POEM OF THE DAY BY ARTHUR SZE

Earthstar
Opening the screen door, you find a fat spider
poised at the threshold. When I swat it,

hundreds of tiny crawling spiders burst out.
What space in the mind bursts into waves

of wriggling light? As we round a bend,
a gibbous moon burnishes lava rocks and waves.

A wild boar steps into the road, and around
another bend, a mongoose darts across our headlights.

As spokes to a hub, the very far converges
to the very near. A row of Siberian irises

buds and blooms in the yard behind our bedroom.
A moth flutters against a screen and sets

off a light. I had no idea carded wool spun
into yarn could be dipped and oxidized into bliss.

Once, hunting for chanterelles in a meadow,
I flushed quail out of the brush. Now

you step on an unexpected earthstar, and it
bursts in a cloud of brown spores into June light.


-Arthur Sze

POEM(S) OF THE DAY BY JASON AMMERMAN

Gallows (long)


Hanging in the breeze
limp clothes on a clothesline
clean hoods over heads
cover their grimaces

Bodies at peace, swaying
Like ripe fruit on
a tree
in the open sun

Their lives poured out in passion
the consequences of actions lost
They followed uncontrolled desire
The prayers of the one day to be condemned are loud, long before the sentence.

Permanent fixation of muscle
The tent given up
hanging

Bloated
The blood starting to dry
The emotion is getting quiet

All the onlookers leave
It is quiet enough for the scared souls to creep out of their bodies

Spirits released the executed step out into the sunshine
Like a man yawning at waking and reluctantly stepping into the full day light.

They hover blinking
Bare skin newly naked

The noble host of the maker awaiting their arrival, shines upon them
The voice is of confidence and simple, noble kindness

"Clean linen for the back of the thief, long gown for the whore, and give the preacher pants."

"They are all welcome. Let us give them a home."



Gallows (Short)


Hanging in the breeze
limp clothes on a clothesline
clean hoods over heads
cover their grimaces
at peace, swaying
in the open sun

Permanent fixation of muscle
the tent given up
hanging

Spirits released
the executed step out
into the sunshine
Bare skin newly naked

The maker shines above them
his voice is of confidence
and simple noble kindness

"Clean linen for the back of the thief, long gown for the whore, and give the preacher pants."

"They are welcome. Make them at home."

 -Jason Ammerman