(art by Fabrice Poussin)
Prose
River Queen – Jonathan Trosclair
“The sight of him under the night-rain did not change me into a good queen against the weight of all likelihood.”
(art by Brenden Barraza)
Secrets I’m Dying to Tell You – Terry Barr
“When I published my second book of essays, my mother commented that I had “told all her secrets now.” But that wasn’t true; neither she nor I had revealed them all yet.”
(art by Brenden Barraza)
War Stories – Joseph S. Pete
“The veteran staggered off the barstool onto his feet, leaning onto the bar.”
(art by Dan Williams)
Poetry
A Burning Man – Karine Ancellin
“He had mastered the art of fire/crafting innovational delicacies,/well-known with the Athenian literati.”
(art by Fabrice Poussin)
C.V. – Ben Nardolilli
“Make up a prize for me,/call it whatever you want,”
(art by Brenden Barraza)
Cowboy Bob – John Grey
“He grew up on cowboy movies./He was raised on black and white/Saturday matinee B fare.”
(art by Fabrice Poussin)
Futon – Fred Pollack
“Snoring girls and boys disported/on floor and futons;”
(art by Dan Williams)
Kiss – Gale Acuff
“One day they’ll give me one/and I’ll see him again, in Heaven or/Hell, but let’s say that he’s in Heaven but/God sends me down to Hell, not that I don’t/deserve it.”
(art by Gaelan Galloway)
Preserved in Fragments – Ben Nardolilli
“In the morning, you remain aloft beneath/the sheets and I descend into the underworld,”
(art by Fabrice Poussin)
Retirement – Fred Pollack
“Beneath his lamp at noon,/he imagines entertainments/in cities to the south -“
(art by Dan Williams)
