Michele McDannold
Author's posts
Jun 22
Gizmo by Howie Good
Gizmo As usual, murderers and cheats were in charge and forcing catastrophe on the rest of us. A woman of about my age who looked teasingly familiar stumbled out of the smoke. My mind was a tangle of questions. “Is that your” – I didn’t know what to call it – “‘gizmo’?” I asked. She …
Jun 21
Nemesis by Alan Swyer
Nemesis Lenny Kaplan knew that the wise move, the political move, the enlightened career move, was to stay silent. Though at first he tried, he also knew who he was, and more importantly, who he did – and didn’t – want to be. Still relatively new to L.A., and even newer to the movie business, …
Jun 20
American Night by Joani Reese
American Night Cracked evening bells keep ringing though their muted song rings black and blue. The craven launch their bannered march, these times of change prompt stomping feet, the leather cracked, freedom bent back toward iron walls of altered fact. They pull each law loose with their teeth dig under flesh toward arid bone. Hot …
Jun 19
Los Techadores by Jonathan S Baker
Los Techadores June 12, 2025 There is a roofing crew above the street where my morning starts and they are blasting Mexican radio. Ranchero accordions chased by an excitable spanish-speaking DJ and it makes me so happy to hear it. Because the Hispanic kids aren’t playing in the yards anymore and their abuelas don’t come …
Jun 18
To the Silence That Raised Me by Heather Kays
To the Silence That Raised Me You taught me how to hear the hum behind the nothing— the way a faucet drips in a house no one lives in. The static between radio stations. The breath before the apology that never came. You tucked me in with unanswered questions, stitched bedtime stories from the lint …
Jun 17
THE POLISH HAMMER POETRY CORNER: Slave Labor by Karl Koweski
Slave Labor We’re into the second day of chrome shop training with Fernando, and I’m still not entirely sure he understands a fucking word I’m saying. I continue speaking what passes for English in Alabama accompanied by frenetic hand gestures, pantomime that becomes increasingly agitated with his every expression of surprise and disbelieving shake of …
Jun 16
I’d Rather Be an Elephant by Catfish McDaris
I’d Rather Be an Elephant There will be a few good moments, but mostly it will get worse. Cars and loved ones dying. Yesterday after 2 years of dental work to get perfect teeth for a 68 year old “rode hard and put up wet catfish”, they started doing a root canal, which ended up …
Jun 15
Land of the Free, Home of the Tropical McMansion by P.C. Tavarez
Land of the Free, Home of the Tropical McMansion I was born and raised in MIA 305 Dade County City of Kendall Home of the peacock & The mango The conservative Cuban, The orthodox greek The jewish private school The WASP barbecue The midwestern snow bunny Turned resident avocado expert The white Puertorriqueño Where you …
Jun 07
The Raging Goddess of Limbo by Mark James Andrews
The Raging Goddess of Limbo Brigitte went into the house and came back out with our blanket and her favorite flashlight. My Bridge collected flashlights. She had a brown paper grocery bag full of flashlights. This one was red and chrome with a decal of a spaceman with the lettering “Captain Ray-O Vac.” Night had …
Jun 06
bruise by John Sweet
bruise a nation of ghosts, and they all wish you dead and sooner or later it’s gonna happen can’t be 1994 forever, okay? can’t waste yr whole life being pissed at yr father because what was he actually guilty of? had you pegged for all the things you weren’t not a poet, not a suicide, …
