January 2016 | poetry
a wave good-bye
a hug, a kiss
parentless
a thirsty Hispanic teen
travels north
on blazing train-car roofs
and searing dirt roads
away from king-pin violence
and cold fear
towards warm streets
paved of gold
caught crossing the border
an embarrassed patrol worker whispers
aquí está su casa billete de autobús
by John Sweeder
John Sweeder is a retired university professor from La Salle University in Philadelphia, PA. He considers himself an emerging poet and memoirist who has had several poems published in The Opening Line Literary ‘Zine and The Ocean City Sentinel. He is presently self-publishing a completed work entitled, Breathing through a Straw: A Memoir for Baby Boomers and Neurotic Catholics, one chapter per month, at https://jsweeder.wordpress.com/. Prior to his retirement, he wrote several scholarly articles in his field and co-authored an academic textbook entitled, Drowning in the Clear Pool: Cultural Narcissism, Technology, and Character Education, with Peter Lang Press.
January 2016 | poetry
My hope is a blue fluffy pillow.
A mirror of the sky, there to cushion my falls.
It glows; sunlight through a window.
My hope is the city.
The smell of cigarettes
mingling with bus exhaust.
Empty sky with stars on the ground
in orderly lines.
My hope is the ocean.
Giving and taking.
Advancing and receding.
Salty air on my skin.
My hope is the bells in the distance.
Spices and smoke,
foreign places I have yet to see.
My hope is laughter,
my hope is wails.
My hope is goodbyes and hellos and the tippy-tap of little feet.
My hope is life.
by Katherine Pixley
Kate Pixley is a poet, comedian, and student from Des Moines, Iowa.
January 2016 | poetry
–dedicated to Gandhi and King
wage a war of peace
a war of peaceful ways
a war of peaceful means
let violence be validation of violent
let murder be mandate of murderers
let bloodstains stain bloody, blood soaked hands
but let conquerors conquer by means of peace.
wage a war of peace
a war of peaceful ways
a war of peaceful means
let legacies of brave be legacies of peace
let ways of strong be peaceful ways
let days of wise be peaceful days
to the end so it is to always seek.
let violent be violent
let murderers be murderous
let clamorers clamoring conflict clamor
but let wise, let strong, let brave,
let courageous, conquerors champion
the ways of peace
by Jerry Johnson
Jerry Johnson is a new writer to the Connecticut/New York area. He does performance poetry at several venues in New York City and has published one e-book, “Good Morning 2015, An Inspirational Journey”.
