What I should’ve Said to the Girl I Love

Izraq Jesen Imaginea day / eight years ago / we are at the staircase to the college west wing / the hallway opens / into History i kiss / the dimple at the corner of your lips / History frowns / through cobwebbed veilTell mewe are allowed to / have this / to love to /...

Blood Work

Michael Black I gave them a vial of my blood,inside the small room.It was lost by the analyser.Whilstwe need a blood democracy hothouse,for now, it remains my blood.I let it be tested again and again. Michael Black is finishing a PhD at the University of Glasgow. He...

Jude

Stephen Kingsnorth My title, Jude, you understand?If but a hardy soul, you should.Perhaps my verse is not your spacebut yours the access – trace my mind.Why can you not hear what I voiceand, taken plunge, still get it wrong?I’ll write, gazing in crystal ball -if...

Flutter and Wow

Jay Fraser Pulse-paced, shifting likeOil on glass; greased rainbow memoryAnd glistering sub-recollectionA wavering reproduction (shaking)Held up to hear (to inspect the sound)And know (once-heard aural death)To be (Passed from this world to haunt) Jay Fraser is a...

Helicopter

Allison DeDecker Before becoming a parentI never realizedhow much hurt is causedin trying to prevent it;how guarding against traumacreates its ownhow watchful eyes can blinkto police searchlights aimingto capture and containinstead of protect and servehow easily a...