Gnashing Teeth Publishing

| words that get in your teeth

Epiphany by John Roche

After sundown

safely back in their legislative chamber

relieved to be resuming their speechifying

the Senators rubbed their wounds, sipped their wine

and orated through the night. 

 

But afterwards, in their beds, more than a few had the terrible realization 

the awful revelation

that no matter how much they deferred to Caligula

how much they acquiesced to his insatiable demands

how many accolades they placed on his head

how many virgins they sent him to defile

how blind the eye they turned to his pilfering of the Treasury 

and dereliction of his duties

how many Christians and Celts they let him feed to the lions

how many insults they bore in silence

it would never be enough.

 

Caligula would gladly sic them to the mob

Had that very day forced these octogenarian Senators to cower 

in the basement of the Capitol

while vandals roamed the venerable halls and ransacked their offices

while a ruffian clown stood at the dais

and a barbarian sat in the chair of the President Pro Tempore

 

Fortunately, the epiphany soon faded

By mid-day they were back soaking in the baths

regaling each other with bawdy stories and boasting

of the Emperor’s love for His devoted servants.

Goodnight, Taj Mahal by Andre Peltier

Deep below earth, clay and sand, deep below roots and aquifers, it lies in wait. Like that silent coyote stalking her white-tailed deer through the brush, it waits patiently and

contain by Megan Cartwright

verb past tense: contained; past participle: contained 1. have or hold (someone or something) within. Similar: hold carry To have and to hold in our own microcosm, constructed of hope.

Listening to Words by Mona Mehas

Listening to words out of touch cross lily pads, one to the next my rules, a tiny picture frame debt of honor, repay the gift. Headlights illuminate the path listening

Blooming by Elizabeth Gade

Some days are easy and some days are exhausting the days you have to dig through the muck inside take more hits than a heavyweight prize fighter cling to life

Pomegranate Rose by Laura Peña

I want to feed this delicacy To my concubine A tiny spoonful at a time I want to watch the luscious sorbet Linger on the tip of her tongue Melt

connect

we love hearing from you. tell us everything