It’s been unfortunate how our midnight cities recede:the dark rides through the isthmic foothills andwolfsnow crafting summer night swimming—nothing left, no aphaeresis, just indigo mornings begging for more: we are now freedom, someprevious thing within our own preverified vitalitygone out ahead of itself without obsequiousintentionality, without falling into the ever newer neoconfessionality endorsed up andContinue reading “Bradley J. Fest: 2023.15–16”
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James Knight: ‘The Shadow of the New Dog’, ‘Dissolve To’, ‘A Data List’, and ‘A Cracking, Splitting Sound’
James Knight James Knight is a poet, artist and performer based in the UK. Recent books include The Murderer Threatened (Paper View Books), Frozen Meat (Sweat Drenched Press) and Cosmic Horror (Hem Press). Twitter: @badbadpoet.Website: thebirdking.com. Instagram: @jkbirdking.
Ben Pelhan: ‘I wanted to be a sex god.’, ‘unapologetically’, ‘baggage’, and ‘One sad thing about the summer’
I wanted to be a sex god.I became a poetnow an employeeI forget as much as I can I watch this cupthat I made for the fliesto drown keep filling thiskitchen with spicesI wanted you to know thisabout the fliesthe cup is an ambushwhen you askI tell you I am fineI don’t even believein godsContinue reading “Ben Pelhan: ‘I wanted to be a sex god.’, ‘unapologetically’, ‘baggage’, and ‘One sad thing about the summer’”
S.C. Flynn: ‘Regret’ and ‘Obelisks’
REGRET Counting broken windows in a ruined citywhere hopes are corpses with outstretched hands. Strong arms holding your head under wateruntil you accept mortality’s truth. Even smiles are doomed to atrocity:sunlight gleaming on a murderer’s shoulder. You will never sleep again; dreams are censoredand you will never remember who shared them. A vast wasteland withoutContinue reading “S.C. Flynn: ‘Regret’ and ‘Obelisks’”
Doryn Herbst: Sabrina
Doryn Herbst Doryn Herbst, a former water industry scientist, Wales, now lives in Germany and is a deputy local councillor. Her writing considers the natural world and themes which address social issues. Doryn has poetry in Fenland Poetry Journal, Amsterdam Quarterly, Poems from the Heron Clan, Green Ink Poetry and more. She is a reviewer at Consilience science poetry.
Natasha Emily Lynch: Dust to Magnificence
I was far from the chalky soil of my youth A naked Autumn crocus, left to face the winter of the next ten years. A painted almost lady, pale and sickly, like milk-parsley. Knapweed always ready to tangle my thighs. Ragged robin red breast turned nightshade crow. Is living an act of undoing the knotContinue reading “Natasha Emily Lynch: Dust to Magnificence”
LJ Ireton: ‘Movement in February’ and ‘Joining the water birds’
Movement in February The bluetit briefly bows his head In the shallow end of the dark, melted pondTo drink – And on leafless treesThe finches flit from pink bud to brown branch,Hungrily. The new world has opened An invisible eggshell fractureFor the small birds –Letting only them in to taste. We are still wading through Winter,Tears of the seasonContinue reading “LJ Ireton: ‘Movement in February’ and ‘Joining the water birds’”
Salvatore Difalco: The Tedium of Atlas
Familiar fades & flags applyon this side of joywhere I dream of joy. Just travel happyturn eyes backrugged far green sunlit field turn off harsh drymundane conversations if the happy space restores the senses. It is well nigh incredible.I’ve endured a fool world long outalmost impossibly, sigh.Fire? Anything exceptwhat resembles fear—having entered in crimson robes.IContinue reading “Salvatore Difalco: The Tedium of Atlas”
Hazel Smith and Sieglinde Karl-Spence: extracts from Heimlich Unheimlich
Hazel Smith and Sieglinde Karl-Spence Hazel SmithHazel Smith is a writer, performer, new media artist and academic who was born in Leeds, England and emigrated to Australia in 1988. She has published five volumes of poetry including The Erotics of Geography: poetry, performance texts, new media works, Tinfish Press, Kaneohe, Hawaii, 2008 (with accompanying CD Rom), Word Migrants, Sydney: Giramondo,Continue reading “Hazel Smith and Sieglinde Karl-Spence: extracts from Heimlich Unheimlich”
Amy DeBellis: Staircase
I go to sleep cold and when I wake up cold I’m gnawing on the rinds of my dreams. I have nightmareswhere my teeth turn to sugar cubes and dissolve,and the scariest part isn’t losing thembut feeling all the calories melting onto my tongue. Fur sprouts along my body like moss, like tinyforests. My chestContinue reading “Amy DeBellis: Staircase”
OSMOSIS PRESS 