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Adair, Jay |
Adhikari, Sudeep |
Ahern, Edward |
Aldrich, Janet M. |
Allan, T. N. |
Allen, M. G. |
Ammonds, Phillip J. |
Anderson, Fred |
Anderson, Peter |
Andreopoulos, Elliott |
Arab, Bint |
Armstrong, Dini |
Augustyn, P. K. |
Aymar, E. A. |
Babbs, James |
Baber, Bill |
Bagwell, Dennis |
Bailey, Ashley |
Bailey, Thomas |
Baird, Meg |
Bakala, Brendan |
Baker, Nathan |
Balaz, Joe |
BAM |
Barber, Shannon |
Barker, Tom |
Barlow, Tom |
Bates, Jack |
Bayly, Karen |
Baugh, Darlene |
Bauman, Michael |
Baumgartner, Jessica Marie |
Beale, Jonathan |
Beck, George |
Beckman, Paul |
Benet, Esme |
Bennett, Brett |
Bennett, Charlie |
Bennett, D. V. |
Benton, Ralph |
Berg, Carly |
Berman, Daniel |
Bernardara, Will Jr. |
Berriozabal, Luis |
Beveridge, Robert |
Bickerstaff, Russ |
Bigney, Tyler |
Blackwell, C. W. |
Bladon, Henry |
Blake, Steven |
Blakey, James |
Bohem, Charlie Keys and Les |
Bonner, Kim |
Booth, Brenton |
Boski, David |
Bougger, Jason |
Boyd, A. V. |
Boyd, Morgan |
Boyle, James |
Bracey, DG |
Brewka-Clark, Nancy |
Britt, Alan |
Broccoli, Jimmy |
Brooke, j |
Brown, R. Thomas |
Brown, Sam |
Bruce, K. Marvin |
Bryson, Kathleen |
Burke, Wayne F. |
Burnwell, Otto |
Burton, Michael |
Bushtalov, Denis |
Butcher, Jonathan |
Butkowski, Jason |
Butler, Terence |
Cameron, W. B. |
Campbell, J. J. |
Campbell, Jack Jr. |
Cano, Valentina |
Cardinale, Samuel |
Cardoza, Dan A. |
Carlton, Bob |
Carr, Jennifer |
Cartwright, Steve |
Carver, Marc |
Castle, Chris |
Catlin, Alan |
Centorbi, David |
Chesler, Adam |
Christensen, Jan |
Clausen, Daniel |
Clevenger, Victor |
Clifton, Gary |
Cmileski, Sue |
Cody, Bethany |
Coey, Jack |
Coffey, James |
Colasuonno, Alfonso |
Condora, Maddisyn |
Conley, Jen |
Connor, Tod |
Cooper, Malcolm Graham |
Copes, Matthew |
Coral, Jay |
Corrigan, Mickey J. |
Cosby, S. A. |
Costello, Bruce |
Cotton, Mark |
Coverley, Harris |
Crandall, Rob |
Criscuolo, Carla |
Crist, Kenneth |
Cross, Thomas X. |
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D., Jack |
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Danoski, Joseph V. |
Daly, Sean |
Davies, J. C. |
Davis, Christopher |
Davis, Michael D. |
Day, Holly |
de Bruler, Connor |
Degani, Gay |
De France, Steve |
De La Garza, Lela Marie |
Deming, Ruth Z. |
Demmer, Calvin |
De Neve, M. A. |
Dennehy, John W. |
DeVeau, Spencer |
Di Chellis, Peter |
Dillon, John J. |
DiLorenzo, Ciro |
Dilworth, Marcy |
Dioguardi, Michael Anthony |
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Dobson, Melissa |
Domenichini, John |
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Doran, Phil |
Doreski, William |
Dority, Michael |
Dorman, Roy |
Doherty, Rachel |
Dosser, Jeff |
Doyle, Jacqueline |
Doyle, John |
Draime, Doug |
Drake, Lena Judith |
Dromey, John H. |
Dubal, Paul Michael |
Duke, Jason |
Duncan, Gary |
Dunham, T. Fox |
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Duy, Michelle |
Eade, Kevin |
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England, Kristina |
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Farren, Jim |
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Fisher, Miles Ryan |
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Frank, Tim |
Fugett, Brian |
Funk, Matthew C. |
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Gardner, Cheryl Ann |
Garvey, Kevin Z. |
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Genz, Brian |
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Golds, Stephen J. |
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Grant, Stewart |
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Hanson, Christopher Kenneth |
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Harris, Bruce |
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Hartwell, Janet |
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Hawley, Doug |
Haycock, Brian |
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Hayes, Peter W. J. |
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Heslop, Karen |
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Hill, Richard |
Hivner, Christopher |
Hockey, Matthew J. |
Hogan, Andrew J. |
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Holton, Dave |
Houlahan, Jeff |
Howells, Ann |
Hoy, J. L. |
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Huffman, A. J. |
Huguenin, Timothy G. |
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Irascible, Dr. I. M. |
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James, Christopher |
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Jones, Mark |
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Kaplan, Barry Jay |
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Keaton, David James |
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King, Michelle Ann |
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Kitcher, William |
Knott, Anthony |
Koenig, Michael |
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Kolarik, Andrew J. |
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Krafft, E. K. |
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Lacks, Lee Todd |
Lang, Preston |
Larkham, Jack |
La Rosa, F. Michael |
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Leatherwood, Roger |
LeDue, Richard |
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Lemieux, Michael |
Lemming, Jennifer |
Lerner, Steven M |
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Levine, Phyllis Peterson |
Lewis, Cynthia Ruth |
Lewis, LuAnn |
Licht, Matthew |
Lifshin, Lyn |
Lilley, James |
Liskey, Tom Darin |
Lodge, Oliver |
Lopez, Aurelio Rico III |
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Lovisi, Gary |
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Lyons, Matthew |
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Marcius, Cal |
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Mattila, Matt |
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McCaffrey, Stanton |
McCartney, Chris |
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McFarlane, Adam Beau |
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McElhiney, Sean |
McJunkin, Ambrose |
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McMannus, Jack |
McQuiston, Rick |
Mellon, Mark |
Memi, Samantha |
Middleton, Bradford |
Miles, Marietta |
Miller, Max |
Minihan, Jeremiah |
Montagna, Mitchel |
Monson, Mike |
Mooney, Christopher P. |
Moran, Jacqueline M. |
Morgan, Bill W. |
Moss, David Harry |
Mullins, Ian |
Mulvihill, Michael |
Muslim, Kristine Ong |
Nardolilli, Ben |
Nelson, Trevor |
Nessly, Ray |
Nester, Steven |
Neuda, M. C. |
Newell, Ben |
Newman, Paul |
Nielsen, Ayaz |
Nobody, Ed |
Nore, Abe |
Numann, Randy |
Ogurek, Douglas J. |
O'Keefe, Sean |
Orrico, Connor |
Ortiz, Sergio |
Pagel, Briane |
Park, Jon |
Parks, Garr |
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Parrish, Rhonda |
Partin-Nielsen, Judith |
Peralez, R. |
Perez, Juan M. |
Perez, Robert Aguon |
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Petroziello, Brian |
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Petyo, Robert |
Phillips, Matt |
Picher, Gabrielle |
Pierce, Curtis |
Pierce, Rob |
Pietrzykowski, Marc |
Plath, Rob |
Pointer, David |
Post, John |
Powell, David |
Power, Jed |
Powers, M. P. |
Praseth, Ram |
Prazych, Richard |
Priest, Ryan |
Prusky, Steve |
Pruitt, Eryk |
Purfield, M. E. |
Purkis, Gordon |
Quinlan, Joseph R. |
Quinn, Frank |
Rabas, Kevin |
Ragan, Robert |
Ram, Sri |
Rapth, Sam |
Ravindra, Rudy |
Reich, Betty |
Renney, Mark |
reutter, g emil |
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Rhiel, Ann Marie |
Ribshman, Kevin |
Ricchiuti, Andrew |
Richardson, Travis |
Richey, John Lunar |
Ridgeway, Kevin |
Rihlmann, Brian |
Ritchie, Bob |
Ritchie, Salvadore |
Robinson, John D. |
Robinson, Kent |
Rodgers, K. M. |
Roger, Frank |
Rose, Mandi |
Rose, Mick |
Rosenberger, Brian |
Rosenblum, Mark |
Rosmus, Cindy |
Rowland, C. A. |
Ruhlman, Walter |
Rutherford, Scotch |
Sahms, Diane |
Saier, Monique |
Salinas, Alex |
Sanders, Isabelle |
Sanders, Sebnem |
Santo, Heather |
Savage, Jack |
Sayles, Betty J. |
Schauber, Karen |
Schneeweiss, Jonathan |
Schraeder, E. F. |
Schumejda, Rebecca |
See, Tom |
Sethi, Sanjeev |
Sexton, Rex |
Seymour, J. E. |
Shaikh, Aftab Yusuf |
Sheagren, Gerald E. |
Shepherd, Robert |
Shirey, D. L. |
Shore, Donald D. |
Short, John |
Sim, Anton |
Simmler, T. Maxim |
Simpson, Henry |
Sinisi, J. J. |
Sixsmith, JD |
Slagle, Cutter |
Slaviero, Susan |
Sloan, Frank |
Small, Alan Edward |
Smith, Brian J. |
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Smith, C.R.J. |
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Smith, Greg |
Smith, Elena E. |
Smith, Ian C. |
Smith, Paul |
Smith, Stephanie |
Smith, Willie |
Smuts, Carolyn |
Snethen, Daniel G. |
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Sojka, Carol |
Solender, Michael J. |
Sortwell, Pete |
Sparling, George |
Spicer, David |
Squirrell, William |
Stanton, Henry G. |
Steven, Michael |
Stevens, J. B. |
Stewart, Michael S. |
Stickel, Anne |
Stoler, Cathi |
Stolec, Trina |
Stoll, Don |
Stryker, Joseph H. |
Stucchio, Chris |
Succre, Ray |
Sullivan, Thomas |
Surkiewicz, Joe |
Swanson, Peter |
Swartz, Justin A. |
Sweet, John |
Tarbard, Grant |
Tait, Alyson |
Taylor, J. M. |
Thompson, John L. |
Thompson, Phillip |
Thrax, Max |
Ticktin, Ruth |
Tillman, Stephen |
Titus, Lori |
Tivey, Lauren |
Tobin, Tim |
Torrence, Ron |
Tu, Andy |
Turner, Lamont A. |
Tustin, John |
Ullerich, Eric |
Valent, Raymond A. |
Valvis, James |
Vilhotti, Jerry |
Waldman, Dr. Mel |
Walker, Dustin |
Walsh, Patricia |
Walters, Luke |
Ward, Emma |
Washburn, Joseph |
Watt, Max |
Weber, R.O. |
Weil, Lester L. |
White, Judy Friedman |
White, Robb |
White, Terry |
Wickham, Alice |
Wilhide, Zach |
Williams, K. A. |
Wilsky, Jim |
Wilson, Robley |
Wilson, Tabitha |
Woodland, Francis |
Woods, Jonathan |
Young, Mark |
Yuan, Changming |
Zackel, Fred |
Zafiro, Frank |
Zapata, Angel |
Zee, Carly |
Zeigler, Martin |
Zimmerman, Thomas |
Butler, Simon Hardy |
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Preacher
by Nathan Baker
Folks on the street called him Preacher He was a loner, a social misfit bounced One
too many times on his head as a kid, He had his good qualities and his bad.
Well past his fortieth birthday when
our Paths first crossed back in the early eighties He was lean and rock solid in physique An old infantry soldier,
he stayed in shape.
He had studied for ministry after service Obtaining a degree in Biblical studies, And once
thumped leather with black suits; Still preached a bit on street corners
When he wasn't praying over winos Down
at the Gospel mission on Central, Or casting demons out of the possessed Selling favors for dimes downtown
Preacher
was good with his hands and Quick with a knife too, he was aging a bit So he toted a hawk-bill in his right hip pocket, An
old electrician's knife, honed razor sharp
Preacher was shepherd of the street people He saved his first soul one
night when thugs Tried to dissect a lamb for anthropological study Poor little lost one was dumpster diving
Seeking
pasture behind a lounge on the boulevard It was a territorial thing else the thugs had a real Liking for stale peanuts
and moldy nacho chips Because they were about to get busy when
Preacher walked around the corner talking loudly To
himself about serpents and the Garden of Eden; Words rolling off his tongue like a rock star on acid Stars melted into
a red flash of color as his knife
Scored across flesh whittling deep to bone Two of four, in orders to save his
one lost lamb, Preacher did what he did without remorse. Later paramedics arrived to cart the men away
Preacher
watched from a storm drain culvert His eyes never leaving the scene until the last Emergency vehicle had left the area. He
lived like a shadow, part of the river fog.
He spent most of his uptime underground Cross-Creek cemetery became
his duomo.
Yokohama Bay
Nathan Baker
Bodysurfing is fun,
But not in an ocean of despair,
Where riptides tend to be forceful
And the currents undertow
Can easily drown a weary swimmer.
It’s sort of like spitting into a strong wind
Except your body in this case is the saliva
And salty water the wind which can
Hurl even the strongest swimmer
Like a rag doll beneath its torrential force
Pinning rag to reef’s bottom, as the swimmer
Becomes the proverbial donkey’s tail.
But with ass kicked to near death
It’s still possible to look
Up and find gold glimmering
On the water’s blue surface.
Willow Street
Nathan Baker
Folks doubting
The existence of demons
Should visit Willow Street.
Runs beneath an interstate
Highway system of evil
Built a house there one summer
An urban ministry of sorts
Didn’t lead any souls to Jesus
But watched a few crackheads
Fly off the deep end
And wind up with swine
At the bottom of a cliff
Empty vessels shattered
And hope all gone
Martha’s Voodoo Doll
Nathan Baker
Bits of his hair and fingernails
Stuffed inside a doll she’d fashioned
From the arm of his favorite suit
Doll’s head was wrapped with a photo
Taken of him in better days,
He was smiling in the picture
But his smile didn’t last for very long
As Martha began to mutter a strange
Language in a voice even stranger
Then to scream, a high pitched wail, and to
Frantically poke the doll through in frenzy
With long silver needles of steel
Again and again pounding with fierceness
Until doll’s pinstripe suit was shredded
And its photo image of a face pierced
Into a blur of hair and fingernail cuttings
I didn’t think much of her tirade
She’d had her heart broken before
Blowing off steam is a good thing
It keeps the kettle from exploding.
Then there was a knock at the door, but
Before I could get up from my chair, it opened.
He stood half naked in the lamplight
Face a slur of dried blood and spittle
Confusion flooded his swollen eyes as
He tried to speak but only grunted through lips
Torn and battered bruised purple and bleeding
He dropped to his knees on the bare hardwood
Settling he manages to write the words
Help me using his finger for a pen
And blood for ink before passing
Into unconsciousness on the floor
Stepping over her jilting lover, Martha smiled and
Tossed a handful of pinstripe cloth into the fireplace
I awoke to the eerie smell of burnt hair and cooking flesh
And a sound
liken to the dying squeal of a slaughtered hog
Nathan
is a poet living in the mountains of Tennessee. His most recent work has appeared at The
Blue House, The Orange Room Review, Blue
Fifth Review, Covert Politics, and Yellow
Mama.
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In Association with Fossil Publications
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