By: Ram Govardhan Nudging six feet, one the most rational eunuchs in Chennai, Rafael, while tucking pleats of his sari below the jewelled navel, was too careful not to hide the punch-line under the elaborate Cupid tattoo—naked winged boy with…
By: Ethan Goffman Help, I am a human trapped within the body of a human! Is this body my identity?I didn’t choose it. Did it choose me?Without me it lacks agency.Without it, I can never simply be.Yet who’s this “I,”…
By: Sheila Henry MyInner Lifeblossoms onpages andcreativity spreads openlike buddingflowers on a Spring morn In humility I sharesecrets of myselfmy feelings and emotionsof doubts of fearsof achievements of daresbeing comforted by thestrokes of my pen I bare my soul on…
By: john e.c. 3. After feeding him his beef or chicken for supper, she’d leave him at the TV and head for the river. It ran slow and deep past the bottom of the garden. Five weeks into her new…
By: KD Smith Some wounds defy healing,too deep to reachwithout hurting innocent tissue.Some wounds wait, assumed to be healed,boiling in infection, poised to erupt.One sharp jab, an unexpected blow,and poison follows channels,corrupting all it touches,jangling nerves and rattling what was…
By: Mark Millicent OLDER On reflection it’s getting cold; on reflection,I’m growing oldMy gate and stride, not as robust.I sit longer than I did, not as active as the kidMusing and smiling at the treasures I keepThe things that I…
By: Christopher Brooks Streetlights My neighborhood at nightis haunted by ghostsof children playing stickball in the streets.When a car approaches,they yell, “car!” But the car cannot see them;they are ghosts—people of no color whatsoever. The car continues to careenmadly through…
By: Bruce Levine Hitherto unknown. Jodi wrote down the words and wondered why. What was she thinking about that caused her to contemplate the idea? Yes, it was part of a dream, but she couldn’t remember the dream either. Had…
By: Charles Gibson Darkness resides in the individuals,which sit in a small dark room.Their souls are vexed with impurities.Evil men who have no good dwellingin them. Their thoughts are those ofoverseers who seek to oppresstheir own inhabitants. Void of amicrometer…
By K. A. Williams Barry was a workaholic and the manager of an appliance store. His new assistant manager was named Jake. People liked Jake. Barry and Anne, his wife, had even invited Jake and his wife Doris for dinner…