By: Karen O’Leary a year trappedin a healthcaresystem—a moneygrabbing empire where patientsmake appointmentsfor consults theydon’t qualify for??? hope dashedwearing out the illyet the cost basiscare keeps rolling

By: Judith Ferster Mr. Mendenhall’s Question On the train from New Haven to Northampton, my high school friend met the president of my college, who promptly invited us to his grand presidential house for a butler-served dinner, my first. When…

By William T. Hathaway The waves of war are rising again around the fragile ship of our civilization, threatening to sink it to the depths of barbarism and radioactive megadeath. The principle to preventing this is stated in the constitution…

By: Stephen Grant COLORS OF THE SKY Let’s look at the sky, its corners and depth, upside downand sideways. Then let’s describe its colour. Blue seemstoo obvious and doesn’t tell us much, a tautology if ever were. Red adds nothing,…

By: Carl Papa Palmer not a text, instant message,face book postor forwarded email an actual letterin a stamped envelopeaddressed to medelivered by my mailmanopened immediately your letter with a poem,a poem for me,written by yousigned by you holding your poemreading…

By: Don Tassone Bill Frazier was always drawn to news.  By the time he was eight, he was reading his parents’ newspaper, the World-Herald, all the way through.  It was the first thing he did when he got home from…

By Karen Lee Stradford Guest of Honor We hasten to the lobby,Coats hang on armswaiting to get checked in.A hostess directs us to the ballroom,large purple and goldlatex balloons swayin opposite directions.Rectangular tablesset in rowswith padded chairs. The smells offried…

By: Pardee Lowe, Jr. DA CAPO When I was youngAnd poems were strangeI ventured to inquireHow, poet, do words upon the page catch fire? Write, then, write, came the reply,And some day you will know. And so through the years, now,I have…

By: Daniel de Culla DESCENT TO THE BEACH Children are already going down to the beachEarthy sand next to the Cantabrian sea.They proclaim joy in their walkGlory and happiness of finding the best placeTo put chairs, mats, towelsTentWhere to dig…

By: Bruce Levine Cool crisp autumn airInvigorating the soulNature’s golden days Glories yet unknownHidden in happy momentsFall retains its joy Cooler days surroundNow emptying the remnantsOf life’s lethargy Lovely clothes of fallAwakening the mem’riesHappy times ahead Summer winds recedeTime for…