“At Motel 6” by Truth Thomas

At Motel 6

Bedbugs worship every mattress concert — suckers
          for
          humping
          headboard
          drums
          for
          pillows
          playing
          moans
          for
Every worshiping bedbug, mattress concerts suck —

Truth Thomas
9/29/15

 

“Harvest” by Annie Newcomer

Harvest

moonlight grazes over the tops of hills
reflects
footpath
around
lake
reflects
light
without
shadows
reflects
moonlight, over the tops of hills, grazing

Annie Newcomer
9/29/15

“In Chicago” by Truth Thomas

In Chicago

his badge of blues, made Rekia blood fruit
          firing
his
homicidal
entitlement
          firing
his
acquittal
ammunition–
          firing
his badge of blues, made Rekia bleeding fruit.

Truth Thomas
9/26/15

“Mistaken” by Jennifer Westbrook

Mistaken

The vultures swoop over me like I am
almost
dead
decomposing
I’m
almost
prey
not
predator—
almost.
Like I am, the vultures swoop over me.

Jennifer Westbrook
9/26/15

“The Art of Sculpting,” by Max Groen

The Art of Sculpting

You can’t sculpt loyalty
but
clay
you
can
but
statues
you
can
but
loyalty, you cannot sculpt

Max Groen
9/25/15

“Five Friends,” by Alisa Fetter

Five Friends

I’ve buried five friends since childhood
in
thick
mossed
ground,
in
ever-
widening
Abyss.
in
childhood, since, I’ve buried five friends.

Alisa Fetter
9/24/15