j rap

abandoned mall

a slow conquest

of weeds

—j rap

Melissa Dennison

 sales shoppers

woodpigeons

flock for lunch

—Melissa Dennison

Jenny Shepherd

beachcombing

a salty memory

in my pocket

—Jenny Shepherd

Louise Hopewell

lost in the bush

the call-response

of wattlebirds

—Louise Hopewell

granite peak

the jagged edge

of kookaburra song

—Louise Hopewell

Matthew Defibaugh

silent treatment

the only option

for my disease

—Matthew Defibaugh

Andrew Markowski

blind date

she pretends not

to see me

—Andrew Markowski

piled-up dishes

she shoots her husband

a dirty look

—Andrew Markowski

Richard Bailly

everyone leaves

with pieces of her life

empty-handed

—Richard Bailly

King Edward Eway

full moon

the joyful circle

of friends

—King Edward Eway

Albert Schlaht

biting flies . . .

stumbling down the trail

on numb legs

—Albert Schlaht

Deborah Karl-Brandt

proposals...

now I live

in his scullery

—Deborah Karl-Brandt

Mohua Maulik

Alpine mountains

through the mist

cow bells

—Mohua Maulik

Vandana Parashar

single again

my eyes raw and red

with pollen

—Vandana Parashar

John J. Dunphy

our free-range chickens

now fenced

by shadows

—John J. Dunphy

washing my hands

with French-milled soap

after scattering her ashes

—John J. Dunphy 

Jonathan English

bare branch

a bluebird alights . . .

spring again

—Jonathan English

buttercup meadow—

the golden light

of childhood

—Jonathan English

old stone gate—

the softness

of lilac breeze

—Jonathan English

Ron Scully

gravedigger's shadow

leans on the headstone

spring equinox

—Ron Scully

Alvin B. Cruz

rain clouds

the added burden

of unspoken words

—Alvin B. Cruz

lilac buds

this longing for

the unlived life

—Alvin B. Cruz

last hope

all that remains

of a dandelion

—Alvin B. Cruz

Eugeniusz Zacharski

morning shower

the shirtless scarecrow

turns around

—Eugeniusz Zacharski

deep dusky river

the peace talks

seem endless

—Eugeniusz Zacharski

Sharon Ferrante

wanting to tell you

everything

so fast—

the cactus bloom

is falling

—Sharon Ferrante

after thinking…

in the dark snipping

your white roses

—Sharon Ferrante

Bryan Rickert

before swallowing a berry

the raven’s glance

left then right

—Bryan Rickert

the loosening

of stiff pages

winter mist

—Bryan Rickert

rush hour

a dragonfly with

someplace to be

—Bryan Rickert

Mona Bedi

an eagle

soars to the skies …

will I be able

to leave behind this world

full of attachment

—Mona Bedi