&

never shedding
its mortal coil
Cephalopod fossil

Scott Mason, Somers, NY

foxglove in my womb this little ghost

Rowan Beckett Minor, Cleveland, OH

wandering off . . .
the trail of breadcrumbs
in his beard

Laurie Greer, Washington, DC

border crossing
she leaves behind
her real name

Kathryn Bold, Coto de Caza, CA

owl night
all the sutures left
in place

Cherie Hunter Day, Auburn, NH

crunch of pebbles
we compose
Mom’s eulogy

Sean Carlton, Santa Monica, CA

a nurse
makes her rounds
old bicycle

Kerry Desrochers, South Korea

turning out
my daughter’s pockets—
ginkgo leaves

Kelsey Oliver Imanishi, Nara City, Nara, Japan

nearly midnight
a few fireflies
still without a date

Michael Ketchek Rochester, NY

foggy moon
again the pitter patter
of familiar ghosts

Crystal Simone Smith, Durham, NC

cardiology
a single snowflake
follows me in

Bryan Rickert, Belleville, IL

a spotted fawn
drinking the sky
from mother’s shadow

Keith Courtad, Upper Sandusky, OH

work release
we pause to listen
to church bells

John Pappas, Boston, MA

a steep climb
carrying the weight
of small talk

Stephanie Zepherelli, Honolulu, HI