Fragile leaves, promising
a spring reng a
Marisa Brown Jane Brunette Drew Carpenter Janet Ector Jeff Embleton Alexander Friend Deborah Henning Bruce Machado Mary Ann Malkos Katie McCleary Nicole Henares Abigail Wick Randall Babtkis Jaime Robles
Fragile leaves, reborn, eclipse thorns on wet brambles, promising berries.
—Jane
Upon these verdant pages, the sun begins a chapter.
—Drew
Coastal lilies, white trumpets with blaring, yellow tongues, thus cry: rejoice
—Abigail
Fragile hearts beat out Songs for lost time
—Marisa
The fierce intent of budding limbs calls out to autumn moon
—Janet
The sun melts colors on fallen leaves buried in the streets
—Mary Ann
Towering concrete swathes light into purple grains and decayed skylines.
—Nicole
A forgotten scent drifts from the threadworn blue pillow case—
—Jaime
Depth of the midnight, Woken by her hand’s caress Down her backside, ooo
—Alex
Was it the curve of her spine Or the curve of the half moon?
—Deborah
These two women wo— ken share a subway token Thumbprint still on breast
—Randall
Ride through the hollow tunnels to emerge with a shared breath
—Jeff
The sky drips warm ink, humid air licks collarbones. A summer moon shines
—Katie
A speckled palette of dreams For cicada illusions.
—Bruce
The tap of a vision buried in the mind as eyes race with waking
—Mary Ann
The smell of old books, a game, a doll with no head—unearthed.
—Jane
Spring blossoms erupt. Headless doll stops her crying. Tears detached from heart.
—Deborah
heads break black and fertile earth. bloom of spring barbies
—Janet
Falling, falling, snowy flakes Kissing the ground beneath feet Recycling grace back next season
—Marisa
urban detritus launches foaming garbage: shore and sea
—Abigail
home: dereliction. unclean precipitation borne on angel wings.
—Dreux
Beneath a halo: two wings of wax too close to the hearth
—A. Friend
Dissipate like late season flakes and icicles puddles pooling by the flames
—Jeff
of loneliness and night snow aching to break free in spring.
—Nicole
thoughts drift—a lattice of inky words curving across the paper’s small field.
—Jaime
I love you. I love You so much words are threadbare.
—Randall
Devoid of succor, I yearn to speak without them, With impassioned eyes.
—Bruce
with mouth sewn shut language blocks a torn tongue, a wide iris
—Katie
Under wine—dark moon, two women don’t speak what’s known: this harvest, rotted.
—Abigail
Calico cats in pumpkins. Bare branches hang persimmons.
—Katie
Poor Autumn sun’s phase It made me feel naked, drunk Hung and fantastic
—Randall
pungent memories of loss my heart scents the languid air
—Janet
jaded branches open wide seething teeth invite inside
—Marisa
silk threads hang from reddened lips unhinged, truth stripped and cursive.
—Jane
Sunday strollers pass by me; their kerchiefs to their nose—still I grin.
—A. Friend
and the light crown’s song vibrates half—rhymes and longing through the soft evening
—Nicole
Dare I come again to her Blossomed, floral flowing glass
—Marisa
The flame tongued orchid leaps out stray kisses in blooms. Spring: the wind’s bounty.
—Nicole
Exalt photosynthetic eclipse of thorns. Sun’s thumbprint.
—A. Friend