Issue 55

Jed Cappelli

She's the only one
A perfect place to linger
Now and forever

Louise Lynch

fire in the hills
white ash falls from the plum sky
I hold out my tongue

Joshua Cates

Living light inside
the branches of the old elms
There and gone again

Hetti Wohlgemuth

We pad to the beach
float in a warm, shining sea
amble back, tired.

Vyomi Malik

Celestial diamonds
Luminescent crescent gild
Aubergine starscape

Peggy Landsman

another summer
early mornings and late nights
half my life is gone

Michael Flanagan

in dreams through the sash
snow tires and a clink of chain
transport me away

Rex Brien

Dreaming of summer
Clouds bring the bite of winter
Ice cold kitten toes

Beverly Head

cool wind on my arms
breezes caressing my hair
fall flirting again

Suzanne Sakai

senior trees arc near
drawn together like magnets;
quiet love story

Ron Scully

first a grain of sand
tumbles down the wind swept dunes
hitches out of town

Erin Werner

Forehead kiss goodnight
Enveloped in sincere love
Adrift in your eyes

Kennard Balme

suns shine opes new worlds
days of dark noon pass to past
wishes lingering

Bill Melton

sunlight slants through clouds
bright patch of sunshine wanders
among wildflowers

Kyle Prince

we once lived right here
dividing and defending
until it all drowned

Amber Ellis

Tall trees in my sight.
Green is the beauty of Earth.
The sun beating bright.

Jessica Newton

dreaming of your smile:
that breath of sun in autumn
on a cold window.

Mary Smith

Frosty silver lakes
Ice skating over my heart
Bitterly cutting

Hannah-Rose Tristram

Your power, gentle
as the flower in your hair,
strong as ocean tides.

Renee Butner

Perfect snowflake falls
Dancing across my eyelash
Warm woolen mittens

Grace Forthman

Gray skies and cold times,
The rain and wind will collide,
Sad lives and good-byes.

Bruce Levine

Dreaming of the end
Thinking of the day to come
Promises ahead

Cole Barbieri

Head to your pillow,
thoughts scramble throughout your brain,
you can't sleep, good night

Warren J. Cox

great soaked maple leaf
pinched up high at the middle--
a glistening tent

Alden Cole

The Steller's Jay cries
harshly through the Douglas Firs
only it knows why

Jake Aller

One moment, one day
You walked out of my nightmares
And swept into life

Kevin Brown

Persephone weeps
Pomegranate juice lingers
Winter-bringing lips

Mary Haslett

Rippled, transparent,
Extorting the distant views
Until panes shatter.

Sandra Barnett

bright morning sunlight
brilliant Japanese maple
blue jays on the wing

Andrew Sibbald

Across the city
the distant snow capped mountains
echoes of winter

Emily Carroll

morning light filtered
through a canopy of leaves
muted sparrow song

James Snyder

Synchronized shadows
Skip and waltz in green gardens.
Timely skies blacken.

Rachel Teferet

Fire and fruit wine
Sleepy sisters in my arms
We speak heart secrets

SOPHIE L MEREDITH

While Fujisan sleeps
from trees lava spits and spills
a firey welcome

Jennifer Montgomery

leaf-rot is fading
air now tastes of light and snow
on new hunting grounds

Jackie Maugh Robinson

buyin three punkins
one to entice wee tricksters
two for just desserts

Kylie Benavides

Waterfalls drizzle
Gentle waves rock the surface
A cave rests behind

Mary Crane Fahey

Barred owl, soft flutter
Wings catch zephyrs, rising high
Disappears to time

Elisabeth Liebert

Trees hung with lemons
Pecans strewn on copper leaves
Wild geese carve the sky

Glenn Hubbard

Silence on the beach.
Children winter underground.
Castles of bright coal.

Chris D. Aechtner

raindrops beat on leaves
the wet tires of passing cars
hiss like cornered snakes

Kendall Lott

morning glories rise
iridescent petals gleam
harvest moon tonight

Andrew Moore

Alone with my words,
trying to describe a life
I don't understand

Eric Grégoire

The autumn sun fades
Out behind the rolling hills
Shadows creep towards home

Cindy Keeling

Starbursts in the grass
A requiem of beauty
Singing a sweet song

Daniel Kolb

steam from sewer caps -
lines on my palm are a map
of the city streets

Shirley Smothers

A peaceful river
Through the chaos of my mind
Calms mind and body

Michael Leach

This hemisphere leans
Sunward as winter breeds spring.
Hibernators rise.

Stephanie Ascough

Golden light bubbles
Joy springs from new horizons
Bright, fresh beginnings.

Michael Galko

yellow ginkgo leaves
tell the fall sky how it feels
to be so alone