Short, Fast, and Deadly

Short, Fast, and Deadly

i95

ISSN: 2163-0712

Edited by Joseph A. W. Quintela

2 October 2011

 

Featuring:

Anatoly Belilovsky

Richy Campbell

Howie Good

Catherine Hoyle

Andrew J. Stone

Joseph L.M. Sturm

 

Copyright © 2011 by Individual Authors

All Rights Reserved

The Embarrassment of Loneliness

Father Mackenzie doesn’t look back as the smell of turned earth fills his nostrils and the stone soldiers pass.

This is your future.

After weddings she’d gather the rice from outside the oak doors,

“So the poor birds don’t eat it.”

He’d smile at her lie, for he understood the embarrassment of loneliness.

The lead in his stomach reminds him, only today did he learn her name.

by Catherine Hoyle of Cardiff

Birdsong II

Six in the morning
and the world makes
a certain sound,
like the color red
mixed with longing
and a little rain.

by Howie Good of Hyannis

To A Grown Daughter

Pour a glass of whiskey
on your heartache
and consider starting over
and then go to the zoo
though it wasn’t
the polar bear’s fault

by Howie Good of Hyannis

For Pleasure

This blood is a cynical juice; it moves through a kaleidoscope, changing its hue every two beats. becoming a free-falling drop-splat as I tap into that. Seven drops. Seven splats. Seven: I'm crumbling into wishes upon hot winds, and I've conformed into something I'm not -- juice in un corps, tasted by lips della Mona Lisa, and pissed onto a picture of horny teens drunk on stashed wine coolers. I'm part of the senses.

by Joseph L.M. Sturm of Mercersburg

Picture

Canvas’,
Like four-month corpse
Allow only for a
Chapter, but are more than enough
To tell.

by Richy Campbell of Stoke on Trent

Granny Smith Apple

cheekbone sweatclouds
under the Arizonian sun
green apple shatters tea-leaf
teeth at Phoenix Art-less Museum

by Andrew J. Stone of El Segundo

And Pity 'Tis 'Tis True

“Jeeves,” said Bertie, “knows everything.”

“Really?” Sir Hugh inquired.

”Really,” Bertie asserted.

“I propose,” Sir Hugh said, “a test. I shall hide on the roof. See if he finds me.” 

He departed. Stairs creaked.

“Jeeves,” Bertie called

“Yes sir,” Jeeves replied.

“I’ve a question…” he said.

“Yes sir.”

There was an awful scream.

“Good God! What was that?” Bertie exclaimed.

“E flat, sir,” said Jeeves.

There was an awful thud.

by Anatoly Belilovsky of New York