as the leaves change
so do our
kisses

he smiles
but, I see him frown

she walked away
winking
more than her eyes were closed

his eyes tamed me
but his mouth drove me wild

she sat near, next to,
on me
but was never close

he wanted more
than he was willing to give

Adam Stefo & Stephanie Dietrich

By the Light of the Stars

The lone sound
Of a heartbeat-
My head on his chest

Softly-
Soothing me to sleep

The lull of
The fan…
Sweaty summer night

My smooth hands
Slip around his waist

His callused hands
Rubbing my
Back

Quietly we embrace
The music of the night

Alisha Goebel & Corinne Cullina

too tired to sleep
she writes a To Do list
3:30 a.m.

snooze, snooze, snooze
showering's overrated, anyhow

Barber and Copland for breakfast
Appalachian Spring
gives her chills

a bag of puppy chow
breakfast, lunch, and dinner

a new revelation
she only cries when she's angry
sobbing openly for the first time in years

performance anxiety behind her
still, all she sees are locked doors

waiting 8 hours just to see
that stupid sign
Where Every Day's A Holler Day

Allison Lingren

the dog sniffs
the dandelion
where the bee had previously perched

the bee stings my foot
death soon awaits him

I lift a discarded newspaper
so that the bee may meet
his maker

a bee is the Devil
in a yellow jumpsuit

as I walk to the trash can
I show a sentry wasp
that I mean business

the wasp retreats
as the dog and I do the same

Adam Stefo & sister

Family ties

Professionally
Covered walls
Portraits

Good clothes
Family

Again meeting
For another
Unhappy holiday

Difficult childhoods
Hope

Finding the
Affection and love
Always needed

Keep communication
Open

Carla and Alisha Goebel

Zirconium

early morning ritual
scale fluctuates
  unnecessary sports bra

yesterday’s food
adorns new bristles

   weighed down by garment bags
   g a g g l e of girls
bombard     the     bell boy

dressing room frenzy
more r I b s than eyes

staring down last year’s rival
the zirconium headdress
her redemption

   leaving with multitudes or roses
a family’s overcompensation

Allison Lingren
& Traci Rapp

Frigid Happiness

spilling into the air
over the golden day—
laughter

from the brunette
with a glass of bubbly

now empty
with sorrows
no longer felt

the swing set
in winter

ignored by
the snow-suited children
building Frosty

wishes
in the cold

Sarah Corso & Andrew Barnick & Natalie Perfetti

Yellow Snow

fresh snow
untouched
except for my name

mom zips his new jacket
“don’t eat the yellow snow”

dad zips his pants
his name
is in cursive

mischievous teenager
selling snowcones-
this doesn’t taste like lemon!

I step in amber slush
as my day gets worse

avoiding the yellow snow
I step
in dog shit

Brian Rhode & Rick Bearce

The Garden

under the evergreens
the lonely chrysanthemum
loses a petal

spring breeze
blowing the magnolia petals

blushing tulip
the spring wind
on her cheek

autumn gusts
leaves gather
by the azalea bush

eating oatmeal cookies
in Grandma’s geranium garden

humid breeze
the juniper bush
rooted in the nettle patch

Rick Bearce & Brian Rhode

Violence with Valor

the knight stops…
dropping his sword
he gasps for breath

warm blood--
on cold steal

his knees buckle
under his dying weight
supported by a blade

he stares himself in the eye
from within the metal

sky blue irises,
turn to gray

as it starts to rain
the heavens weep
for the fallen hero

Corinne Cullina & Ian Shelton

Innocence

tiny pink bloomers—
up to elbows
in daisies

little boy
streaks past the carousel

laughter rings
throughout…
hiccups soon follow

hiding green peas
under my plate-
dessert time

scuffling through the dinner party
in only mommy’s heels

chasing the cat
under the dinner table
where’d Bobby go?

Elizabeth Braden & Liz Ciaccio

Secrets

quietly in the night
sisters celebrate
her birth anew

carnations whisper
a song of love and belonging

not a word spoken
to the world
outside my brick walls

I found a trashcan one night
What was it for?

at last it makes sense
as she breathes a single word
…Atlantis…

Erin Wyant & Kelly Kirscher

Travels

I dreamt one night
of a travel so sound

the breeze cooled
my strangled breath
from the Eiffel’s peak

tomorrow would be
beautiful for a walk in the park

his face caressed mine
as dinner was served
flying above the mountains

I envy the dreams
of their reality

Erin Wyant & Ashley Knezevich

Blurred Reality

the foggy moon
walking home
no stars to guide me

darkness closing around me
I quicken my pace

domino’s
warm in my hands—
hungry

back in the darkness
searching for a friend
among these empty streets

wind noisily pushing
me and the budding trees

tomato sauce
drips blood
onto Grisham

Jamie Devitt & Pat Steadman

Coffeehouse

dark shades hiding
all but ruby red lips
sipping Starbucks

smiles mingle
among sounds of comfort

in the midst of commotion
and a hard wooden chair
lost in her book

whirring espresso
love designs in the foam
hold the whip

daughter laughs
with mother… catching up

reminiscent of home
kitchen for all
breathing life

Liz Ciaccio & Mary Ciaccio

Proposition

“MARRY ME”
a proposal
shaved into back hair

ring in a champagne glass:
she swallows

a hand in my pocket
brushes the velvety box
she asks for some “space”

she pauses
before saying yes
I die a little

a box of candy hearts
all the same: “Marry Me”

a mumble
over some root beer—
was that a proposal?

Melanie McLay & Mark Beanblossom

Togetherness

two weeks of waiting
finally rewarded
his smiling face

spilled cranberry juice
laughing at her new pink sock

joining the theatre
in ruins by last night’s tornado
our movie date

space heater on high
sleeping on top of the blankets
for her

one by one the animal crackers suffer
my severe case of the munchies

she reads the haiku
in Japanese
we laugh together

Rick Bearce & Ashley Donaho

Weatherman

his dark confession
her innocent tears
matching the downpour

paining to speak
thunder shakes the window

lightning casts their
separated silouhettes
on the bedroom wall

out of breath
a calm before
the worst of the storm

reapplying runny mascara
primping for singlehood

relishing the sun
on the horizon
darker clouds

Ryne Inman & Rachel Cook

A View

old soda bottle
stuck
to my windowsill

a second story view
of a starless sky

from my window
shouting idiots
keep me awake

drawing the blinds
I conceal a view
of finger smudges

from our window
my last glimpse of her

cheshire cat smiles
through the windowpane—
crescent moon

Melanie McLay & Ryan Murphy

Cauliflower Clouds

wind’s power
pushing clouds over
the world

whip cream over earth
sweet pie

paper plate, crisp
and white
under bluest sky

smooth cutting
beams of light

rays from clouds
descend . . .
like angels

light burns
nuclear bomb

Natalie Perfetti & Michael Oates

Just Another Day

Sand between my toes
sun in my eyes
Corona in my hand

sliced lime wedges
on the wood table

a scorpion lays on the table
playing with wet circle of condensation
from my half drunken Corona

ocean breeze moves
the palm tree branches
and our beach hats

my hat falls off my head
as cute bikinis giggle as they pass

fish in the water
taunt the seagulls overhead
by splashing

Kevin Buscemi & Pat Steadman

Rainy day discoveries

quiet eyes
stare back
from the tattered photo

the rays of sunshine
spotlight the soldiers

the unfamiliar faces
next to grandpa
longing for home

tears spill
from his baby blue eyes
only eighteen

hail on the window
machine gun fire

buried in old army fatiques—
photographs and secrets
grandpa's attic trunk

Rachel & Lucas Cook

ribbon of white
brings us closer
to home

black sedan a blur—
our chariot

risking death
to piss off
the truck behind him

shoes forced on the x-ray
I travel grumpy
but her smile makes me forget

the security circus
alleviates no fears

late departure—
the drowsy head
on my shoulder calms

Stephanie Dietrich & Greg

Swaddled

dad’s alarm clock
bedroom door taps
each grabs a pop tart

click of the seat belts
filling the tank with fidgety thoughts

pillows pressed on glass
watching the silos
change to brick corporation

as we park, mom’s anticipation grows
each newborn waiting to go home

little sister tries the snuggle test
the blonde one relieves himself
on the sports page and they know

the next morning, each cheek
wet with love

Traci & Sarah Rapp

Frickin Computer

winter moon
steam rising
from my cup of chai

endless night
with my stack of homework

as I gaze I into
my blank screen
screaming tears

picking it up
with a surge of anger
it shatters on the dorm floor

revenge
never tasted so sweet

until morning
when my confession
brings mother’s wrath

Faith J. Martin
Sarah Emily Lekberg

Lost Time

In the stillness
I wait...conforming
to a time forgotten

morning sunrise
my watch reads 2 PM

four hours late
I rush towards the door
and realize you're already gone

stumbling
backwards on
car keys

I missed my favorite show
not realizing...

the time change
just another instance
lost time

Faith J Martin
Erin Wyant

Cursive

Words of love
Breathed
Into a kiss

Hands in hands
Fingers speak softly

Shakespeare’s sonnet
Whispering
Across her stomach

Only she
His rose
Skin of ivory

Betraying eyes
Shattering his delicate melody

Never to know
His gaze remains
On the tip of his tongue

Jamie Devitt & Jonah Malarsky