by Gerard Sarnat You walk into the room With your pencil in your hand You see somebody naked And you say, “Who is that man?” You try so hard But you don’t understand Just what you’ll say When you get home.– Bob Dylan, Ballad Of A Thin Man i. I don’t remember when The Pilgrim’spork pie hat & suit bobbed Read More
Tag: children
What Is Left
by Amy Barnes I held her in my hand, a childhood Stuckey’s souvenir that began life nestled next to tooth-destroying sweet divinity and pecan logs and shot glasses with state names on them. Each thing chosen to be found during a spontaneous safari hunt through sweets and cheap trinkets. She was sculpted to attract kids stopping for a clean cross Read More
Susceptible
by Kristin Garth The doctor tells you when she’s five, first bout pneumonia, barely survived, that she is susceptible — protectable without exposure to much humanity. Kids are carriers, fatalities to be avoided to stay alive. Acres, pines, moths, servants, swans, beehives, she thrives, thin trees, cerebral climbs 60 feet to sunshine illuminating friends, odd names revealed when she, pretend, Read More
Herds
by Anita Goveas I’ve always wanted a trunk. Hands are useful, but wonky lungs mean more time bumside-down means itches in hard-to-reach places. I saw Asian elephants at Chester zoo, Aunty Devika drove us from Stockport in her Mini Cooper. They liked to roll around in the mud, I could see that. But it turned into a two-inhaler day, so Read More
Righteous
by Gale Acuff After Sunday School I walk the long mile home, full of God for another week and the memory of Miss Hooker to last just barely that long. I’ll see her again in seven days, walk to church and it won’t seem so far as it is coming back. I love her and want to marry her but Read More
Why Are You So Skinny?
by Lamar Neal I once thought my body was hideous, Filled with reminders why no one called me their own. At such a tender age, I lived envious Broken that puberty was my curse and others’ milestone. I couldn’t understand why God Didn’t give me a reason to hold my head high. The only time people were awed By my Read More
Sentimental Passing
by Lamar Neal Last night, I had a dream that my mother died And I woke in a cold sweat awaiting her voice. As I awaited for her to answer my calls, I cried Unsure how I would live if God made his choice. In that moment, life itself became surreal And every fairy tale proved itself as fake. Though Read More
The Pluralist’s Dry Outer Ear
by Colin James Discipline is a line of taut bums, soliloquies for the seated. Conformation has arrived. The cart driver will be waiting at the train station gate. It is a short journey to the castle. You are expected. Introduce yourself generally. Delve into the claret. The youngest daughter may wake you in your twin bed as you sheepishly sleep Read More
I Just Wanted to Feel Normal
by Lamar Neal Those who were supposed to love me Walked me to death’s door, in Jesus’s name. I was a young child who couldn’t see And those prayers weren’t helping my shame. I was always a little different But no I was not made incorrectly. I didn’t care I was Heaven spent I just wanted to feel sanity. Sometimes, Read More
Elephant Pond
by Ashley Bullen-Cutting curving slats cross sorrel watersdirty replication in a surface shared with the swaying of green truncated souls stop midwayperceptions pricked to mistral conversehoary spectral splashing veteran oaks storify in squeaksrecollecting ashen anatomiesquesting elephantidae snouts little ones gawp and clapinfant hands pokingbetween vertical boardsreaching for the past Note from the author: The Elephant Pond is a lovely habitat Read More