Innocence Elixir Shannon Connor Winward   Begin with: The cauldron of a woman’s body, much-used seasoned Brace with: _____Scrap wood _____Yard waste _____A day’s work Invite the neighbors to witness the kindling: Strike, light. Relax Infuse with: _____1 can Budweiser, then another (Repeat) _____2 hands English Leather (or Chaps, or old-fashioned sweat, but never __________Drakkar…

Junk Yard Morgue T.J. Barnum   Our father came home with a starving horse on one of the last days of summer. It stood against the cab, piles of junk on each side, a piece of rope around its neck, tied to the truck rails. He had promised my sister a horse, and here it…

Emily As the Morning Stalls Darren C. Demaree   I could see the lights were still on at the empty stadium that had been full the night before, had swayed with a thousand small- town bodies, that had cheered the ruining of their children’s bodies, that had spilled popcorn everywhere in the process & I…

The Magic Show Kristin Camitta Zimet   6 months Magic was All there was Her face if you Cried right rising Round over the bars The first the only sun Her giant arms a sleeve Around you a familiar surprise Making always whole the always cut   six Any head Could go on Any body…

Why I Slapped Her Hand Barbara Westwood Diehl Because light is a given for her, and a day with no sunrise is beyond her imagination, and the sun is comfortably far away and benign. Because she would play with fire as she played with light switches over her crib. Because she would play with fire…