Featured Works: Week of Feb. 12 (Love)
This week, in honor of Valentine’s Day, our contributors look at various phases of romantic love. “My Favorite Flower” by Milton P. Ehrlich evokes the urgency of young love. “A Character from Proust” by Jonathan Bracker provides a snapshot of a love begun to sour. “The Second to the Last Time” by Cinthia Ritchie depicts the last moments of a relationship. “Anniversary” by James B. Nicola reflects on the origins of a long-time love. “My Wife Peeling an Apple” by Robert Pfeiffer captures the subtle beauty of quiet moments...
Read MoreFeatured Works: Week of Feb. 5 (Animals)
This weekend, my husband, who goes as Toanstation on his video streaming channel, is hosting a gaming marathon to benefit the Animal Coalition of Delaware County. You can watch the stream and donate here: https://tiltify.com/@toanstation/thank-you-acdc/donate. In honor of that event, our featured works all connect to animals. Lyn Lifshin’s “Wanting Not an Abstract Horse” deep dives into longing for a human-animal connection. R. Steve Benson’s poem, “First Fox Here in 30 Years!” celebrates a rare sighting in a suburban neighborhood. Lisa Clark’s...
Read MoreFeatured Works: Week of Jan. 22 (Winter)
Winter came quickly here in Philadelphia. The week before Christmas, dried leaves still blew around our browned grass. In the past few weeks, snow has enshrouded our area, leading to delays and cancellations, but also sled rides and winter reflection. This week’s contributors examine that turn of the seasons into full-fledged winter. In “Tonight It Looks Like Someone Forgot to Turn Off the Lights” by Jim Zola, winter makes a father contemplate past and future. “In That Winter Meadow” by Lyn Lifshin paints a vivid landscape of the change of...
Read MoreFeatured Works: Week of Dec. 25 (New Year)
The goal, for each new year, is to learn from our past so that we do not repeat our mistakes. Our contributors this week gaze into the past, future and present, helping us navigate a new path. “Yet Another Year” by Bibhu Padhi looks backward — and forward — with a mix of hope and trepidation. “The World As It Could Be” by Nathan Large imagines a dystopian future. “Against Black Riders from the Desert” by Henry Goldkamp contemplates the nature of existence over a round of...
Read MoreFeatured Works: Week of Nov. 20 (Thanksgiving)
This week in the United States, we celebrate Thanksgiving, a holiday for food, family, and a host of hang-ups. Our contributors this week touch on one of those troubles, namely family friction. “Pet” by Rob Hunter reimagines an animal nuisance as a member of the family. “Approximately 465 Words of Sterling Wisdom” by Janice Canerdy offers tips to figures out if you’re annoying. “Past, Present, Popcorn” by Brett Riley links the making and consumption of a snack food with family...
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