From the Closed Cottage Door – Karen Hodgson Pryce
From the Closed Cottage Door by Karen Hodgson Pryce The father drives a tractor. His son, a bobbingbuttercup on his knee. A cheerleading wife,baby on hip. Look! I sayshe’s living my life. A half smile hangs,only half seen by my […]
There is no other Ark – Tara Brown
There is no other Ark by Tara Brown Noah had it goodwhen he built his boat backwhen the world could be purged with a floodthough boats now abound on surging seasthere are wounds running deeper than watercan touch […]
My Inheritance – Hannah Dilday
Content Warning: Death of a parent My Inheritance by Hannah Dilday When I asked if you would get leukemia like your father had, you assured me no and I think you believed yourself. When you found out you had it, you said you never thought this would be the thing to end your life. Your […]
Chance – Maura Holmwood
Chance by Maura Holmwood A child in the park makes my heart ache.In green overalls, she trots, exploresand looks like mine. Ducks, patch of grass, a dog lazing byshe sees for the first time –my heart, it aches. Mother, standing out of the way,gives her space while she learns –with that fearless walk, she looks […]
Childless – Stevie Edwards
Childless by Stevie Edwards A stranger’s pregnant bellyplops over elastic-waisted jeans,and a wish kicks its legsinside me. I wish it would sit still.Forest fires blazethrough Quebec, orangesmoke obscuring the sky of the Mid-Atlantic,ushering in the newnormal: Tyger Tyger,burning bright, burning brushand rushing throughsubdivisions, makingash out of loved lives. Is delivering a childinto the smoldering ofthe […]
Negative – Maura Holmwood
Negative by Maura Holmwood The third line doesn’t appear. It would cut right through;split everythingin two. Days rumble on, monthsare lost,years race by at extortionate cost. The third linedoesn’t appear. Eyes red looking for its outline:it must emerge, it’s the promised sign!The third line doesn’t appear. The knot inside tightens forever,the secret wish will bloom […]
Mothers’ Day – Kendra Whitfield
Content Warning: Abortion Mothers’ Day by Kendra Whitfield Envelop me.Sing voiceless hymns in thevoid between waking and forgetting.Betray me with your stillness,wound me with your song.Wordless grace blesses me,stills me,haunts my womb empty forever but once.Once you were thereI cannot tell what part of me is you anymore,what part of your infinitessimaluniverse resides in me […]
Dandelion Fields – Joanne Macias
Dandelion Fields by Joanne Macias Childhood innocence is whendandelions are plucked from afield, a gift chosen for mum. Their beaming eyes and a smilewhich light their face. You are thereason they stopped their play. Childhood innocence saw beautyin what you considered weeds.Happiness as bright as the petal. Sad, I watch on the sidelines with nodandelions […]
Outline – Craig Dobson
Outline by Craig Dobson Every night, I tuck the childI never had into bed. Tuck it in safe and well,tell it a story and say Sleep Tight! In the morning, when I go to wake it,it’s gone without a trace, as if the dark had taken it, leaving in its placea shape pressed into the sheet, a ghost of […]
Fallow – Helen Finney
Fallow by Helen Finney Fresh grassbruised by bare feetsmells sweetly in the sun, the freckles of flowersscattered amongst the bladesas spikes of seed headsswathe the breeze. This pasture, left fallow,bears its own value,one not to be judged by its yield. About the Poem “There seems to be a lot of judgement towards people, women especially, […]