In Conversation

Arabia Felix She cracked, in Natick Eyes like black horses in an oil field It’s 7:15 am And the spring Issue of The Paris Review Is shit He will be the strange Sudden loss that changes everything, The late modernist who Broke her horn And stole her cinnamon As last night’s gin murderously Hits the …

A Man Called “Tellahoe” I hate to think the majority of people are born to lose. And I’m not inclined to debate the nature versus nurture narrative except to say I doubt anyone’s ever been pulled from the womb screaming racial epithets, wearing a MAGA hat. And it’s not my intention to get political in …

Treason There are yet citizens who believe our town should remain clownless.  It is beyond, to them, survivable dimensions that, now, our infallible leader is a clown, performing skits at civic functions, walking town hall in size twenty-two shoes.  They remember cheering clownherds driving collected clowns through town and onto a fate we did not …

HOW TO GET BY ignore everything invent a life more amenable to your present situation lie back on your favorite couch maybe doze off dream something even better than your waking dreams let the unmade stories well inside you not lies not truths only the shimmer of possibility the room will still be the room …

Poet and Writer John Stickney is originally from Cleveland, Ohio and currently lives in the Greater Charolette NC area.

Frozen Orange Juice They are getting rid of frozen orange juice cartons and pennies & I don’t see clowns much anymore At my age things start to move pretty fast Like a freight train Like a jet plane like a divisive celebrity opinion I don’t want to go backwards I don’t want to go Forwards …

The Truth Some folks can do whatever they please so long as they fulfill their fantasies just ask the pantsless kids down in Palm Beach. Grab a pussy, steal a man in his sleep. There will be no repercussions, ‘cause some folks can do whatever they please. If you feel justice is far out of …

Explaining Role Playing to a Friend with Benefits Make sure your biological history is scrubbed hard the night before. Make sure the bodies wearing our names slip easily in and out of themselves, like a sweater no longer needed to warm our shivering search for touch. Make sure you’re ready for sexual tension like a …

Some People Say I Was Anointed By Christ to Write Columns Milt settles into his catnapper, grabs the remote and flicks on the five o’clock news. “All right, let’s see what the mad man’s up to, now.” He’s referring to the Tangerine Lunatic, of course. A man he’s voted for three times, and he’ll vote …

Old Man Swarmed by Wasps While Mowing the Lawn his baptist knees ain’t bruised his baptist throat don’t strain singing from the hymnal but his voice today, lord, his voice shouts to glory knees white as angels’ wings modesty upheld in lightwash denim denim that’ll stain green when he falls on them baptist knees, humble …