Winter 2015: Poetry

Girl Fishing with Grandpa

by Helen Kerner

He took her fishing for crappie at the dusk end of day 
when the fish would be hungry and the lake calm as set jelly.

Speaking little, he rowed easy, the old wooden boat nosing 
the edge of the lily pad field as a dog might find a path.

He slipped the anchor into murky water, dug deep
into the soil of the bait jar, retrieved a writhing worm, 
pierced its flesh onto hook’s barb. 

Blood spurted across his threadbare overalls.
He grinned at her wide-eyed stare.

Acolyte witnessing holy ritual, she memorized his every move,
swung her pole out into the air. Quiet plop and then 
they waited in the warm breath of summer’s night.

Startled by the tug, she jerked, nearly lost her pole
but his hands cupped hers steady and his voice, like a prayer, 
skimmed the silence. 

	Let the fish swallow so the hook will catch firm.

His broad hand rested on her slight shoulder as they hiked
the steep path home. Crescent moon and flickering stars 
barely lit their way.

She glanced back at the lake where fish swam free 
and silver tattoos shimmied on the water’s perfect skin, 
peered up to find the patterns he described. 

	The stars are a million holes of light 
	birds fly through to sleep in heaven.

Poetry Through the magic of language, 20 poets challenge us to write and live bravely.		Prose Five risk-taking voices burn with the fire of transformation.		Artwork Four artists share their diverse sensibilities as confident mark-makers.		Young Voices With clear eyes and articulate voices, five young women confront terrifying aspects of human experience.		Contributors Meet the authors and artists – from first-timers to well-established – who grace our sixth issue with their voices and visions.

LETTER FROM THE MANAGING EDITOR POETRY         A Great Wild Goodness by Annie Lighthart         Going South by Christine Gray         a welcome week by Hannah Sams         Ophelia, at Fifty, in a Blue Blow-up Canoe by Deborah Dombrowski         A Passing Music by Barbara LaMorticella         Girl Fishing with Grandpa by Helen Kerner         Perimeter by Amy Schutzer         Two Poets in the Weight Room by Tricia Knoll         Skeletons by Christa Kaainoa         A Poem for Dany by Suzy Harris         Lineage by Amy Schutzer         The Bucket by M.K. Moen         Bernier River by Christine Dupres         Silence by Margie Lee         Advice by Donna Prinzmetal         Sometimes at Night by Jennifer Pratt-Walter         Fissure by Elizabeth Moscoso         Whale by Cathy Cain         In the Modern World by Annie Lightheart         Love poem to an acquaintance by Allegra Heidelinde         Dialogue between Magician and Tattooist by Christine Gray         Under the sign of the water bearer by Jennifer Kemnitz         city spacious heart by Pearl Waldorf PROSE         Bless Our Great Nation, Zambia! Zambia! by Gypsy Martin         Liminal by Stephanie Golisch         The Tomorrow Fire by Kelly Coughlin         Ablaze by Heather Durham         Left As It Was, It Would Come Apart by Jackie Shannon-Hollis ART         Sibling 1 by Michelle Latham         Sibling 2 by Michelle Latham         Sibling 3 by Michelle Latham         Totem by Kelly Neidig         Stratum by Kelly Neidig         Swift by Kelly Neidig         Breaking Free by Erin Leichty         Capture Threads by Erin Leichty         Hardware by Erin Leichty YOUNG VOICES         Visions on the Playground by Meghana Mysore         Chasing Thunder by Berkeley Franklin         Elegy for Christy by Lily Boyd         Social Media by Maya Coseo         A Hundred Acre Wood by Audra McNamee CONTRIBUTORS