August 2022

Still here

Lying in bed
On a hot August night
Listening to the crickets sing
Through the open window.
I feel profoundly relieved
At hearing them again
In our midst
Because as … Read more

Asian Solidarity

Urbanscape by Jenn Martin

(TW: Small mention of blood and violence from a racially motivated hate crime.)

Discrimination
Silenced my mother’s native tongue
Coated with Biluochun tea
Spoons … Read more

Why Are You Here?

for Sayeh (Shadow)

Poet
from the forest-covered mountains
you celebrated the land that jailed you
When the radio broadcast your patriotic song
your jail guards and cellmates asked,
“Why are … Read more

The Last Text

We drove with the sunroof open
So the breeze could tangle our hair.
We rolled through stop signs,
We ran reds as the others did,
And we pressed send on … Read more

City Garden

Image by Laura Daniels

The community garden where I grow tomatoes,
green peppers, zucchini, and gladiolas.
My little piece of heaven – twelve by twelve
what more could I ask … Read more

CLIMATES CHANGE

Disquiet, dis-ease, deceit
permeate the atmosphere,
suspended
like stale smoke.

Trying to navigate the pollution
of fake facts confounds,
as no fresh breezes appear
to clear the murkiness.

Living in … Read more

O, Cool Water

the quencher of perpetual thirsts,
the extinguisher of sporadic wildfires,
the melter of wicked witches,
why besmirch your goodness
with outbursts that flood unwary towns
in a flash, turn docile … Read more