Sara Lando

Dennis Barone

Letitia Trent

Laura Chester

Helena Kvarnstrom

Patti Ann McEwin

Alaina Burri-Stone

Miriam Greenberg

Terry Palka

Wade Savitt

Jennifer Rimm

Bruce Barone

Angela Gwinner

Melissa Howard

Allyson Kalea Boggess

R. Gerald Dressen

Aunt Marthy was packin a twelve gauge

when she hid us under the weeping willow.

Me and momma pressed flat to fescue

but Marthy weren't afraid, said,

Don't come after them, Dave.

I'll have to pump some buckshot in you

and that'll make it damn hard to sing

Amazin Grace at the famly reunion.

He left and when Aunt Marthy stood

I thought she'd raise into the air,

up through the green-ceiling'd light

and take me with her to a place

where we'd sit on a cloud

and touch a finger to God's,

just like in that pitcher book.

Stripping

I will find beautiful things

and old

strip them to the meat

in a whirlwind

of snow-dust

but gently so the wood

won't scream

as it did today

on our first time together

I was careless

a heavy hand

scoured through the paint

too fast

too fast

but tomorrow

my hands

will be graceful

and precise

I'll give you a new face

stain it nutmeg brown

to match your wooden eyes

through snow so fine

in whorls and grains

I see your future