Featured Works: Week of Oct 26 (Halloween)
In honor of Halloween, this week’s contributors provide some scares and a little fun, as well. Carol Hamilton’s poem, “Eighth Century Horse on Leaf of Handscroll,” responds to a work of art that depicts the essence of animal fear. In “Traitor” by Stephanie A. Hunter, a young girl in a restrictive society befriends an outsider against her own judgment. “A Case for Wrongful Death” by Nancy Bourne addresses the horrors a family experiences in the 1940s because of an illegal abortion. “Sometimes, the Messenger Needs Killing,” a poem by David Thornbrugh, takes a wry look at...
Read MoreFeatured Works: Week of Oct 19 (Contemplation)
Amid the global uncertainty of the past several months, we have at times become overwhelmed. For many of us, it has also been a time of reflection and contemplation, as demonstrated by this week’s contributors. “On Gary Hume’s ‘The Whole World’” by Brian Cromwall delves into the all-encompassing qualities of our brains. “Those Unheard are Sweeter” by Thomas DeConna explores the inner world of a man whose deep thoughts are mistaken for shyness. “Somewhere in the Night” by John Hawkins takes a nocturnal bus trip that explores the narrator’s place in the...
Read MoreFeatured Works: Week of Oct 12 (Grief)
As we near the end of October, we enter a season of remembrance, a holiday dedicated to honoring those who passed before us. This week’s contributors help to forge a path through grief. In “Reading My Father” by Anthony Botti, favorite books help conjure memories of a father. “Bearing Loss” by Frank De Canio uses the imagery of fall to explore seasons of change and loss. “Walter, Pierre, Tim, Howard” by Anthony Botti eulogizes four friends lost during the initial days of the AIDS epidemic. “You squint the way one eye still aches” by Simon Perchik...
Read MoreFeatured Works: Week of Oct 5 (Biography)
Everyone has a story to tell, and through listening to them, we can learn a lot about other people’s dreams, emotions and experiences. This week’s contributors share pieces related to biography and autobiography. First, in her essay “Biography Year,” Margaret Montet takes an innovative look at what she learned from a year of reading biographies. William Miller’s poem, “Lowell’s Briefcase,” illuminates the last moments in the life of American poet Robert Lowell. “Talone’s Yard” by Amy Barone provides a vivid snapshot of childhood and...
Read MoreFeatured Works: Week of Sep 28 (Survival)
In tough times, the resilience of the human spirit helps us to rise against the most difficult circumstances, whether it be war, childhood trauma, crime or natural disaster. This week’s contributors show us the wide range of coping mechanisms that help us to survive. In “Cohen’s Resurrection” by J.D. Chaney, set in post-World War II-era South America, an unlikely relationship forms along a path to redemption. “Black” by Don Stoll takes us on an adventure with a man who still struggles with childhood fears. “Cold” by Bob Blundell depicts the paralyzing...
Read More