Chapter 1: Concrete Poems on the theft of Euterpe’s Elixir The gods whispered inspiration through gilded corridors,and the students drank deeply of creation’s endless well.But one among them—Professor Moros—grew restless.He saw not a gift but a shackle,not a blessing but a barrier. Why should creativity bow to unseen hands?Why mustContinue Reading

I should have known there was acatch. I thought my new husbandwas the catch, but that was before hetook me home to his dark house ofshadowy secrets, of strange pluckingsof the sleeve of my soul, of sudden clammycoldness creeping across my face the momentI set foot in the house he’dContinue Reading

I follow the trailthrough the angry treesas the wily wind whips leavesoff their skinny armsand throws them to the ground.The trail is littered with gold and brownobscuring the path.I am lost in a storm of coming autumnand do not knowwhere my footsteps should fall–enveloped in sunlight and cold–alone beneath theContinue Reading

Susan L. Pollet is a visual artist whose works have appeared in multiple art shows and literary publications. She studied at the New York Art Students League, has been a member since 2018, and resides in NYC. She is also a published author in multiple genres, including three children’s books,Continue Reading

When Grief moved in the only room The Dandies had available was the space under the roll top secretary that skipped generations just to live in the basement / An entire paycheck pushed the desk from one unfinished basement right into another & if it were up to Grief inContinue Reading

Footsteps of the dead,silent in darkness and light,guide lost children home. Lynette G. Esposito, MA Rutgers, has been published in Poetry Quarterly, North of Oxford, Twin Decades, Remembered Arts, Reader’s Digest, US1, and others. She was married to Attilio Esposito and lives with eight rescued muses in Southern New Jersey.Continue Reading

Susan L. Pollet is a visual artist whose works have appeared in multiple art shows and literary publications. She studied at the New York Art Students League, has been a member since 2018, and resides in NYC. She is also a published author in multiple genres, including three children’s books,Continue Reading

Stella walked to the window of her hotel room and threw it open. She had asked for a ground-floor room with a view over the beautiful gardens, filled with lush tropical vegetation and showy flowers.She had arrived in Jaipur, in northern India, earlier in the day by train from Delhi.Continue Reading

In speculo Sue invenit: VISUM MONSTRUOSUM… corpus deforme foedumque… (facie hibrida / indigesto protoplasmatium auctu / partibus in perversis locis temere positis / dentibus in genis sinuque haerentibus)…atque TUBER IN TERGO FIXUM FACIEI ELISABETHAE ULULATU GELATO. Vomens viridem liquorem inquit: Ego sum… sum… MONSTROELISASUE Incipt se parare et vestem bellamContinue Reading

Blessed are the small creatures of the landthe wise rat, bringing gifts of wisdom and tenacitythe playful mouse, creative rabbitspiders connecting vibrations with patiencesnakes of spiritual intuitionprotect them from those who misunderstand. Blessed are the least of underwater creatureskrill that feed majestic whalesmosquito-devouring minnowsthe adaptable octopus concealing its truthsalmon determinedContinue Reading