Featured: Week of Jan. 7 (Inspiration)
Many wishes for a wonderful new year! We are back from the holiday season, feeling refreshed and ready to set upon new paths and new creative goals. With that in mind, we will devote two weeks to the sources of artistic inspiration, beginning with poems by two poets, Robert Lavett Smith and Deborah H. Doolittle. Robert Lavett Smith’s “Maud Gonne” looks at the hold that unrequited love had on William Butler Yeats and how it influenced his poetry. Smith’s “Bird and Cows” shows us jazz great Charlie “Bird” Parker, playing a nighttime piece...
Read MoreFeatured: Week of Dec. 17
As the year winds down, we turn to reflection, as we assess the year that passed and anticipate the one yet to come. This week’s contributors use personal introspection to reach insights about past and possible future behavior. In the essay “A Brief Consideration” by Charles Sanft, the speaker contemplates the idea of living life twice: once cautiously and once with abandon. In the essay “Merit Badge” by Karen Fayeth, a woman contemplates body image on a Thursday work commute. The poem, “The fresh and promising morning” by Robert Phelps, explores the...
Read MoreFeatured: Week of Dec. 10
After a longer-than-expected break over Thanksgiving — thanks to a persistent cold that’s finally gone — this week’s contributors help us make the transition from late fall to winter. Michael Lee Johnson’s poem, “Sundown, Fall,” depicts a brilliant fall day with the first inklings of fall. Lyn Lifshin’s poem, “Late November (I), ” captures how quickly the seasons can change. Lyn Lifshin’s poem, “Late November (II),” evokes the cyclical way both memories and seasons...
Read MoreFeatured: Week of Nov. 12
As any writer or artist will tell you, inspiration can come from anywhere. This week’s featured contributors look at the process of artistic creation. In “The First I Heard of It” by Ron Darian, a young boy discovers he’s got a unique ailment. The poem “The Project” by Michael Keshigian vividly depicts writer’s block in architectural terms. Art is delicious in the poem “Dinner at the Museum of Fine Arts” by Suellen Wedmore. “Don’t Hate Me Because I’m Beautiful” by K.A. Laity is a proposal for an...
Read MoreFeatured: Week of Nov. 5
This week, as much of the East Coast recovers from Superstorm Sandy, we celebrate those who fight against hardships: the fighters and survivors. “I Wander Into a Memory,” an essay by Robert Kingett, delves into memories of childhood abuse and kindness, prompted by a poem. “Coloring Book,” a poem by Timmothy Holt, looks at the second-guessing experienced by someone with AIDS. “Driving Into Beverly Hills,” an essay by Cyndy Muscatel, depicts the emotional journey of a cancer survivor. “Leap Away,” a poem by Vicki Mandell-King,...
Read MoreFeatured: Week of Oct. 29
While Halloween has become a holiday of pirates and princesses, it began as a way to honor the dead. On this hallowed week, our contributors pay tribute to those who have passed on. In “Someone Goes Over Old Love Letters,” a poem by Lyn Lifshin, everyday objects and routines evoke deceased loved ones. In “Island Field,” a story by Brian Rodan, a widower goes on a pilgrimage in honor of his wife. In “Stoppage,” a poem by Peter Layton, a windy day recalls images of a loved one. In “An Amount,” a poem by Peter Layton, the...
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