FINN BURNETT: Homecoming

Artistic, Submissions, Top Stories, , , ,

Your reflection in the window of the plane. Dark circles, doughy skin. Another city, another country, another woman. The loudspeaker gurgles. A sliver of hope rests just below your throat. Close your eyes and breathe. The landing gear grinds and for a moment you can believe you’ve finally come home.

Finnian Burnett is a professor, a writer, and a lifelong learner. Finn has several novels published under her former name, Beth Burnett. She also has works in various anthologies and journals including Sinister Wisdom, The Herstry Project, and the Resiliency Journal through the Calgary Arts Development. She can be found at finnburnett.com.

R BIELTZ: Special Child

Artistic, Submissions, Touching, , , ,

They say I need to follow her lead. The future is unknown.

Genes, luck, God, DNA all play a part. I will love and care for her the best I can.

If only I could jump ahead in time to know. Will she be ok? Will I?

But I cannot.

R. Bieltz loves to write but between working as a public health professional during a pandemic and being a mom to a very unique human doesn’t typically find the time.

JOSEF LEMOINE: Fight for Freedom

Artistic, Submissions, , ,

I remember when masks felt like shackles, distance like prison. No one could tell me who to see.

Now alone, I stare at clouds outside my hospital window and dream of driving, walking, speaking. Tubes and machines keep my heart beating. The act of breathing never before seemed so free.

Josef Lemoine is a Filipino-American writer living in Southern California with his wife, son, and daughter. In a past life, his work could be found in Word Riot, RipRap, The Legendary, and Boston Literary Magazine. For the time being at least, his writing can still be found in Dogzplot, Bending Genres, and Medium. A poem of his will soon be published in **** Men Say to Me: A Poetry Anthology in Response to Toxic Masculinity from Moon Tide Press. Follow him at instagram.com/joseflemoine

BEN MIMMACK: A Country Walk

Artistic, Submissions, Top Stories, Touching, , , , ,

This bit is my favorite. Over the gate and up the side of the ridge to the top.

The wind hits my chest. I stagger and adjust my feet, surprised as always.

You used to say you were truly alive up here, and I’ll forever wish that was still true.

Ben lives in Dallas where he is viewed with tolerant amusement by his wife and two small boys. He wishes it was still Christmas.

SUZ CRICHTON-STEWART: Moments

Artistic, Submissions, , , ,

Her glasses are so thick with Moments they arrive in the room before her. Moments form in the intensity of shimmering emotions during conversations and–plink–materialise into permanent momentos.

Others carefully curate Moments to see life through. She yearns to learn how to set them aside, but can’t yet.

Suz is a recovering childhood writer who lost her words somewhere between kindergarten and becoming a mother herself. She works with horses and people helping them connect and find the present moment.

MARGIE NAIRN: 2020 in 50 Words

Poetry, Submissions, , , , ,

Fires
Devastation
Impeachment
Kobe
COVID
Pandemic
Virus
Fear
Deaths
Loss
Distance
Fauci
Masks
Droplets
Restrictions
Sanitizer
Testing
Contact
Quarantine
Lockdown
Remote
Lewis
WFH
PPE
RBG
Grief
Essential worker
Homeless
Unemployed
Deserted
Hunger
Bubble
Guidelines
George Floyd
I CAN’T BREATHE
Protests
Division
Violence
Stimulus
VOTE
Zoom
Isolation
Anxiety
Depression
Vaccine
Hope

Margie Nairn wrote this story.

EILEEN MARDRES: The Diaries

Artistic, Submissions, , , , ,

Mom’s words from 70 years gone by, not even known to exist, but unearthed by her children in a casual document search. Tales told of youth and gaiety, champagne in the afternoon and dancing at night. Not our mom of laundry and grocery shopping, car pools and school bake sales.

Eileen draws on the emotions of real life and transforms them into micro bits of fiction.

BOB THURBER: One Happy S.O.B. (Son Of a Blunder)

Amusing, Artistic, Submissions, , ,

My mother told me many times that I was a mistake, that if she hadn’t drank two Shirley Temples before dinner, and two glasses of wine with dinner, while on a date with the man who became my father, I’d still be dancing on a star, waiting to be born.

Bob Thurber is the author of six books. Regarded as a master of Flash and Micro Fiction, his work has appeared in Esquire and other magazines, been anthologized 60 times, received a long list of awards, and been utilized in schools and colleges throughout the world. He resides in Massachusetts. Visit his website at BobThurber.net.

JUDY A PREMO: Awakened My Heart

Artistic, Poetry, Submissions, , , , , ,

I was a dreamer
and when my heart was sleeping
there was no pain
but then there was a man
who came to waken me
from sleep.

He whispered his words in my heart.
“Wake up,” he said, and I did.

Now I feel everything;
I can no longer dream.

Judy A. Premo has been writing and creating art for almost 60 years.