Michele McDannold
Author's posts
Sep 20
Blood on the Barroom Floor by Alan Catlin
Blood on the Barroom Floor When it was over there was so much blood on the barroom floor it looked as if all of the pigs in the world had been slaughtered and dumped here for effect I didn’t have much worthwhile to say to the cops I was just so visibly impressed I let …
Sep 19
The Difference Between A Massage Parlor Open at 2AM and an Acupuncture Place Open at 2AM in Lawrenceville by Dave Newman
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A MASSAGE PARLOR OPEN AT 2AM AND AN ACUPUNCTURE PLACE OPEN AT 2AM IN LAWRENCEVILLE Thank god the massage parlor doesn’t put needles in your dick but, then again, the acupuncture place doesn’t give handjobs. Dave Newman, a recent Pushcart winner for fiction, is the author of ten books, including Better Than …
Sep 18
Capsule by Damon Hubbs
Capsule According to the questionnaire you’re not emotionally stable enough to get bangs which makes sense considering you just had your 19th nervous breakdown. This is before the vampires bleached their teeth, before the Seaport became the Seaport and our pizza place in Haymarket closed, when the giddyup girls still dated Satan’s men and Princess …
Sep 17
Small Town Hot Summer Afternoon by Dan Denton
Small Town Hot Summer Afternoon the warm bath of summer sun on skin the burnt tar smell of fresh squished black top children moping about outside but not playing the indoor whisper of central air conditioning the listless quiet of trees and their leaves bone white sidewalks empty with nowhere to go the “shoo-wee buddy” …
Sep 16
THE POLISH HAMMER POETRY CORNER: What If I Just Never Got Political? by Karl Koweski
What If I Just Never Got Political? Until a couple days ago, I didn’t know who the hell Charlie Kirk even was. Being a white, male American of decidedly bad ass Polish stock, I have the luxury of ignoring the completely batshit crazy situations trending on the six o’clock news. Fortunately, I have an …
Sep 15
it’s Monday morning my ass is sore & I KNOW why by Misti Rainwater-Lites
it’s Monday morning my ass is sore & I KNOW why I didn’t know then but I know now. I can’t believe it’s not butter. Gee your hair smells terrific. All I ever wanted to be was Bobby’s girl but it was never my party my prom my sock hop my goddamn cotillion. I wasn’t …
Sep 14
Civil War by Aleathia Drehmer
Civil War I stare out the window in a fog created by the war of hormones fighting for purchase in my body. The neighbors fence fell down several months ago in a bad storm, now it sits like a crooked gap between the teeth of well groomed yards. They have made no attempt to fix …
Sep 13
Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner by Alan Catlin
Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner Being here night after endless night watching the moon change phases within the dead eyes of the drinkers thinking of the loneliness of the boundless track that spins by in my head as I run from place to place ringing sales touching bottles rinsing glasses making drinks as if I …
Sep 12
Bodies Inside Bodies by Dave Newman
BODIES INSIDE BODIES The job started at 6AM so I needed to be up at 5 to shower and shave and make the commute to the aluminum shed where we decided which tools to pack. It was a landscaping gig and we sweated all day endlessly bending to the grass then reaching for the trees …
Sep 11
Prisoner of the Whipping Boy’s Light Box by P.C. Tavarez
Prisoner of the Whipping Boy’s Light Box I fell in love with my friend He trapped me in his little light box He fed me crumbs of camaraderie He spun tales into a pacifying blanket Dropped in little pellets of Hope and romance And then he got bored Found something better In the overworld of …
