Fragile leaves, promising

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