By: Thomas Sanfilip Robert waited anxiously for his sister Alissa to embark from the plane. His pale, strained features lit up instantly when he saw her as they made their way out of the airport into the southern Californian sunlight,…

By: James P. Goss Atomic Bomb, Rising Sea Rejoice in the timeof your betrayal.Let it bring youto tears,the soft lightetching your facewith mercy. Doing battle,your energy declinesalong with the earnest convictionsso fondly embraced in your youth. ### Paperscrapers I walk…

By: Jack Bristow            Jimmy “Wheels” O’Flanagan was a beast of a man. He weighed only 150 pounds; he wore a scally cap. He rolled everywhere. He could have taken the subway, he could have taken the taxi, but he liked to roll. He had the rolling down to an…

By: Anjana Sanyal CATALYSTSWe used to count the starsOn the lining of my dark hairI counted the frecklesOn your back when I was on top of youWe look for love under the eyes where it stayedWhenever it glimmered in our…

By: Ram Govardhan Hey handsome gravedigger,at this spine-tingling witching hour,you’re digging an oblong ditch,for the frail, blood-soaked bodyof the sweet, rose-cheeked girlkilled by her dashing husband,who says he is a master mariner,back from the Andaman sea,after months, on a long…

By LA Robbins Thanks for everything. It was fun. Stay in touch. Waiting patiently at the train station. All good.             A tiny snort of air escaped her nostrils as Sara read the text. His message said it all. Except…

By: Stephen McGhee Chimney Souls Porter spit sizzles upon the coalsI half engaged through inward eyeSoon released as chimney soulsTo dance with like in Dublin sky. To stoke this world a poker turnsAn ambers life to reigniteHypnotised by burning thoughtsI…

By Debra J. White The hijab (also known as a headscarf) came one by one after I said the Shahada, or conversion of faith to Islam in March 2015. Print hijabs, cotton hijabs, silky smooth hijabs and several I bought…

By: Chris Calcara We recognize moments when we know that something awful is about to happen, and nevertheless hope a miracle will intervene. There follows a paralyzing pause and then, the inescapable wallop. CRASH! We met the day my El…

By: Mickey J. Corrigan White Night So I drive the van to the interstateand pull over by an overpasstake the M16from the back,stick a flag in the barrel. Yeah, it’s loaded. I’m loadedand my eyes are on fire. Sun’s roaring…