The Sweetest Thing

two kisses
sitting
in a bowl

cocoa beans sift
through machinery

he pulls out her
chair:
dinner for two

rich silky brown
on their tongues

eye contact
they lean in
for a smooch

blue white and silver
in the trash can

by Amy and Amanda Van Rheeden

Wishes

winter rain
words drip
from the prayer tree

each inky teardrop
an uncertainty

muddy child
taps his bowl
off-beat

a mantra for alms
the dull blade
at his side

last light
the emperor heirless

a young lark
beyond the walls
takes flight

by Aubrie Cox & Wayne

Numbers

1 feral child
eyes on my
Red Bull

58008
BOOBS

gumball machine
two balls going down
that's what she said

we need
three lines...
ta-da!

metahaiku
as a cheat

small-town diner
we tip them extra
15%

by Aubrie Cox & Gordon Gilmore

City Slicker

small-town diner
wary of
kamikaze creams

insult to injury
jalepeno pops out of its popper

livid swearing
Sahara
in his mouth

ice water
that'll cost you
another ten cents

the townees
look and laugh

he ambles
out the door
ready to get lost

Aubrie Cox & Gordon Gilmore

Thanksgiving Dinner

the smell of turkey
the taste buds dance
food for thought

food thoughts
spoil the appetites

family gathers
hopefully no fights
a mother’s wish

pumpkin breath child
whispers “I love you”

a dog licks her lips
a slice of pie
now missing

everyone gone…
leftovers

by Brandy & Crystal Bockewitz

Passport

twilight
on the receding tide
I, too, am leaving

wet footprints
the driftwood taken ashore

taking chances
to leave nothing behind
a wild sea

plane ticket adrift
on seafoam at dawn
one-way

this was not the last
final embrace.

her sunburst bikini
one more round
of margaritas!

Aubrie Cox & Wayne

A Year Later

a star splinters
darkness
of a distant horizon

she's in jail
front page news

fire flickers
on the candle's wick
conversation dies

lost at sea
a hint of light

an old friend
can remember her face
pitch-black

crocheted socks
a pale sliver of moon

by Brandy Bockewitz, Sam Sinkhorn & Amy Van Rheeden

Sunday

arms out
from under warm blankets
the smell of winter

from beneath the raised window
a chilly breeze

snowflakes
on the glass
folded paper

clouds cover-
the morning light still
reflects off the snow

the lazy cat blinks
and stretches her back

momentary blindness
purring in my ear-
another lazy morning.

by Debbie and Matt Campbell

THE WORDS OF THE PROPHETS
(ARE WRITTEN ON THE SUBWAY WALLS)

After my rant
He pulls off his headphones.
“What?”

With my headphones on
I don’t hear the car horn

As I look away
The cars behind me honk
Green light!

Radio up
I don’t realize
I’ve missed my exit

I turn the T.V. up
So I don’t hear them fighting

Power out
I’m forced
To listen to my thoughts

by Mark Beanblossom & Erik

Under-Cover

in the air
down feathers
from your blanket

tattered rag
childhood comfort

moving under covers
kitten’s pretty:
my toes!

movie night
should I share
my blanket with you?

in grandma’s lace sheets
two ghost holes!

the bed sheets
after morning cartoons
time to save the day

by Melanie McLay & Brett Klein

Up, Up, and Away

for a moment
I'm Peter Pan:
broken arm

leaping over the railing
I forget to land

on my test
bright red F
paper airplane

bright summer day
I never see
the baseball

flying V overhead
the wetness on my shoulder

ferris wheel
at the very top
my corndog and I disagree

Melanie McLay & Mark Beanblossom

Sleeping Pill

crunching chips
with a tang
under the covers

crumbs in the bed
vacuum humming

clothes sprawled
mixed
pencils and paper

paper wings
for dreams to fly

slushy white
the bird
disappears

cucoo-ca-chu
says the walrus

by Michelle Dixson & Colin Rogers

Seasons

on winter's branch
a teardrop
new spring herald

like tulips
we blossom

at summer's wane
abundance
autumn harvest

geese migrate far
away from us

from autumn's change
bright shining
winter dazzle

you stay
to keep me warm

by Sam Sinkhorn & Chris Lansdell