A Forest Somewhere

         by  Mitchell Waldman

 

There is a forest somewhere waiting

a stream that flows slowly

a field left untouched

waiting with silvery hands to touch

to meld our naked souls

where cardboard illusions

won’t obstruct our sight

where bolted signs won’t blind

or tell us where to go

 

and it’s all around

it’s here for the taking

just waiting for us

to open our eyes.

 

Bio: Mitchell Waldman's fiction, poetry and essays have appeared in numerous publications, including Green Silk Journal, The MacGuffin, Fiction Review, The Waterhouse Review, Crack the Spine, The Houston Literary Review, The Faircloth Review, Epiphany, Wilderness House Literacy, Battered Suitcase and many other magazines and anthologies. He is also the author of the novel, A Face in the Moon, and the story collection: Offenses and Crimes of the Heart, and serves as Fiction Editor for Blue Lake Review. A new story collection, entitled Brothers, Fathers and Strangers is due out in 2021 from Adelaide Books. ( For more info, see his website: http://mitchwaldman.homestead.com )

 

 

 

At a Distance

     by James B. Nicola

a mountain becomes a cloud at the horizon,
while that cloud becomes a mountain, hill, or town.
And who's to say your eyes and mind are lying?
They were made to inform you of what is,
the true empire of an empirical world.
They have been trained to hide you from it, too
and it from you.
Now I look a little closer,
think on today and you, and ask,
What illusion or what lie
might we shatter
to broach the distance
solve the sadness
answer the abyss
as with a kiss?

 

Bio:  James B. Nicola, a returning contributor, is the author of five full-length poetry collections. His decades of working in the theater as a stage director, composer, lyricist, playwright, and acting instructor culminated in the nonfiction book Playing the Audience: The Practical Guide to Live Performance, which won a Choice award.

 

Just Before January

       by  DS Maolalai

 

the feeling of just 

before january. lights 

all switched off. 

decorations hanging 

like spiders and slowly 

coming down.  

the days going long  

and with much less 

to look forward to.  

dead trees which bristle 

and stick out 

from the pavement 

in the badly  

shaven roughness 

of your grandfather's  

cheek. longing  

in the heart. the star 

of the songbird. 

warmth wearing coats 

and new scarves 

and new gloves. driving  

through the city 

on a dry saturday  

morning. idly – not going 

anywhere.

 

Bio:  DS Maolalai  has been nominated eight times for Best of the Net and five times for the Pushcart Prize. His poetry has been released in two collections, "Love is Breaking Plates in the Garden" (Encircle Press, 2016) and "Sad Havoc Among the Birds" (Turas Press, 2019)

 

HEAT

 by Carolyn Wolfe

 

In Summer

youth is re-captured

the burning to get going

to touch, to taste, to embrace,

to fan the embers

of every moment

as the world catches your fire

 

Summer is the intoxicant

as Winter is the Bracer

The heat encourages

an abandon of the now

and a fever to reach

new heights

taste new flavors

Indulge, empower, partake and devour

expanding your reach in all directions

Summer, it has to be said

is not for the faint hearted

but for allowing

your heart

to catch on fire.

 

Bio: Carolyn Wolfe is a free-lance writer, published poet, and author of eight books, four of which are illustrated children's books. Those include, "Am I YOUR Pet?", "The Drowsy House," "The Bedtime of The Sky and Other Sleepy-Bye Stories" and "The Unhappy Little Dragon, Lessons Learned." Her books for general readership include: "Miracle Paws, A Love Story" a story of rescue and light romance, and"The Moonsparrow Collection" which is a collection of her short fantasy stories. 

Ms. Wolfe has also published two collections of her original poetry" Notes From the Shadow Self" and "Making Waves," as well as an adult Sword and Sorcery novella, "Blade's Magic"  which is about dangerous magics and an attraction that spans two worlds.  her latest book,"Tales Told Under The Darkened Moon" is a collection of dark fantasy stories, that have a hint of humor, a hint of dread, and little bit of shiver for all fans of ghost stories and tales that go bump in the night.  All her books are available on amazon.com, Barnes and Noble and Books-A- Million- (online) Ms. Wolfe lives with her photographer husband, Scott, and a houseful of her own rescued, animal companions.

If you would more info about this Author, here is her website info: http://wolfecarolyn.wix.com/carolyn-storyteller