last pail of milk
we say goodbye
to our favorite cow
—Aja Rhianna
gentle waves
the calm
before moonlight
—Aja Rhianna
moonspots...
she keeps all her secrets
to herself
—Nicoletta Ignatti
spring twilight-
telling her
we will no longer be friends
—Nicoletta Ignatti
cat's eyes
the blackbird tunes into
fortissimo
—Deborah Karl-Brandt
worn-out socks
learning how to mend them
into a haiku
—Deborah Karl-Brandt
outdoor nativity scene
one of the Wise Men
facing the wrong way
—John J. Dunphy
his last road trip
my friend arrives
at the cemetery
—John J. Dunphy
licking a stamp
the flavor
of nostalgia
—Oscar Luparia
homemade bread
a handful of sesame seeds
for the sparrows
—Oscar Luparia
Amid the rhythm of machines in the ICU, you ride the relentless tide of a stroke, each breath straining to fill your fading lungs—all for one thought: the uncertain future of those left behind.
