The Girl Who Gave Herself Away by Chris Lihou So youngso beautifulso pregnant. From the starter’s gunShe’d never lead trailingbehind childrenbehind him. Promotionsmeantpacking boxes. Pay risesmeant…

Messenger Balloons by  Audrey-Anna Gamache @ScoutyLynch I do not understand the use of writing messages on balloons. Nevertheless, I held the string so tightly, I can feel the impression …

The Fleece Romper She Wore The Day I Kicked Out Her Father by Elise Scott @EliseScottWrites She deserved a father. But not him. He said: the secret to lying is convincing yourself first. …

florida pastoral by Mary Petralia  a pasture     a pocket knife          to the left cheekif i miss the eyeball     a glitter claw  &nbsp…

Nestlings by Melissa Flores Anderson The grasses are drier and flatter than last month, newly plucked and picked to form a bed, a home, a sanctuary. My son peers into the empty nest. Four and three…

Time by Rommy Nelson You left us in August. Closed your eyes and didn’t wake up. When you left, you took your laughter, your jokes, your voice. You left us the life lessons, the memories,…

Knit Two Together By Emily Hall @shared_yarns     To process the loss of her sister, Mom-Mom taught me to knit. Yarn looped around our needles. Balm spread across her heart.    …

Waiting by Chris Lihou She’d been waiting patiently for nearly eighteen months. Not that she wished for a short wait. He had every reason to enjoy time without her, having put his life on hold…

A Little Light at Christmas by Sarah Brent Thanks, tarted up. No expectations. A light in the darkness because you seemed sad. You took it and ran. Turned it into a blaze. When I said wai…

We’ve all been there. Somewhere along your path in life someone or something has broken your heart, and maybe like me, you’ve held onto the detritus left in its wake. If so, this is the literary pr…

Writers Support Group by T.L. Tomljanovic @Wilovic A dog in a chicken suit. That’s all it took. Called it AI slop. Right vs. wrong. Shots fired across messenger: tone policing, pearl clutching, mis…

Heartsick by Madeleine Armstrong @madeleine_write They said they could fix your leaky valves. But it was too late. I watched you wither in a hospital bed, holding a beaker for the man who coul…

Nothing Left by Sam Calhoun @weatherman_sam We emptied your bowlto entice the miceelsewhere— The feeding tray standslike eyes aboveevery toy— It was dark when I foundthe mouse trapped,hun…

Adam, Remember Fashion Class?  by Jay Honstetter @friendstergram It’s the mid 90s. Laughing at the noise on our faces, flannels draping our bones.It’s the 2000s. We’re at Cavestomp! Fred Perry…

Peacock Sighting by Beth Sherman @bsherm36 We watched the bird rattle his blue green, eye-spotted train. The mating season was over and tail feathers dropped to the grass – useless beauty. You saw …

Take me away, Ambulance by Shawn Scott Smith @luckycreature On the drive home, I see the ambulance at the nursing home,lights twirling in a dance of death and hope. I arrive home and you …

Puppy Love by Steven Lemprière @stevenlempriere A dog has entered my life; they’re a rescue and, like me, someone dumped them. She’s a bitch, and calling your name — another commonality — will see …

Overthinker by G. Lynn Brown @micromancemagazine She thought. Too much. About everything. Mostly about him. His blue eyes, his crooked smile. One day, she told him her thoughts. About how much she …

First by Lisa Thornton @thorntonforreal I climbed out my window to you and the rest of my life. Left the Social Distortion tapes and pink bedspread behind. You taught my heart how to hurt. We walke…

We’ve all been there. Somewhere along your path in life someone or something has broken your heart, and maybe like me, you’ve held onto the detritus left in its wake. If so, this is the literary pr…

Art Lit Club by Melissa Flores Anderson @theirishmonths A last-minute invite from the club pres, and I didn’t realize you would be there, too, in the backseat of her mom’s car, smelling…

Art Lit Club by Melissa Flores Anderson @theirishmonths A last-minute invite from the club pres, and I didn’t realize you would be there, too, in the backseat of her mom’s car, smelling…

For Better or Worse by Tracie Adams @tracieadams1966 A beaded dress that weighed more than me, Great Danes in our bed, Sunday afternoon barbeques, chicken skin sizzling with chimichurri, positive p…

Maybe You’re There, Hidden in the Pink House by Johannah Simon Ask her about the drawing. Force a smile when she explains it’s daddy. Ask where mommy is. Choke down your tears when she tells y…

We’ve all been there. Somewhere along your path in life someone or something has broken your heart, and maybe like me, you’ve held onto the detritus left in its wake. If so, this is the literary pr…

We’ve all been there. Somewhere along your path in life someone or something has broken your heart, and maybe like me, you’ve held onto the detritus left in its wake. If so, this is the…

Alt: a cartoon character wearing headphones with music notes surrounding him

We’ve all been there. Somewhere along your path in life someone or something has broken your heart, and maybe like me, you’ve held onto the detritus left in its wake. If so, this is the…

We’ve all been there. Somewhere along your path in life someone or something has broken your heart, and maybe like me, you’ve held onto the detritus left in its wake. If so, this is the…