Short Works for the Peripatetic Web Surfer

by Darla Himeles

I went out to buy smog today
after two years away from my
concrete Pacific, my crashing
head smelling waves
as I landed at the storefront
where smog is sold
as an eye shadow color.

It is not the same
as my heavy home horizons,
but it is perfect.

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by Fred Longworth

Do not try to save the day.
Allow it to slide off the edge
of the earth and into the gutters
below the horizon.

Let the maintenance crew
sweep it into baskets
and burn it with dead leaves.

Later, as the workmen hasten
westward, following the debris
of other sunsets, hail them.
Ask for the ashes.

Go to story…  MediaStorm

by Michael Gullickson

I touched your forehead for the last time,
and willed you to recognize I was there.

They said the ocean of your brain had stilled,
no more waves, rolling to the shore.

That no man or machine,
could ever stir them again.

Choose to disconnect, they said,
let go.

I touched your forehead, for the last time
and made it so.

Offers prizes of 1st place 200$, 2nd place 100$ and 3rd place 50$ and publication in its fall issue. The entry fee is 10$ for 3 poems, 2$ for additional poems. All poems will be considered for publication. Poems should be less than one page and should have no identifying information on the poem. All entries should include a cover letter with poem titles, poets name, address, phone number and e-mail address. Simultaneous entries are accepted, and previously published on the internet also o.k., otherwise only unpublished are considered. Deadline is September 1st. Make checks payable to Mike Gullickson and send entries to Mike Gullickson p.o. box 1455 Burnet Tx 78611. This issue will have poems by Gary Snyder, Li-Young Lee and Jean Valentine…and you? Any questions? contact Mike. I look forward to seeing your poems.

Please note that Getting Something Read is not associated with The Enigmatist. If you’d like to participate follow the instructions in the announcement above. If you’d like to submit an announcement send it to Nina Peach with the subject: announcement. Announcements must be relevant to our site theme.

by Ralph Malachowski

Doorways with claustrawork, interstices;
doors of a mosque, a primary school, a theatre, cafes,
become a marketplace.

Façades of monasteries, granaries,
adorned by parabolas of mud plaster.

Mud supporting a staircase,
creating vaults, in turn create a loggia.

In the white light, an alcove with bas-reliefs, ablutionaries;
pigeon towers, malkaf and dovecotes, colossi of Memnon.

Necropolis of mud beds designed to protect against scorpions,
Surrounded by sabras — connecting doorways with Israelis with prickly pears
on the path first to Nubia then Cairo.

From time to time, we like to recognize writers whose submissions reflect their commitment to the art and craft of writing. What does this mean? It means they take their work seriously - and so do we.

At this time we would like to recognize:

• Paul Hostovsky
• Persis M. Karim
• Michael Constantine McConnell

We are very grateful that you chose to submit your writings to our website.

Sincerely,
The Staff and Volunteers at
Getting Something Read

by Dretta Grace White

We are betrayed

By the beating
Of our hearts
We are betrayed

By parted lips
And whispered words

We are betrayed

If only we had known
If only we had known

That to birds
Flight
Is also
The bitterness of fleeing