New Mushrooms, by Ivor Steven

New Mushrooms
by Ivor Steven

After the storm
Old boundaries were transformed
Fences were moved and torn
Fields smelled of rotting corn
Patient vultures remained airborne
Above the drowning longhorn’s

After the storm
I rested under the peppercorn
And I saw new mushrooms rise with the dawn

Ivor Steven was formerly an Industrial Chemist, then a Plumber, and has been writing for 20 years. He is a member of Geelong Writer Inc (Australia), a team member with the on-line blog-site ‘Go Dog Go Cafe (America), and is a writer for the Coffee House Writers Magazine (America).

Lights Above Bridges, by Ivor Steven

Lights Above Bridges
by Ivor Steven

Bridges span our invisible years
And carry our many fallen tears
Crossing over old hidden fears

Bridges are burnt over time
Years turn to ashes in an instant
And time is our only constant

Beyond the longest bridges
Under the ocean’s deepest blue
And above nature’s darkest green
Love’s evolving hues renew
And Aurora lights are on debut

Ivor Steven was formerly an Industrial Chemist, then a Plumber, and has been writing for 20 years. He is a member of Geelong Writer Inc (Australia), a team member with the on-line blog-site ‘Go Dog Go Cafe (America), and is a writer for the Coffee House Writers Magazine (America).

Umika, by Paul Brooke

Umika
—an Eintou, an African form poem
by Paul Brooke

I am
the vessel placed
under the palm tree to
tap the sap. Emptied, I remain
uncherished. Far off, the
party roars with
palm wine.

Paul Brooke is the author of six books including Arm Wrestling at the Iowa State Fair and Jaguars of the Northern Pantanal. These poems come from a collection of form poems from every continent. The book comes out in March 2022.

Baobab, by Paul Brooke

Baobab
—an Eintou, an African form poem
by Paul Brooke

Inside
the elephant,
the seed churned, acid burned,
germinated by brutality.
We learned from misery,
a stone deep in
our guts.

Process notes: Elephants love to eat the seeds of this tree and they say it tastes sour and surprisingly like yogurt. The seeds are dispersed far from the baobab and this prompts a better chance for them to survive (in terms of resources such as water consumption).

Paul Brooke is the author of six books including Arm Wrestling at the Iowa State Fair and Jaguars of the Northern Pantanal. These poems come from a collection of form poems from every continent. The book comes out in March 2022.

Marie, apartment 5C, floor 11, by Emalisa Rose

Marie, apartment 5C, floor 11
by Emalisa Rose

Seldom at ease, in a world that
forgot her, now becomes norm for
the spinster, 5C, floor eleven. The
walls growing flowers, robins are
wearing their wings for her, on day
99, paused in the funk and the fury
of what’s become now. Through the
filigree of branch over branch, birds
become focal point, morpheme and
muse to her state of attrition, as life
leans towards parody. In the semi-
charmed state, Marie becomes numb,
embracing the reign of recluse, this
Tuesday, dark morning, seeking the
sparrow’s song.

Process notes: It is based on observations of living in a neighborhood, sometimes for years, yet many neighbors remain nameless. Sometimes we are fearful to get to know someone other than giving a quick ‘hello’ or nod. In these most troubling times, behind the closed doors, someone may be hurting emotionally, feeling alone, without anyone reaching out to check on them. This is sadly more pressing for the elderly. My great-aunt, who lives alone, very far from me, is fortunate to have someone that does look in on her, unlike Marie in 5C, floor 11.

When not writing, Emalisa Rose enjoys crafting and birding. She volunteers in animal rescue. She lives by the beach, which provides much of the inspiration for her art. Some of her work has appeared in Mad Swirl, Literary Veganism, Writing in a Woman’s Voice and other wonderful places. Her latest collection is On the whims of the cross currents, published by Red Wolf Editions.