Ordeal ~ Nina Cassian I promise to make you more alive than you’ve ever been. For the first time you’ll see your pores opening like the gills of a fish and you’ll hear the noise of blood in galleries and feel light gliding on your corneas like the dragging of a dress across the floor. […]
Lament ~ Gerda Mayer Youth my youth you lie dead your vi olent vi olet passions and follies your silly green hopes crushed your grey wind that roared through the world pricked and de flated your gold-hoofed high blood slug gish and te thered your hys terical fountains dry whilst I sit in my e […]
A Flower-Piece by Fantin ~Algernon Charles Swinburne Heart’s ease or pansy, pleasure or thought, Which would the picture give us of these? Surely the heart that conceived it sought Heart’s ease. Surely by glad and divine degrees The heart impelling the hand that wrought Wrought comfort here for a soul’s disease. Deep flowers, with lustre […]
The Double Axe ~ Anne Hazlewood-Brady With torches have I wandered the dark poppy world Looking for Serena, my daughter with green eyes. Wearing the colors of clouds just after sunset She has been hidden archly in the curl of a wave. Once, in the streets, I saw her marching with men, fifteen striding; she […]
Scores of People Live in Her ~ Barbara Abbs Scores of people live in her Each different face Wheeled out as appropriate To fill each different space. Aria, hymn, pop or folk, She sings them all to order. The wise friend Succeeds the screaming shrew, With scarcely a pause The quiet gardener with trowel and […]
