ABOUT

CONTENTS

EDITORIAL

ARCHIVE

LAGNIAPPE

MAST

SUBMISSIONS

Poem
by Robin Dare


Modern Animal Storage

Nicknamed “Ziploc” ended
up in a landfill with the rest of the dogs and cats
from rural counties without an incinerator or
gas chamber or the decency of a needle

to abide them into the next
life hereafter was a hopeful sachet—and
paws claw with brilliance to 409, Tide,
discarded gristle     too chewy for human
consumption, but not the tendons or the
heads of fish for soup the homemade
way     Brainy nutrients for baby and me

and doggie makes three
for the road when baby arrives bundled
in pashmina hope Alpaca’s belly isn’t cold—
baby’s swaddled in sheep-tummy-fur,
nourishment via fish-eye-broth,
innocent       dump      numbness
as this child’s entrance
into the world
is a coddled circle – a journey of
relentless self.