Romance Near Water, J.Middleton

A Romance Near Water
By Jarret Middleton

Waiting at the Portsmouth docks for you to return from the Shoals, I think of waiting for you another time, on a green island far off the coast of Maine. I waited patiently, and you never came. You missed the only boat that day, and slept in your car all night at the pier. Until I came to you in six foot seas, vomiting with the rest of the passengers on the mail boat. A life-long romance occurring so near water truly must involve a few episodes like these, mild, and severe. I love you, dear.

Romance Near Water, J.Middleton

A Romance Near Water
By Jarret Middleton

Waiting at the Portsmouth docks for you to return from the Shoals, I think of waiting for you another time, on a green island far off the coast of Maine. I waited patiently, and you never came. You missed the only boat that day, and slept in your car all night at the pier. Until I came to you in six foot seas, vomiting with the rest of the passengers on the mail boat. A life-long romance occurring so near water truly must involve a few episodes like these, mild, and severe. I love you, dear.

White Heat, J.McNerney

White Heat
By Joan McNerney

This dry moment
we lay in sweat beds.
Limp flowers turned
into themselves.
Lightning scorches
skies with hot zigzags.
Will it ever rain, when
will cicadas be silent?
Memories of a white room
burning pains…shunts, stains.
A bottle bursts filling the
sidewalk with rancid beer.
Throat of bird
swollen, screaming.

When I Sing, J.Dudley

When I sing I think of Nothing
By Jennifer Dudley

When I sing I think of nothing
In the apartment alone
On Saturday
Guitar in hand flipping through chords
Tapping rhythm on its wooden side
My voice gets louder, warming up
Lyrics go from hums to words
On the fly it’s blues
Or Jazz
No work here, or news
Oil spills or presidents
I strum
Sing
Close my eyes
And think of nothing

Diddly Squat, B.Panos

Diddly Squat!
By Barbara Panos

Bankruptcy, divorce
Then Tony the tow truck driver
Lifts his family jewels and sniffles
Mumbles as he hijacks’ the neighbors BMW back to shyster’s Ville,
Unemployed economics’
Buy lemon aide from 2 eight year olds on the corner of here and now where
Scratch my armpit and tug on my undies from my crotch
It all amounts to diddly squat and reality sets in
Aint got diddly squat but got me!

Better, B.Lewis

Better
By Bert Lewis

Here’s a band-aid, is it better now?
Here’s a whiskey
A dollar
A kiss
Now will you put that pout away?
And come with me to town?