Poetry

Rough Draft

Poetry by Teresa Chuc Dowell

The word, though spelled incorrectly, is mine. I cross it out in my own time and in its space, the brown earth, I will grow flowers, fruit trees, or lettuce. I am a rough draft, cursive drawn on paper with a pen and my left hand rubs over the ink.. »

Two Street, January First

poetry by Paul Siegell

football buffs / in Philadelphia’s aviaries vault the beer-can
casualties / of another round of fumbled punt returns.

parking authority tyrants / toy with every block possible
along Philadelphia’s / deliriousness of cobblestone.

such miserable hospital cafeteria coffee in Philadelphia’s. »

Something My Mother Told Me This Morning on the Phone

If you don’t see the light, don’t stay.

poetry by Nahshon Cook
Bangkok, Thailand
12/26/2010
. . »

Membrane or Mechanism

(Poetry by Breean Lowe)

Membrane or mechanism
is the tide, pulled places.
Sea to bay, bay by breezes,
just as we move on land

toward a view of the city. »

reasons not to swim at night

Poetry by Giuseppe Infante

in a cardboard box near the beach’s massive stones rests empty bottles of sugar cane soda or 30 cents for the weekly bottle collector with filth ridden dingy fingernails. ruined vacation in malibu. »

The Produce Aisle

Poetry by Laurel N.

Do not buy the lettuce
those frothy topped leaves
are festering with bugs.
Soft-bodied caterpillars follow
their jaws dragging their bulging
green weight. Imagine. »

A Skeptic at Night

Poetry by Lia Greenwell, for Tyler Clementi

When there is heaviness at the end of a day, I sometimes catch myself in
accidental prayer. “God–” my mouth will drop, like a pearl rosary bead falling
from my tongue. »

Dear OKCupid,

I am married to a man,
and while I am looking more
for a girl to kiss than
“just friends”,
I would appreciate it
if you found a way
to discourage
old Oklahoman dudes
from masturbating
to fantasies
of me traveling
to fuck them
like their wives won’t.

-poetry by Katie Moore. »

Blowback

Poetry by William Haine

When I was seventeen
I had sparse sideburns, brand new shirts,
and too much cologne.
I slept with girls because it had to happen.
At eighteen I got naked at parties
. »

A Girl Walks Into A Bar

a poem by Amy Pimentel

He says
my curls entice him
He says
the paleness of my face attracts him
He says
his hands want to hold my ass
He says
his mouth wants to lick my. »

Litany for Silence

a poem by Rachelle Cruz

After Gabrielle Calvocoressi

My mother in her flesh nightgown and I swallowed silence.
The bedroom door left ajar and I swallowed silence.
A book of refusal and I swallowed silence.
My sister’s corded laughter and I swallowed. »

Crossing-Over: On Writing Poetry for the First Time

by Magda Makonnen
So you decide to start writing poetry. You’ve been writing fiction or non-fiction for some time, but this will be your first time committing to writing verse. Where do you begin?

I know crossing-over is no easy task, except for those special few who seem to do it all. How many times have I heard a. »