Analysis by Kevin R. Farrell

I dreamt of the past

and in that dream I didn’t try to change a damn thing.

Next morning meditated heavy,

feeling light.

Let’s all grow our hair out,

be hippie like shaman like mystic like fantastical beings

with designer jeans

designer drugs,

designer genes,

still designer drugs.

Most people confuse insignificant with inferior,

I struggled with former and latter,

no, for real, I was confused by their meaning,

oh, and yes, I’ve felt like both,

meaning insignificant and inferior,

maybe that’s why I never confused them.

Kevin R. Farrell, Jr. is a New York based artist, poet, and educator whose work has been published in BONED – Every Which Way, Burning House Press, Rumble Fish Quarterly, Adroit Journal, Ink in Thirds Magazine, Foxhole Magazine, Yo-NEWYORK! and others.

In 2021 Farrell released Best of the Worst which consists of 20 poems that have risen to the top of the trash heap that is his constant documentation of a life spent toeing the line between spiritual bliss and emotional upheaval. As a recovering addict each day can be a struggle when dealing with the dumpster fire that is modern day existence. Sometimes Farrell attempts to put out the fire, on other days he warms his hands by the flames.

Dick On Wheels by Marc Darnell

He pays for sex, because he has needs,

and screw the law--

men are pigs anyway.

Oh and what he pays--

he doesn’t want a beast of paw--

his mumbling sex squeeze needs

rock tits, be lanky with swinging beads,

and he wants her close to new,

call him a pig.  Anyway,

they'll do the deed any way

he chooses, even raw,

because he has needs

for penile sensitivity.  His brain breeds

out of emptiness, it grows

more so each screw he does any way

any day he finds a whore to play

this fake love game, oh holy cow

he’s a cash runt of guilt who needs

to believe all men are pigs.  Anyway...

Marc Darnell is an online tutor and custodian in Omaha NE, and has also been a phlebotomist, hotel supervisor, busboy, editorial assistant, farmhand, devout recluse, and incurable brooder.  He received his MFA from the University of Iowa, and has published poems in The Lyric, Rue Scribe, Verse, Skidrow Penthouse, Shot Glass Journal, The HyperTexts, Candelabrum, The Road Not Taken, Aries, Ship of Fools, Open Minds Quarterly, The Fib Review, Verse-Virtual, Blue Unicorn, Ragazine, The Literary Nest, The Pangolin Review, and elsewhere.

WHOEVER YOU ARE by John Grey

Your name I don’t recall.
Nor what you looked like.
I’m sure you still exist,
somewhere in this world,
whatever you’re called,
or most resemble.

Yes, I’m sure
that once you were 
part of another life.
If it was mine
then I must have been elsewhere.

John Grey is an Australian poet, US resident, recently published in Orbis, Dalhousie Review and Connecticut River Review. Latest books, “Leaves On Pages” and “Memory Outside The Head” are available through Amazon.

rejection letter #2 by Giovanni Mangiante

dear giovanni mangiante,
thank you
for your interest in our magazine,
but it seems
you
have mistakenly
sent us
your resume
rather
than your submission.

we are now currently closed
for submissions,
but feel free to try us
again next time
when
you’re sober.

we look forward 
to reading
your
work.

Giovanni Mangiante is a poet from Lima, Peru. He has work published in Newington Blue Press, Rusty Truck, The Daily Drunk, Anti-Heroin Chic, Heroin Love Songs, Rat's Ass Review, Three Rooms Press, and more. In writing, he found a way to cope with BPD.

Letter to Bruno by Daniel S. Irwin

Bruno, my brother, hear this.
I have decided to end my life.
No, seriously, this is it.
A firm decision on my future.
A future proven rather vague,
Not unlike the days of my past.
So, esta finito, a finish to it all.
The method of my demise
Is still under consideration;
Passive, as with pills or gas,
Dramatic, as with kissing a truck,
Or, maybe, just flinging myself
From the Eiffel Tower, which
Would require a lengthy trip
And tools to cut through the
Wire mesh placed around
The edifice since so many
Have jumped before me.
Drat! There goes originality.
I’ll come up with something.
The date is set, my birthday:
Either my hundred and tenth
Or my hundred and twentieth.
It’ll be a while.  I’ll let you know. 

Daniel S. Irwin, a native of Sparta, Illinois.  Retired military.  Dudeist priest.  Dedicated heathen. Work published in over one hundred magazines and journals world wide.  Founder of The Hardened Sailors’ School of Vulgar Vernacular (now disbanded). Latest work can be found at/in Horror, Sleaze, Trash Magazine, Beatnik Cowboy, Cajun Mutt, The Rye Whiskey Review.  

It’s Ridiculous by Christine M. Du Bois

It’s ridiculous how much
I love,
how much
I crave
all that is creative
in all creation,
how much
I long
for union 
with
every ovum,
every spore and sperm,
painter’s palette,
tapping toe drop,
woven nest, and 
tiny bit of algae
dancing aglow
in inky seas;
every beaver’s lodge,
beveled loveseat,
tapenade on toast,
woven tapestry,
micro-sculptures
on grains of rice, 
macro-scupltures
on massive, translucent 
blocks of ice;
every aria, 
accordion,
drumbeat, 
bluegrass, 
hymn for humming, 
spitting sparkler,
spangled humming
bird;
cathedral spires,
purse-web spiders,
steel-pans, lyres, 
baobabs, 
bossa nova, and
the web of life
beneath all soil.
This love is wild,
ardent and
arduous, 
sharp and 
shepherding,
stretching towards
connection,
foolish and rebellious--
complete infatuation--
and it makes me feel
eternally,
achingly 
alive.

Christine M. Du Bois is an anthropologist of immigration, race relations, and food cultures.  She has published three non-fiction books, Images of West Indian Immigrants in Mass Media (LFB Scholarly, 2004), The World of Soy (University of IL Press, 2008), and The Story of Soy (Reaktion Press, 2018). She is a new poet, a precinct Judge of Elections in Pennsylvania, a longtime Girl Scout leader, a wife, a mom, and a friend.

Icey Me by Andrea E. Lodge

 

Andrea E. Lodge resides in Philadelphia with her husband and two disabled cats; Budgie, with only three legs, no tail, constantly drooling, and Loki, AKA Poki, AKA, Pokapotamus (because he weighs 20 pounds), a Scottish fold with only one folded ear.  She studied English/Secondary Education at Holy Family University and taught middle and high school Writing and Literature after graduating.  She is now a full-time Writer and something resembling an artist.  She has had several poems featured on Spillwords, two pieces included in an anthology by Havik, several poems and some prose in different issues of Alien Buddha Press’ Feminist Agenda, The Alien Buddha’s Block Party: Blackout Poetry, Alien Buddha’s Zine #11, #12 and #21, her poem, Screaming at Tiffany’s, was in the 12th issue of Voice of Eve magazine. She has also had some work featured in Danse Macabre’s Entrée DM 123 and DM 125: Fete de Noel.  She has also been featured in the Winter edition of Soul Lit’s online ‘zine, 2019.  As of late, Andrea has written reviews for the books Evocare (Ayo Gutierrez, Eileen Tabios, Brian Cain Aene) and The Tears I Never Told You (JinQue RD).  Andrea has also edited The Tears I Never Told You and Are You Ready? (Ayo Gutierrez, Gigi D. Sunga, Ph.D.)  She has most recently had her poetry featured in the anthology, Scentsibility, a book of poetry related to the senses.

i am pro-title haikus by Tohm Bakelas

“submission guidelines  
clearly state: ‘do not title haikus”—  
well, fuck you 

Tohm Bakelas is a social worker in a psychiatric hospital. He was born in New Jersey, resides there, and will die there. His poems have appeared in numerous journals, zines, and online publications. He has published 12 chapbooks. He runs Between Shadows Press. 

What? by Kevin M. Hibshman

Vainglories.

Pills.

The room goes fuzzy.

My head.

My head.

The room laughing, walks all over me.

My friend is missing.

Missing eternally.

Your talk goes numb.

Falls dead on my ears.

Caves in my skull.

I am tuned to the dial within.

Transverse language.

Pirate radio.

Private dilemma.

A very in-joke.

Close your mouth.

Close your mouth.

You are speaking to no one.

Kevin M. Hibshman has had poems, reviews and collages published in numerous publications world wide. Most recently, his work has been published by Rye Whiskey Review, Drinkers Only, The Crossroads and 1870. In addition to editing his own poetry e-zine, FEARLESS, he has authored sixteen chapbooks including: Incessant Shining (Alternating Current, 2011) and Love Sex Death Dreams (Green Bean Press, 2000). His latest book "Just Another Small town story" (Whiskey City Press) can be found at Amazon.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B098FSD96W#detailBullets_feature_div