Those who sent their men to war Still wait, forever wait Their return at full moon. Those whose men returned long ago Still wait, forever wait To be issued their fortune. We hoped amidst the struggle Our blood shall dry not, but sprout Into long-bearing palm trees of joy As we wrestled with nightmares of time We remained awake […]
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DOPPLER DELIGHT – By John Zedolik The Doppler effect drags away the angry horn that melts like unattended ice cream on an August day in an unnoticed street drain and the careless eater’s fingers have found protection in napkins guarding against the sticky-sweet that might cling to exposed skin and require a washing if said consumer even cares, since it […]
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LA BÊTE DE GÉVAUDAN: 1764-1767 (THE BEAST OF GEVAUDAN) (Based partly on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beast_of_Gevaudan and translations from http://www.dinosoria.com/bete_gevaudan.htm and http://facteurx.chez.com/betegevaudan.htm) What devastated Central France three centuries ago? “A Wolfman Beast” said those who glanced and dodged this deadly foe. “La Bête de Gévaudan” – from Hell some thought this demon came. Yet only kids and women killed, no […]
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The Face of Death The doctor has seen the face of death on many occasions. He has seen scars and lacerations. His duty, his call the doctor has seen it all.
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Insomnia The house sleeps, but I am awake, tiptoeing back through my day. So many pieces left lying about, I want to fix them all. They’re too distant though, just beyond my fingertips, yet, squarely between me and my dreams.
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Parents Night Emma used to do real good in school her mother tells her new teacher. It’s Parents Night at Ryland Elementary. Mostly mothers in attendance. What’s the problem, her mother asks. Fifth grade shouldn’t be hard for her. Emma’s never had a grade lower than a B, her mother says. Teacher says Emma doesn’t do her homework and talks a lot in class. Her mother can’t believe it. Says her […]
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Missing Feeding of the Birds (V3) By Michael Lee Johnson Keeping my daily journal diary short these sweet bird sounds lost- reviews January through March. Joy a dig deep snow on top of my sorrows. Skinny naked bones sparrows these doves beneath my balcony window, lie lifeless without tweet no melody lost their sounds. These few survivors huddle […]
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STILL HAUNTED (DALLAS ‘99) The cheering crowd three dozen years Ago’s no longer there, But, as I watch, their ghosts appear And toward the limo stare. A sunny noon in late November Nineteen sixty-three; A lady dressed in pink remembered Waving happily. The honoree next to his wife, The Man whom crowd adores. Except for One […]
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THE HAUNTED GALLERY The motion pictures gave life to those on screen Made them immortal forever looking and then acting and then talking into our eyes So much so that far from running back from the approaching train one reaches into the screen with corpulent, lustful arms, to grab the disrobed woman, now condemned, as a ghostly […]
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GHOSTS I do not have a presence and she tells me she is a ghost. Substance has that kind of weight. You talk to the streams radiating from the edge of the river as if each one were a snake that fat and walk into an outer universe to draw the night with color, quick and simple, exactly like life […]
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