apollo, gee
by devin wayne davis
i wish all men were stupid
enough to die for common sense
-painfully, stiffly;
that an autopsy would
reveal a purple heart … and yet,
smiles will still have to be cads.
wish the cause was determined
“natural,” as animal instinct-
fight or flight; eating …
organic, like a good earth …
wish i didn’t have this guilt
-this recognition i was wrong
for wishing. for buying,
but not bearing its price.
retem
by devin wayne davis
spiders!
retire, atop
the bush …
today’s modern
condominium home-
your future awaits-now!
be a part of that
luxurious, restful, california lifestyle …
long sunny days, & warm nights,
put you, squarely, there
-at the heart of it. and how …
bachelorette pads,
with pearly dew-drop
and metallic silver built-in
kitchenettes-
reflect ‘her’ twilight time
in (or, out of) the sun …
a single vehicle
garage opens upon
the green, perfectly
manicured lawn;
all of this living …
in one bundle-
it’s ideal …
for decorating, remodeling
… a host of non-stop improvements!
salt
by devin wayne davis
white
ice is blue inside …
it crashes
into the sound …
white
ice swims … it floats
to land,
and away …
white
ice, as it breaks
apart, looks like
a bear’s paw …
white ice
tires …
it
turns to water.
For My Brother Upon Being Diagnosed
With AIDS
by Justin Blackburn
There is nothing you could ever do,
To make me stop loving you;
Sit down, breathe in deeply,
Now breathe out softly.
Hold my hand as the wind blows freely,
Close your eyes; nothing has changed inside or outside.
Drive your heart deep into your mind-
Love has always been and will always be divine.
Please do not feel guilty for anything
For I too have screamed from a ghost pit,
Praying to everything that someone would hear it,
And now I, my friend, hear you.
Yes we might have to fight for extra effort
But we mustn’t fear it for we can make it through.
Now look at the sky, it still makes you smile;
As I look into your eyes they are still running wild,
We shall use that beauty to over come.
So go to the sun and say, “I love you”.
She can heal you.
Now go, look into a mirror and say, “I love you.”
He can heal you too.
There is nothing you could ever do,
To make me stop loving you.
smoking sanity
by Richard Lighthouse
she tries on masks each evening, with a bottle of wine.
the chain smoke circling her head like a gentle fog. her long
white gloves tipping at the ash tray. every envious suitor
has a tale from that strange night. scratching at the brink of
sanity, where age does not matter, where cold bones rise rest less.
she is that, and more. dark. lurid. leaning into the wind.
some nights she will call to her suitors, long after they've left.
madness is unique for each tenant, wouldn't you say? slowly
devouring what others recall. "pass me another cigarette,"
she would say. "i think i'm losing my mind."
grocery aisle
by Richard Lighthouse
in my dream of you
dreaming of me,
i am more wonderful than
myself. or so it seems.
tossing thru nights like
tumbled bowling pins, and
grocery carts
abandoned.
in your new dream,
i am a new me. shiny,
polished, & packaged.
selling on the discount aisle.
your cart full of has-beens
and why-nots. and no, i am
not on your weekly
list.
but seeming a bargain -
tossed in, checked out, &
bagged.
take me home.
house signs
by Richard Lighthouse
houses sing to you
while driving past.
buy me.
rent me. i'm yours.
these are homes
un wanted. places not
owning anyone. rampant
in begging, please. now.
cash in that long promise.
ink your desire in
scribbled name.
your need can live in this yard.
i will call you home
from work each evening.
bring me your body's weight.
lay under my shingles of love.
even the rain
won't find you here.
Richard Lighthouse is a contemporary
writer and poet. He holds an M.S. from Stanford University. His work
has been published in: The Penwood Review, West Hills Review, Mudfish,
and many others worldwide.