By Janet Baird. a. Ticking Time Bomb In Rabaul broad pink beetle-nut smiles adorn the faces of the fuzzy wuzzies; unhurried, barefoot, brightly adorned they seem unconcerned by 14 active volcanoes. From its eyrie high on Mt Tovanumbatir the seismograph … Continued
By Janet Baird. As I leaned over the railing watching sleek bodies surf the bow wave with casual joie de vivre, one dolphin rolled onto her side and caught my eye in a moment of deep connection between two planetary … Continued
By Guenter Sahr Love. Love! You want to know about Lourve? e-harmony claims someone finds lourve every 14 minutes. And because there must be a receiver and a giver, by my reckoning that’s an ecstatic 4.3 couples per hour. Or, … Continued
By Kerstin Lindros Solid block of humanity, shopfronts to kerb, threatens to swallow me Unstoppable stream no air between body parts but with senses sharpened the bodies part, and strangers brush against my coat softly Unobtrusive intuitive, as if steered … Continued
By Jean Pearce When Charlie came back to Rippleside after the war, he cut the floor boards at the front door, buckled, as a pack of cards left out in the sun and rain. Cut with the hand saw he … Continued
By Jo Curtain I’m looking for me. I’m twenty. Instead I find my first dead body. I try to revive him, but he’s long dead. I leave everything behind: all that confuses me, all that is funny delusions and all. … Continued
by Jo Curtain her heart was quietly failing as the light moved across the white walls her hands. she laid supine in bed seeking peace. her life no longer her own she had given over her name, her clothes, her … Continued
By David Bridge Pile the earth tightly around us, For in death there is no social distancing. In life we huddled your pavements, Dying, we leave not a word, Or even a name to mark our passing. We were here … Continued
As announced on Games of Thrones, “Winter is coming”, but instead of walking icicles, we are threatened with extinction by bouncing droplets. I curse the infection, I condemn to Hell the prevaricators and politicos who have made our lives so miserable, and … Continued
By Ivor Steven Outside alone, stoically I stand Old toes gripping into cold sandHere my lawn cover is sparseBut I see the universe in a blade of grass Under my feet I feel our planet’s groundAbove I see a grey … Continued