Arabella by T.J. McGowan
The floor heaved and moanedin creak and contortion,a million whispers bundled togetherfrom stained paperand the holy smellof stories told. In a wind of no beginning,I am lead to the emptiest cornerof the loneliest room,to meet her – Arabella,the ghost of turned pages,burned by the world,and bound to the burdensof touchless…
Accident by Jolly Alexander
If you’re too greenfor a placeeveryone can feel it As sure as self isclose to the entrancea walled chasm of separationinvades Streets collideat a juncturemeet at your feethead over heelsthis raggedy dollhurtledcatapulted in time This urban martrydromof female patronessesplanted in crevicesof concrete and steel There’s somethingsomewherethat does not want a body,watches…
Baggage by Leslie Burton-Lopez
FIVE At four p.m., a month after Mom died, Aunt Peggy first came to my doorstep with her black bag. She held her hand out to me and said, “Hello Maggie, I’m your Aunt Peggy.” I was five. “What’s in the bag, Aunt Peggy?” I reached out a hand to…
The Shadows at Night by Joshua Ian
The Pyrenees Mountains, 1907 There was a movement outside the window at the end of the hallway, a flutter of shadow in the darkness beyond. Maudine stopped and waited, alert. She had already extinguished all the torches in the long stone corridor but the moonlight was bright. It bounced from…
Letter from the Editor
Dears Readers, It’s hard to believe it’s September already! 2019 has flown by in the blink of an eye. Interesting how time works. One moment it’s dragging on, the next you have absolutely no idea where it’s gone. It’d be funny except I find it a little terrifying. It makes…
Lovely Waiting Stars by Paula Earnest
As the day greets the night bowing one to the otherthere is a moment when day is not dayand night is not nightbut a pause between—two hands folded togetherholding one silent prayer. It is then—when pink-blue clouds seepinto the porous pale skydeepening plum, magenta and sapphire. Before the darkness rises slowly.Before the…
Ode to the Shieldmaiden by Caroline Hardaker
The oncoming ships are set to tip by pulled chainsand the gods have agreed to play their partto break the Christians’ formations, the backbone of their fleet.It’s like the songs – where Shieldmaidens knife the sea-crestwith a hardy keel, with the men howling belowfor perfumed boats to meet the mud…
Kabuki Lessons by David Lohrey
It must be thrilling to know everything.Girls used to be so full of doubt but now they say,“Sure, I’m sure.” I say 1970, she says Nixon bombed Cambodia.When I was a kid, I found a brontosaurus under my corn flakes.Today I get all of world history at the end of my…
Photography in Geneva by Suzanne S. Rancourt
At the art museumI should write about brush strokes trees, expressions, tones, color,the frame, yes,explore the surface – its gilded swirls curtailthe sprawls of evening shadows, the pastelsof sunsets and greyscale apparitionsparanormal remnants Essencesouzo distillations of wormwood nostalgiaerect and reaching from a cubea right angled Harlequin Jacquard love I love the…
Q&A with Author Michael Chin
Our EIC, Renee Firer, had the pleasure of reading an advance copy of author Michael Chin’s upcoming collection Circus Folk. In this collection, you’ll meet a lion tamer, a clown, a strong man, conjoined twins, and many more. Each story can stand on their own, but when put together, they…
Take Us On A Journey To Somewhen
