Submerge Me – Kristiana Reed

Take my gasps for air as tender kisses, my flailing feet as laughter, wrap your riptide arms around me, swallow me whole so I’m the apple of your eye, see me needing a saviour and submerge me. Kristiana Reed day dreams, people watches in coffee shops, teaches English and writes. She is a curator on …

What You Kill, Kills You- Sohini Chatterjee

At ten past two at night I push sorrow out of ashen tongue, cigarette burnt lips, stained sweater of blood, injury and sweat, and spell T.R.A.U.M.A in hundred different ways. The mother commands homicide of naked blisters and turgid wounds before the stench of guilt reaches the shore and screams breathless; I acquiesce. Now every …

Chaos 101- Aurora Phoenix

the carpet writhes underfoot teeming with the detritus of a thousand lurking cocooned selves. what say you gritted, behind furred teeth in the soiled stomp of a footless sock? do you revel in my eye roll as befits your snakebelly stature? I read the note you left me scrawled in wet mayhem \and you giggle …

Help Me, For I Am Dreaming- Sarah Doughty

"I can't help but dream of the day, the day we become one again." It's winter again, and I'm reminded of how you used to hold me in the night. When the air was too cold, but your body heat was enough to keep me from shivering. I cling to your scent, not wanting it …

Digging

Matthew Eayre/Uneven Streets Studio

Between the Trees

My reflection in the train window settles between the trees lining the field of gold beyond the glass. The wind is whistling and drowning the thousand anxious angry voices shouting between my eyes and ears between the trees lining the field of gold beyond the glass. My toes are just within the shade, on the …

Leaf of Heavens’ Leavings – Aurora Phoenix

I dream of a leaf in vein a tree of fitful leavings the veins plumb blue black with the claret of my desires. the legacy of leavings drops \sanguine crusted\ strewn careless aground. in the smoted eye of a rabid fawn I glimpse the future as we conspire.   despite the tea leaved clouds we …

Think Again – Aurora Phoenix

so you want to poach me turn my guts runny on the burn of your well blown hot air crack my shell and drizzle my acquiescence over the callous crusts of your self-satisfaction? I decline, sir your nauseating offer despite mottled past I exude no sulfurous odors and my shell is impervious to narcissistic fumblings …

Moon in the Window – Kristiana Reed

In her Rapunzel tower she watched and waited for each night’s moon; to rise from the window ledge into full view, waxing and waning crescent yellow blue. The lines in its face told a story of heartache she also knew; the puckered pale flesh weaving rivers across her thighs, reflecting dead light in the night …

Muscle Memory- Christine Ray

suddenly unsettled when healing hands touch left side of bare abdomen images of stray cocks and cocked guns fill my head crowding out other more mundane thoughts unsure if these moving pictures that shrink me down to size belong to me bear my childhood initials buried memories floating to the surface from released fascia or …