Reese Scott warns against heeding the disillusioned older generation, who’ve abandoned their dreams, turning to gin and cigarettes, physically deteriorating. At 55, they’re aware of their emptiness and inability to offer protection but vows honesty and a futile attempt to save you, ending with an apology.
By: John Ziegler Uncle Ernest was a thin man, bent crane-like. His Adam’s apple bobbed with his keening harangue. Also when he laughed. A bank clerk, he was invested, AT&T, U.S. Steel. He died alone in the shower, discovered by…
By: Walt Shulits Is it a covert confession, his guilt gushing, grabbing him by the ankles and shaking until truth tumbles onto the nightstand or is the photo his personal meme, the renunciation of a carefully cultivated carapace, an assertion of who he really…
Daniel de Culla paints a critical and humorous picture of Paris, mocking its nicknames ‘City of Light’ and ‘City of Love’. He describes the Ferris Wheel at the amusement park as a highlight, offering views of landmarks like Notre Dame and the Eiffel Tower. Yet, he warns of the expensive café drinks and the undesirable taste of holy water. With sarcasm, he recounts the disillusionment in the quest for love, seeking but not finding satisfaction in Pigalle’s notorious Moulin Rouge, mocked by the dancers for their unmet desires, leading to a disappointing turn in a sex shop. De Culla’s narrative carries a caution from his father, emphasizing the illusion versus the reality of the city’s promises.
By: Jim Bates Beneath the tree topsA lush carpet of soft fernsBeckons one to rest. Sunlight sparklingOn water droplets fallingBirds frolic beneath. Snow-On-the-MountainSoft green and white groundcoverSoothing to the soul. After hot yard workResting under shady treesCool breeze refreshes. Cascading…
By: Jim Bates After the snowstormWinter’s soft gentle beautySnow on evergreens. Glorious bright moonShining on snow reflectingBrilliant winter light. At the skating rinkHappy folks spin and swirlA winter ballet. Sunlit snow fallingTiny flakes frosting the groundSparkling and gleaming. Bleak gray…
By: James Hippie Intake The intake psychiatrist asked meif I was hearing voices,experiencing hallucinations,or believed I possessedany superpowers. Then he asked meto remember three words: AppleBroadwayPencil Twenty-seven yearslater I canstill recall them,like a mantraor form ofsympathetic magic. As long as…
By: Ryan Quinn Flanagan Forest Dwelling Thing No druid-hung tree for you,no forest dwelling thing,no bloodletters or caregivers –please pass the silent leech tongsof dinner table etiquette. For what ails, there is no cure.No principality of common refuge. That dangling…
Mayumi reflects on the absence of a loved one during a past birthday, with her pet Tenten still alive then. Now, as another birthday approaches without Tenten, the loved one has returned. Amidst tragedies in the world, Mayumi’s perspective on her small world shifts, desiring the loved one’s presence until her life’s end.
By: R.T. Castleberry THE WORLD IS NOT RENEWED Sleeping beneathGoodwill blanket and sheets,the first rattle of winteragainst the windows,I take tension intoevery breathing day.Feral, almost criminal,I drive back threats, toss backtavern shots and beers.No matter where I strike,any lie or…