Category: Side A

Poetry for Side A: “I Don’t Know Why He Mumbles in Group” by Kevin Ridgeway

I Don’t Know Why He Mumbles in Group But he does. Maybe they are prayers forhis insanity to be extinguished. Either way,he’s always shushed by counselors for causinga distraction. He likes to offer erroneous triviaabout his favorite band, The Beatles—and healways stands corrected by others. After 30years of sobriety, the only coping skill he hasto…
New Side A Hybrid: “Were” by Kathleen Rooney

Were Purest verb of wistful longing: I wish it were Friday. I wish you were here. Yesterday we were studying and we were studying yesterday. Were and wer are archaic terms for adult male humans in Germanic cultures, often used alliteratively as in “were and wife.” Therianthropy is a fancy name for shapeshifting. If you…
New Side A Fiction: “Bricknose” by K.P. Taylor

Bricknose It was like when Randy Johnson killed that dove during spring training. It came sailing out of left field just as Randy fired off his fastball, and a moment later, it exploded into a cloud of feathers. Just like in those old cartoons. Well, that’s what it was like this morning, except it was…
Side A: Three Poems by Peter Leight

As Long as I’m Patient I’m Waiting for You Laying my laptop on my lap like a paperweight holding it in place, smoothing my lap opening up my hands like a checkbook, when you add up the profit and you add up the loss is it supposed to be the same amount? As long as…
Side A Poem: “A Fierce Menagerie” by Janet McAdams

A Fierce Menagerie On October 17, 2011, Terry Thompson released his menagerieof 56 exotic animals from his Zanesville, Ohio, farm.While a handful of animals were recovered,the majority were shot by local law enforcement. 1.The Next-to-Last Zanesville Tiger How many ways to enter the tiger’s body. This one bred downthe generations and so prized for its…
New Side A Poem by Annalisa Hansford: “Last Night, I Had a Nightmare That My Elementary School, Along with My Childhood Memories, Caught on Fire”

Last Night, I Had a Nightmare That My Elementary School, Along with My ChildhoodMemories, Caught on Fire Golden Shovel of “Televangelism” by K-Ming Chang A few hours ago, I dreamt of my childhood burning in prayers. When noone was looking, grief lit a match behind my elementary school. Oneghost licked the place until it smoked…
Side A: Kristina Andersson Bicher Reads Poems from Marie Lundquist’s I walk around gathering up my garden for the night

Situating Marie Lundquist Lundquist’s taut, image-driven, aphoristic poems speak in a contemporary voice but nonetheless offer clarity and stillness in a frenetic world. With a gimlet eye, Lundquist considers the essential mysteries of memory, childhood, love, longing, and existence. While the emotional terrain explored is intense, devastating even, Lundquist’s tone remains at arms-length. The voice…
Side A List Poem: “Palm Oil by Any Other Name …” by Kyle Heger

Acetylated monoglyceridesAlkylamidopropyl betaineAlkyl alcoholAlkyl betaineAlkyl ether sulfate Alkyl polyglucoside aluminium myristateAluminium palmitateAluminium stearateAluminum dimyristateAluminum isostearatesAmmonium laureth sulphateAmmonium lauryl sulphateAnionic and non-anionic surfactantsArachamide meaAscorbyl palmitateAscorbyl stearateAzelaic acidBehentrimonium methosulphateBeta caroteneBrassica alcoholBTMSButyl myristateButyl stearateButyl stearate IPMCalcium lactylateCalcium oleyl lactylateCalcium stearateCalcium stearoyl lactylateCAPBCapric triglycerideCaprylic acidCaprylic triglycerideCapryloyl glycineCaprylyl glycolCarboxylic acid soapCaroteneCeteareth mbsfl laurethulanate Ceteareth mbhe laurethulanateCetearyl alcoholCetearyl ethylhexanoteCetearyl glucosideCetearyl isononanoateCeteth-20Ceteth-24Cetostearyl alcoholCetrimonium…
Side A Original Short Fiction: “Transients” by Maggie Nerz Iribarne

Transients I tossed garbage bags full of last items into my Honda. Wire hangers, rolls of wrapping paper, a comforter. The orange tabby cat appeared, jumped into the back. “Damn you!” I shouted. The cat arched and skittered to the ground, running behind the (no longer) rented bungalow. I expedited to the driver’s seat, my…