darcie friesen hossack

3 poems by Jasper Glen

Shell Outside the motor field: sallow colour And greasiness of the skin. Dead earth through pavement A gas station becoming prairie again. Left instructions: cash price 1 All American dollar echoing Of the face; rouge and mottled Low pulse rate, shallow pressure. The long shutting-off, Emotionally cool outlook Tower, and dark hills talk A broadcastContinue reading “3 poems by Jasper Glen“

3 poems by Mansour Noorbakhsh. WCLJ Writer in Residence

Iranian Youth For Mahsa Amini, Nika Shah Karami, Sarina Esmaeilzadeh and all martyrs of freedom I am a generation that my days have never tolerated with me. I see you kill but verbalize the justice. I see you steal but lament because of oppression. I see it’s foul only what you make in the nameContinue reading “3 poems by Mansour Noorbakhsh. WCLJ Writer in Residence”

3 poems by Umar YB3

From the trenches They tossed you to the depths and left you to sink or swim; though they were more convinced that you would end up a victim. But they’re wrong! Look at you! how you’re still hearty and hale; How you delve into the trenches only to emerge like a whale… With fishes andContinue reading “3 poems by Umar YB3”

Crossing Lines. a poem by Jennifer Wenn

Crossing Lines I am a transperson, and thus, for some have crossed a line, become an unwanted, disruptive element crashing the party of their comfortable psyches. It was not always thus, so long as my male avatar soldiered on, so long as my female truth remained bound and gagged, they were not disturbed. But thisContinue reading “Crossing Lines. a poem by Jennifer Wenn“

2 poems by Eva Petropoulou Lianou

Peace, So expensive We buy so many weapons To maintain it If we pray more If we were kind to each other We could say We have Peace of mind Poetic heart Call for meditation Inside our heart Peace, We say a lot We make nothing Peace, Such as a woman We adore her ButContinue reading “2 poems by Eva Petropoulou Lianou“

Climate Change. a poem by Dr. Rubeena Anjum

Climate Change a convoy continues in smog, time ends the bright world around us no more exists and high-rise cities thatched in thick soot mists blind hostage sun―brown auburn storm descends its climate change, fire till the end extends when scrolls from scriptures sync with scientists then death is man’s act; rogue syndrome assists redContinue reading “Climate Change. a poem by Dr. Rubeena Anjum“

Revelations. a poem by Lori D. Roadhouse

Revelations Creator wipes clean Her slate shale igneous, shakes down Her Etch-A-Sketch Earth and starts over, admits (to no one left) that She wasn’t perfect. Oceans strip evidence from the surface, mountains fall to cover the mess we leave as our sins souls selves are erased. Creator’s shame and mistake – Her failure – Gone.Continue reading “Revelations. a poem by Lori D. Roadhouse“

Our Sisters in Iran. a poem by Olga Stein

Our Sisters in Iran Why zip when you can zoom, beep when you can boom, rant when roaring is an option? Why bend when you can blare, or tiptoe around, or try to put out rage with quiet words instead of taking action? A moldering edifice needs bringing down. It won’t suffice to frown, or honk instead of howl, when livesContinue reading “Our Sisters in Iran. a poem by Olga Stein”

Don’t Use I. a poem by Jana Tzanakos

Don’t Use I Some days hurt consumes you Latches on, paralyzes, numbs, refuses release You sit for minutes that feel like hours Staring at the wall You are whisked into the past Stuck now Feel like the future doesn’t exist Talking to yourself to calm you down You realize they are trying to settle nowContinue reading “Don’t Use I. a poem by Jana Tzanakos“

Sweet Caporal. a poem by Mitchell Toews

Sweet Caporal A seagull stands poised on one webbed foot. Its clawed toes grip the granite hump in the nautical dawn light. Preoccupied with breakfast, if not survival, the gull is indifferent to me as I walk out onto the fishing rock. Several other gulls gather to stamp their feet—as if in anger—on the mossyContinue reading “Sweet Caporal. a poem by Mitchell Toews”