March 2026
-
A Small Apostasy
by Samantha Lucia traded the man-god for the Mother original sin for humanity divine blood-washed for earth-rooted guilt for freedom suppression for voice piety for peace heaven for earthSamantha Lucia is a queer poet living in the American South. This was not intentional. Her work lives where documentation becomes divination. Publications include MENACE, Twisted Tongue,… Continue reading
-
Road to Hana
by Alan Perry —Maui, HawaiiNearly every turn in the 64-mile highwayproduces a little nausea, a chicaneof narrowing switchbacks that move our equilibrium from brain to stomach.What are we searching for aroundthe next bend that curls back on us,stuck in a subcompact rentalelbows bumping at each S-curve?The tour guide said a fun experience,the couples counselor, a… Continue reading
-
Be Happy
by Duke Stewart Harriet Bass arrives late for the afternoon matinee. The other patrons in the ticket line stare at her, commiserating on her recent divorce. She would love to scratch those bleeding eyes out. She enters the bathroom which has a vanity mirror encircled by translucent bulbs. She never looks in the mirror. Much… Continue reading
-
Two Poems by Roxanne Cardona
Landscape With Cart and SilenceJune 12,1948,one day after Gag Law 53 passed—Puerto Ricans must pledge allegiance to the American flag. To sing, speak, write, or fly a flag for island independence was to risk ten years in prison. Birds hold their song. Nothing slithers. Not a single feather falls. Lizards tilt their heads, disappear beneath… Continue reading
-
On a tattoo I meant to get
by Brandy McKenzie In the middle of my writer’s block, I send my sister pictures of tattoos, flash, to be specific, giving her the sense of something bright and maybe new, but what I mean is old, from times when gentle ladies didn’t get tattoos, except those few women whose images we still share as… Continue reading
-
Time Lost
by Chris Wood If only a detective could findthe time I lost. All those daysspent brooding over what I didn’t haveinstead of what I did. All those times I had to stop,step out, and sit in each seatto roll down the windows of my first car, a clunkerthat needed fifty miles an hourbefore offering air… Continue reading
-
Perennial Blooming
by Kathi Crawford It thrills me to take in Goldie’s bloomseach morning. Her flowersthe color of champagne—she shinesfrom the sun’s rays passing throughmy office window. Goldie was bornin the desert, so, she is packedwith cactus soil. I admireher ability to survive in dryness.In contrast, my body has not takento this age of fluiddraining from my… Continue reading
-
Two Poems by Al Ortolani
Grade School DesksIn grade school we were the first classto be given new desks. Real desks, not the kindwith the lift up top, but ones with compartmentson the left side. One small one on top for ourcigar box of pencils and pens, our ink and leaderasers. The lower compartment heldour books and Red Chief tablets,… Continue reading
-
Two Poems by Patrick G. Roland
At My Daughter’s Basketball PracticeTen children chase the same red, white, and blue ball.Ten small bodies collapsing toward itwith identical enthusiasmand identical failure.Eyes follow it.Fingers reach.The ball disappears beneatha small economy of grabbing hands.One boy stands outside the swarm—the one kid not yet convinced a ball is worth it.“Be more aggressive!”a woman shouts from the… Continue reading
-
ode to pants pockets
by Sharisa Aidukaitis my thanks to the designerof these pants, specifically for thepockets that stretch past my wrists,expanding to accommodaterocks and pinecones and leavesamassed by small hands in the park;toy racecars at the dentist’s office;snack wrappers not thrown on the floor;waiting and used tissues;too-itchy admission wristbands;too-tight hair scrunchies;hastily folded crayon sketches;stickers that fell off unsuspecting… Continue reading
January House Literary Journal 