Gnashing Teeth Publishing

| words that get in your teeth

The Quiet of the Coup by Keith David Parsons

Most striking was not

the confederate flag parading halls

unbreached by force since 1812

the unironic scaling of walls

by border wall fanciers

to invade the people’s palace

the smashing of windows

placing of feet on desks

and gawky gawping like

terrorist tourists

through the statuary hall

or the defense

of our democracy

by pushed furniture

and drawn guns.

Most striking was the quiet

after the curfew fell

as the mob milled around

outside the Capitol

while the halls were swept

for the last horn-headed hoodlum

and riot shields

pushed down the mall

the quiet of shame

the quiet of doubt

the quiet of failure

the quiet of a force

only there for violence

and unsure at its end

of their purpose.

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