Poetry of Issue #2                        Page 11
Table of Contents Click page 1 Click page 2 Click page 3 Click page 4 Click page 5 Click page 6 Click page 7 Click page 8 Click page 9 Click page 10 Click page 12 Click page 13 Click page 14 Click page 15 Click page 16 Click page 17 Click page 18 Click page 19 Click page 20 Click page 21 The Blog Bog The Mag Rack	LOST WEEKEND VIA THE CONEY ISLAND BOUND D TRAIN (for David Francis) Pre-Halloween track work- The MTA's "Lost Weekend" journey. The D train to Coney Island, an N train in drag. A slo-mo freak show behind smeared plexiglass. Shanties moon the banks of the puke-green creek. In garbage dump forests, trees of heaven strip in sunlight. Can-crushed cars in assorted positions- an orgy of Skittles' color. Grungy trash does the "full monty" on crabgrass. Nature falls in love with graffiti sludge. "Life is beautiful," a clichéd haiku meltdown- "enjoy the journey."                       Patricia Carragon October 2014 ___ ___________________________	THE AFTERMATH--HAIBUN I slashed him. The knife felt good and I was empowered by it. He never resisted. He became the sacrifice for my emotional pain. Instead of screaming, he fell to his knees and cried. I looked at him and smiled. Behind him was a pond where his blood once rose to the surface, forming a large heart- shaped design. The water inside the heart's perimeters held healing power. But today, the pond was nothing more than an arid waste of wrinkled soil. When I saw his bloodied face, my knife dropped, but I didn't offer comfort or even an apology. Without emotion, I was as dry as the pond. Then I woke up, touching his vacancy on my bed. His shoes next to my mine were missing. His non-presence made me feel lonelier than ever. slashed thoughts, missing shoes love never heals on dry soil heartache sleeps alone                   Patricia Carragon November 2011 ___	SIPS My problems sit beside me, observing as I sip my rosé. They're not seen by others, but I know they're here. Like old acquaintances, they keep me up-to-date with bad news. Should I switch tables or tell them to go somewhere else? But my dilemma was already served and I needed company. I refill my glass to the rim, take one, long sip before the glass slips from my hand.                       Patricia Carragon March 2013___