The Leap

This issue’s special feature is in honor of the gifted poet James Dickey, who left us earlier this year to become the poet laureate of heaven, where his words belong. The Leap by James Dickey The only thing I have of Jane MacNaughtonIs one instant of a...

The Bee

THE BEE BY JAMES DICKEY To the football coaches of Clemson College, 1942 One dot Grainily shifting we at roadside and The smallest wings coming along the rail fence out Of the woods one dot of all that green. It now Becomes flesh-crawling then the quite still Of...

A Welcome Home Not of His Choosing

A Welcome Home Not of His Choosing I know this isn’t how He saw himself coming home Nor did those Who worried about him Who loved him Who worried about his night and day But I can’t help but believe He would have been proud As the flashing lights From...

Everything Changes

It is the middle of the night and sleep again has flown.  I was looking for my poems and still have not found them.  That is rather worrisome, but I know they are here somewhere.  I did find something wonderful, though.  I found a couple of file...

Birthdays That End in Zero

Birthdays That End in Zero Somehow the view changes With some birthdays Especially those that end in zeros Hmmm Some more than others The perspective changes The view is so very different It is like the T-shirts That Dan and I had made When we found ourselves In that...

Singing Softly With Mary

     Singing Softly With Mary This is not going to be a maudlin bitAbout how the world has gone to hell And how all the good is slowing leaking away It is just a note that Mary died And somehow that leaves a hole in an unexpected place Oh, I still have...

Johnny

            Johnny You grew tallAnd that was a surpriseMaybe just because I always think of youAs smallFor that is how you wereAnd always remainExcept for nowFor this momentOf thought and haze There is a crinkle in your eyesI think I saw...

Families

         Families Families are more than relatives Held together By blood and shared genes Memories entwine them Sharing more than lives Bind them With means Beyond the skill Of surgical knowledge Shared visions And dreams Hopes and fears And...

Drill Sergeant

Drill Sergeant He could run all day Backwards As he yelled out cadence Or screamed at the shitbirds Who just couldn’t stay in step Everyone tried to stay out of contact With those glaring brown eyes No one wanted him in their face With the brim of his hat...

A Ring Tone for Traci

       A Ring Tone for Traci Squandering time This morning when I need to be working But the desire just isn’t there So let’s play How I got to ring tones I don’t know But I began looking to for custom Ring tones For different...