Don’t Judge a Word By How It Sounds and Other Poems
I Trust Your Highness Will Excuse My Being Opal Creek and Other Poems
By Jake Sheff I Trust Your Highness Will Excuse my Being Opal Creek “Do a similarity of paths in life and a similarity of situations give rise to a similarity in characters? As a general thing it doesn’t. For people with strong minds and spirits of their own it does not. They have their own … Continue reading I Trust Your Highness Will Excuse My Being Opal Creek and Other Poems
Academy of the Heart And Mind 