By: Zach Murphy Semisonic’s melancholy anthem “Closing Time” plays while Steve finishes up his last night as a security guard at HarMar Mall. This is almost too good to be true, he thinks to himself. The unsung hero gazes at…
By Mark Kodama I. I own a used bookstore off of Hollywood Blvd. It is not much to look at but it is mine. There always seems to be customers in my store even on a Friday night, well…
By Mark Kodama I. When King Bela of Hungary marched his army to the Sajo River on April 10, 1241, he knew the Mongols were near. He knew the Mongols were not warriors with whom to be trifled. He…
By: M. V. Sathyanarayana ARTI learned this art out of necessity…of shaping straying storms into a poem.It’s like brewing nectar from poison ivyand like rescuing words from a burning tome. My distressed spirits when seek solace from dinI dream of…
By: Bernice Groves “Another one. You made it,” a voice says. “Tough journey?” The boxcar rocks. A dozen shadowed bodies rock with it. Outside, the horizon lights up like winking Christmas lights. The train is a dying snake…
By: Amy Rohrbaugh God the Artistcreated it all.He painted each leafin the beautiful fall.He shares His warmthin the bright yellow sunthat lights up the skyin the summery fun.He kisses the tulipswith colors of springand whispers to the birdsto get them…
By Bennie Rosa Frank Stanley sat comfortably in his high-back wicker chair on the patio of his condo overlooking the Hackensack River. He could hear the Steins next door arguing with their teenage son. The wind was picking up and…
By John Grey CLEARING UP seven years married,what have you done with the violence,the man unsure,there are just your eyes for evidenceand they that travel southwhen he looks from the eastand. of course, the pieces of the chair is the…
By: Carl “Papa” Palmer have earslistenpay attentionavailabledon’t talk backor offer opinionnever interruptlet you have your say being the wallshould be mandatorytaught in schoolat homeon TVa college classbefore marriageprerequisite for politiciansand not just in America ### Carl “Papa” Palmer of Old…
By: George Gad Economou Dark Lines, Dark Rooms never been able to write happy-go-lucky shit,never could produce a line that wouldn’t inducea sense of helplessness and distraught to the reader; “write happier lines.”“write more well-constructed poems.”“watch the language.” “edit.” “proofread.”“do…