The Comedian by James Croal Jackson
The comedy club Rob performed at was closed for the next ten hours. He lingered by the door, didn’t have a change of clothes. Here’s to hoping he’ll be able to pay…
Issue
Issue #2
Page 2 of 6
What We Pieced Together About Our Father After His Death by James Croal Jackson
A father needs to have a secret room to do whatever it is that a father does in his secret room, so our father turned the oil-changing pit (six feet deep, eight…
Dickey’s by James Croal Jackson
Dickey was a white-haired humpback with one eye. His place had a small crowd: old men waiting around the bar for younger women to croon a tune on the old karaoke machine;…
Clover by Emily Vanston
In the spring I sow clover In the garden, with my lover. Our own small thing: our yard, A sky starred with clover. We lie, serene, unguarded, Each in the other fully…
Faultless by Emily Vanston
Faultless, You must have been disappointed. You must have protested To the soundless stars: Good begets good. Light, light. What of this? Borne on a litter of promises, Warm and worn, You…
Strange Material by Emily Vanston
Strange material You have rendered. You have penned Strange words: Broken dark things, clenched In broken coils, Blood-choked and Clotted, Oozing oily slow Onto the page, Smeared—your hand Shaking, Secreting shadows From…
Where Everybody Knows Your Name by Brandon Barrows
Nick Collins pushed his way through the pair of swinging doors into the bar, doffed his dark-colored forage cap then wiped the sweat from his forehead onto his uniform jacket’s sleeve. It…
Travel by Dave Gregg
She packed a magazine! for overnight I saw her! And wonder, “Why this issue?” Am I not enough to occupy her every waking? Does my presence invite such dread? My insulted ego…
Poets Warren by Dave Gregg
Is this when you cry? Where you tumble down the hillside beg and plead for another lazy day one more wasted minute? A week you’ll wisely Imbibe sobriety? This isn’t the return…
Birth Place by Dave Gregg
In the nineteenth century the delta was a swamp layered with rich life forms Rife with great white oak but commerce triumphed and the swamp was drained Great levees were constructed cotton…
Blues Noise by Dave Gregg
When the blues are played dirty (as must be) and they ricochet off the brick walls and echo over the levee linger long enough to join chorus of field hollers so long…
The NEW by Dave Gregg
Softly she dabs at crimson stars her hand towel bright with glow you never say where you find them but keep a tidy sky
The Marriage Test by James E. Guin
Placing the handset back to the telephone base, Tim looked across the room at Meili. She was sitting next to the window waiting for his response. His vision switched from Meli to…
A Sequence of Rainbows by Ken L. Jones
The first spring day is blissful serenity Fresh water from the mountains Brought down unto me After a winter that has played an ape Until all was so very pale That I…
Talk a New Language by Ken L. Jones
The light and color of the blossoming trees Is chrome and orange Pale stars of fruit in explosions of color And while a fragmentary nightingale sings Sounding over and over like an…
Beyond Velvet by Ken L. Jones
The day breaks beautifully in the piety of weary boulders As I am summoned by the fields to sojourn in the ancient there Amidst the meadows of purple flowers at the height…
Old Orchard Slow Melt by Ken L. Jones
Early autumn is brass toned beneath the sunflowers And the fallen acorns and boysenberries announce It is coming on now and hard And here where the frogs jump like rocking horses in…
Trembling With a Strobe’s Tint by Ken L. Jones
Crows fly off an unrecognizable cliff The click, click, click of the red wine ballet Is like a romantic train ride to old movies And while the scriptures of the rain Come…
The Traveler by Travis Lee
The traveler pulled out a chair and sat down across from me. I looked up, “Tonight’s the night?” The traveler was quiet. He was here before me, and I always figured he’d…
Art and Photography