by Suzanne Craig-Whytock Last week, Sparrow turned to me suddenly and said, “When you die, what do you want me to do with you?” We were watching TV together, cozy under a blanket, his arm around my shoulders. I laughed in surprise, a little taken aback, and answered, “Honey, aren’t you jumping the gun?” He smiled sweetly and said, “You Read More
Tag: mortality
Lake Nights
by Ryan Norman Moonlight laps the shoreline astiny-surfed feet dance on the pebblesin the stillness of night.Soft crashes of water on stone orchestratea ceremonious march toward sirens’soft sonnets—vows of forevertogether in the depths of the shallowglittered lake. His steps sink in the man-sown sandcovering the beach of dirt and stone hisheel toe, heel toe slidingone after the other—Soles pound to Read More
Putting On Face Cream In Front Of The Mirror
by Ashly Curtis She’s not dead yet, but someday—my fingers tremble at the thought, performing my nightly ritual.I dip my middle finger in the soft white bowl and smear youthon my cheeks, nose, forehead, chin, stick out tongue at my reflectionin the glass, like she did at me when I was her mirror.For a brief moment, I call her spirit Read More
Strange Commandment
by Michael Igoe I want you to rise up,as if from sleep,feel the same wakefulnessyou get when you’re drowning.You must rise in bliss,let yourself play in traffic.You need to take part,in the multicolored parade,a vast opportunity to roast.Off the back porch,covered by your britchesI want the shirt off your back.Please fade into ancient hotelssip black coffee while you clean. Michael Read More
Writing Suicide Notes in the Bluebird
by David L O’Nan I was writing on notebook paperRed-bumped tongue sticking like glue to the roof of a dry mouthDecember weakens meMy bones and all my thoughtsCan’t dream in the pillars of orgasmsWhen our ecosystems begin crashing in declining health I freeze to your scarsAnd grew hungry in all of your fearsThe stairs and the elevatorsThe storms and the Read More
Hard Rule Enclosing
by Michael Igoe Swindled by awetaken from othersit held me fromsaved, raptured momentsIt’s frolic, a panic;the count of blood dropsin the heave of the gut.It reaps a cryptic fortuneunleashed, in vast array,makes a deal like madwith uninvited guests.Unsure, motive grows clearerin the twilight of my lifetimeI someday must clear out.My secret battle with time,Does it freeze within me? Michael Igoe, Read More
Plane Takes Off from Chicago
by Thomas Murray Plane takes off from Chicago; touches down in Orange County.One with a young man; the other with another, bald and gray.In between many worlds, lives, and dreams passed by.Bound to a god I can never see, but sure I feel It with me. Going from the Gobi to the 405 is a full-time job.My thoughts like winter Read More
fragmented no. 8
by DAH 1. … from now on, a reshuffling of diction,word-acrobatics, perspectives gleaming withnew realities: somebody built an orange treeagainst the other things around it, to feaston boiled eggs in the cold hand of a plate,the convulsions of the world can only goso far: it’s a matter of course … … regression is a retelling of history, mind-formsthat are slipping: Read More
People Parts
by Roppotucha Greenberg Pamela, my daughter, doesn’t come because she isn’t into graves lately (or Wordsworth or her maths homework), which is a shame. It’s been a year and I’ve grown a nice kitchenette beside the headstone. You know the way it is. At first, you seep. You squelch through the dark, straining at every molecule in your path. You’re Read More
Animals
by Jerry K. Robbins What if animals can stand apartFrom themselves, circumspectEven the lowly skink,Look around themselves and reflect“What am I to think?” What if a horse’s plaintive neighIs his way of announcingThat life is more thanRunning in circlesAt the beck and call of man What if an elephant coming across bonesThat once were enfleshed and aliveSees that these bones Read More