129 lede

Lobelia cardinalis.
by Karissa Knox Sorrell

Late afternoon. Five miles around and up Gregory’s Bald in mid-October drizzle. The mud squishes under our shoes, earthworms squirming, acorns and animal pellets drowning. I crouch to fix an untied boot; when I stand up, you are gone. I’m alone with just the whisper of rain touching leaves.
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“Deli” by Zac Galinkin

and the thumb fell off the knuckle
but the dog wouldn't give it back
but the hand tried to force it out

piggy (with parenthesis)
crumpled into thin strips
bacon (with parenthesis)
prioritize the piggy's parenthesis
like i did
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poetry submission (2)

Holly Day <lalena@bitstream.net>Wed, Oct 8, 2014 at 11:40 AM

Reply-To: lalena@bitstream.net
To: editor@thesquawkback.com
Dear Poetry Editor, Squawk Back:

Happy National Squirrel Awareness Month! I fervently hope that the fact that they’re being celebrated throughout October will make more people slow down when they see a squirrel crossing the street, instead of speeding up as many seem to do. It’s hard enough walking the dog at 6 a.m., bleary-eyed and shivering from the early-morning frost, without having to drag her away from the smashed bodies of squirrels that seem to pile up this time of year.
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“Gilda the Cat” by Cheryl Spinner

Gilda lies on her throne of gold
Of velveteen mustard
A ruff offsets the face of fur
Whiskered and full
Rounded eyes of lashed wonders
A glorious cat at that
Gilda the Glamorous
Cat of the night
Cat of the lounge that becomes her.
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