by Jen

FIRST TOUCH - by Jen

Even right up close
you stand calm, eyelashes still,
nose breath wuffling soft.

by Hessa

Wildflowers of Figueroa Mtn - by Hessa

My gawd
it's purple and orange everywhere
and it stahnks!
I thought this trip was wildflowers,
sighing
romantic
luxurious fields of waving petals,
wafting breezes -
but
screeching halt, man.

I'm not running through this scratchy scrub
like Maria
in Sound of Music.
If I did
I'd have to wrap
my bare legs in medical gauze,
check for ticks,
oh, and probably get a shot of anti-venom
for the chomp of the rattler
nestled in beside that rock.

Freakin 95 degree
dessicated
hellish
wasteland.

They say the flowers'll be gone next week.
Wonder why
they don't stick around.
Hah.

by Anke

Pub Date - by Anke

It's here.

Repeating
repeating
that hidden life
repeating
inside that
solid
stack,

each book a block of wood shavings,
until someone opens
even just one
and sees me
on just one page.

Page 105,
for instance.

There I am.

In every book.

For everyone to read.


And maybe
exposure
might
be

good.

by Matthew

CHARLIE'S GONE AGAIN - by Matthew
Pickin off rust
waitin for the 10 bus,
Charlie's gone again.

No buffalo jerky
no readin from that Hugo book
nobody throwin an arm over my shoulders
like he use to
because
Charlie's gone again.

Guess I'll figure out
my own algebra

Guess I gotta laugh out loud alone

Guess I'm gonna hafto walk
because the dang bus ain't comin
and
Charlie's gone again.