“Lobsters In My Closet” by Vicki Batkin

Photo by Alexis Rhone Fancher

A child in her arms.
Amazing Grace.

I could never understand time.
Constantly looking for reasons
Why it feels so slow
And yet goes by so fast.

So much can happen in just one day
Moments feel like a string of pearls

Some go on forever
There is beauty in that as well

I can’t find humor today
And I only have 18 lines.

My dreams…loud lately
My days heavy
And
My thoughts stuck in the past
Stuck in the pain
Stuck in the sand

But maybe not stuck at all

Old habits mask as thoughts
Forcing the mind to believe
But
It’s not true

They make you think
It’s all real
But it’s not

And
If my suit of armor is on just right
They will ricochet
And right there

I will see beautiful veins
And bloodshot eyes.

Have I mentioned
There are lobsters in my closet?
They’ve been there
Since I was a kid
But
When I checked this morning
There were only 2

Vicki Batkin

(Brandon Lee Bjornson’s mother)

All Rights Reserved

© 2007

John Rieber on Bukowski…(quote)

“I have everything Bukowski wrote – sometimes I like to read it because it’s just the same as drinking rye slowly, methodically, until your liver rots…except you’re reading.”

- John Rieber

All Rights Reserved

© 2009

VC Ferry (quote)

Photo by VC Ferry

“what you dont see is the lady shouting at me once I took the picture…”

vcferry

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© 2009

“The Hourglass Is Clear” by Jacquelyn Gail

Photo by Alexis Rhone Fancher

She didn’t know I was holding her hand

or where she was or why. She was here but not here.

She was far away and yet holding on. I was holding

on, holding her, holding her cold, limp fingers in my hand,

holding all my fears wrapped around the fears she had now forgotten.

My need for her filled the room, pushing out all the air.

I stopped breathing, forced my breathing, breathing for both of us.

Could she slip away before she filled the hole, endless,

stretching to the darkness of the night that I slipped through from my rooftop one night,

as I searched for the angels that did not come.

I understood. Abandonment was my backyard where the flowers

refused to grow. A stench rose up instead and I ran from the foulness,

the putrid aroma clinging to my skin and permeating my marrow.

Channel no. 5 was her cure; mine, Coco Mademoiselle the starter, and

Black Orchid subbing in when needed.

I needed her.

The hour glass was clear, it didn’t matter.

Jacquelyn Gail

All Rights Reserved

© 2009

Sarah Bernhardt (quote)

Photo by VC Ferry

“Your words are my food, your breath my wine.

You are everything to me.”

Sarah Bernhardt

VC Ferry

All Rights Reserved

© 2009

Viktor Frankl (quote)

Photo by VC Ferry

“What is to give light must endure burning.”

Viktor Frankl

VC Ferry

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© 2009

“Scream” by Stephen Kalinich

Photo by VC Ferry

from the root up
we need a radical change…
everything is so strange

the dog

the kids

the Americana nightmare
has lost its horizon

its on to the next

Fred Astaire
in the fame game..

Prostitutes, pimps
broken down winos
sleep under bill boards
white like albinos

muted jaded
no piece of the dream
American casualty

SCREAM!!!

Stephen Kalinich

All Rights Reserved

© 2009

Jack Kerouac (quote)

Photo by VC Ferry

“Write in recollection and amazement for yourself.”

Jack Kerouac

VC Ferry

All Rights Reserved

© 2009

L. K. Thayer (quote)

Photo by VC Ferry

“you can’t always get what you want…

but you get what you “squeeeeeeze!”

L. K. Thayer

VC Ferry

All Rights Reserved

© 2009

“Out Of My Mind” by Julie Dolcemaschio

Photo by Alexis Rhone Fancher

I’m out of my mind
I’m watusi when I should be rhumba
I’m achey-breaky when I should be

Jesus Take The Wheel

Tell me of your salad days again
I wasn’t paying attention when you told me
Of pillbox hats, parades and vodka gimlets, dry

She was out of her mind, but only on days ending in why

Blasts from the past caused permawaves, curling her hair
That began falling out when she discovered she couldn’t do
Both, be she and he
Testicular marvels caused confusion
The only remedy being the change in name

She called herself after a nub of pleasure, really silly
She was out of her mind when she named her name
The dog rolled his R’s and told her she was too too
While he wore the chartreuse tu tu and hummed hymns
Like a rose is a rose, and the name game
Clitoris Sparks, he sang—your name one day in lights

You must be out of your mind

Julie Dolcemaschio

All Rights Reserved

© 2009