by Jide Badmus It’s a rainy morning.The earth breathescold on its citizens.I reach for a blanket offlesh that is unavailable. The room is filledwith pieces of you—strands of hair,vestige of scent,mirage of smile &a ghost of your voice.There is a depressionon your side of the bed—but these walls struggleto reconstruct memories.The mirror claims not torecall … Continue reading Cold Room
by Patrick Karl Curley memories of you before you’re gone; dried petals on the windowsill crackling on the breeze tiny sparks of burning chaff glitter in your eyes light that ripples on loneliness in company by a purling brook & & Patrick Karl Curley Patrick Karl Curley is a poet and performance artist from Sligo, … Continue reading Three Haikus
by Karen Shepard I take it personally, braid it into my hair, tie it around my index finger so that I don’t forget, put it in my shoe to pain my every step, sprinkle a dash of in my morning coffee so that I keep tasting it. I hear it’s not about me so I … Continue reading The Quiet
by Epiphany Ferrell It occurred to Marion that she’d been lying in bed quite a long time. At first she’d watched the shadow from the windowpane move up the wall, across the ceiling, down the other wall. Then she’d not been able to see it anymore. It all seemed gray, the indistinct light of not-quite-morning. … Continue reading Freshman
by Christina Petrides Pressure To be silenced is to be discouraged. Stifled dreams seep away to poison air, earth, and people. Unrealized ambitions, thwarted hopes, and muted prayers seethe until they burst into enraged action— blind, fierce, and embittered. Pep Talk Knock it back to good old times square one. Show them what you’re made … Continue reading Two Poems
by Vanessa Maki Vanessa Maki Vanessa Maki is a queer writer, artist & blk feminist whose work has appeared or will appear in various places. She has self-published chapbooks & has several chapbooks forthcoming or out this year: the chosen one (Animal Heart Press), sweet like limes (Bone & Ink Press), decayed state (marlskarx) & … Continue reading Corner of My Brain
by Seth Jani No more do the animals routin darkness. They go before usblind and ecstatic, carrying theirprimal secrets.We lose everything with their power.The shine of otherness is our only heart.We cast the fishing line and pull upold tires. It’s not funny like in the movies.This world is unbearably sad.My niece will never knowthe true … Continue reading One Precious Stone
by Sarah Mackey Kirby I decided when I grew up, I’d have a quiet house. Where snapping wind-tapped twigs and magnolia leaves traced open window. Where vitriol didn’t bleed through walls, and slammed back doorsdid not exist. Where only eager, barking dogs could break no-loud-noise code. Where tiptoed morning socks would press against old oak … Continue reading A Quiet House
by Amanda Pendley there are envelope poemsfistfuls of you in my handsblown away only half on purposeand half by the wind held in and let out likea child’s emission of defeat from not beingable to hold their breath any longer I stand emptybreathlesshands limp in a reflected pool of surrenderbefore the scream comesthe scurryingthe nails … Continue reading in the end, who are we but little women fused and accumulated and ready to snap apart from the whole of ourselves like chocolate squares
For Cody, for me RECIPE FOR DEAD BROWNIES Buy a box of brownie mix. Set aside the ingredients. Fill the empty box with dirt. Bury the box. Combine ingredients above your brownie box grave. SONG TO LET GO Catch some wind in your hands. Sing a sad song to the wind. Release the wind when … Continue reading Grief Fruits by M.L. Rengots
Dream Noir 